On April 27, 2016, the Allard Law Alumni Association hosted the 2016 Achievement Awards at the Vancity Theatre in Vancouver, BC. The night of celebration honoured five remarkable members of the Allard School of Law community in an awards ceremony and a reception. All proceeds of the event went towards the Allard Law Alumni Association Student Bursary.
Kinji Bourchier (BA ’96, LLB ’99), President of the Allard Law Alumni Association made opening remarks, followed by a welcome from Dean Catherine Dauvergne (LLB ’95).
Outstanding Young Alumnus
Karey Brooks (BA ’98, LLB ’01) received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, an award that recognizes an alumus/alumna of the Allard School of Law under 40 years of age whose endeavours in the practice of law, government service, the judiciary, business, legal academe, community service or other areas are worthy of recognition and who have brought honour to the law school. Ms. Brooks graduated from the law school at UBC in 2001. She is an emerging leader of Canada’s litigation and Aboriginal law bar, and has acted on many landmark Aboriginal cases. She acted as co-counsel in the trial and appeal of Grassy Narrows, a case dealing with the federal government’s role in implementing treaties. She acted independently for an intervener at the Supreme Court of Canada in Grassy Narrows and then in Daniels, a case dealing with the definition of “Indian” as the term is used within the Constitution Act, 1867. She has written and spoken extensively about First Nations’ section 35 rights, and has advanced a number of Aboriginal rights and title cases. Ms. Brooks also acted as Associate Commission Counsel for the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry. She devotes countless hours to pro bono work and currently serves on the WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre board.
Alumni Award for Research
Professor Bruce MacDougall was awarded the Alumni Award for Research for his research achievements that have advanced the Faculty’s reputation as a leading research institution. Professor MacDougall is a Rhodes Scholar and holds law degrees from Oxford University and Dalhousie University. Since 1988, Professor MacDougall has taught in the areas of commercial law, corporations law, contract law and human rights law. He has been awarded the prestigious Killam Prize for Teaching Excellence. He has been a visiting scholar and teacher at universities around the world. Professor MacDougall has held the position of Associate Dean for Research and has long been a member of the UBC Senate and the Judicial Council of the Tsawwassen First Nation. He has written extensively in the areas of commercial law and human rights, including a number of sole authored books. He is currently working on the third volume of a trilogy addressing Truth in Contracting and a co-authored book on sexuality issues in the education system from a legal perspective.
Alumni Award of Distinction
The Alumni Award of Distinction was given to Ross Beatty (BSc ’74, LLB ’79), in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the practice of law, government service, the judiciary, business, legal academe, community service or other areas have brought honour to the law school. Mr. Beaty is a geologist and resource entrepreneur with over 45 years of experience in the international minerals and renewable energy industries. A graduate of UBC in geology and law and Imperial College in geology, Mr. Beaty is an internationally recognized leader in both non- renewable and renewable resource development. He has founded and divested a number of companies and remains founder and Chairman of Pan American Silver Corp., one of the world’s leading silver producers, and founder and Chairman of Alterra Power Corp., a mid-sized renewable energy company with solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power operations in BC, Ontario, Nevada, and Iceland. Mr. Beaty is also a well-known environmental philanthropist, primarily through The Sitka Foundation. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Nature Trust of BC, is a Director of The Pacific Salmon Foundation, a Director of Panthera, and is patron of the Beaty Biodiversity Centre at UBC.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to both Dr. Contstance Isherwood, QC (LLB ’51, LLD ’15) and the Honourable Lynn Smith, QC (LLB ’73). These extraordinary women were honoured for their high standard of volunteerism, philanthropy, and professional accomplishment that have set an example for all who follow.
Born in Nanaimo, BC in 1920, Dr. Constance Isherwood ,moved to Victoria in 1939 to work as a stenographer and legal assistant. She also played the drums in an all-girls band that toured the province. Eventually she was convinced to attend law school and graduated from UBC in 1951, the first woman to win the Law Society of BC Gold Medal. She returned to Victoria to practice and later married one of her classmates and adopted two sons. Dr. Isherwood was an active volunteer in her community, including her role for almost thirty years as the Chancellor (and legal counsel) of the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia. As a result of her years of service, she has been awarded the Canadian Government 125th Anniversary of Confederation Medal, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and an honorary doctorate of laws from UBC (amongst others). Dr. Isherwood continues to maintain her law practice after 65 years.
After graduating from the law school at UBC in 1973, the Honourable Lynn Smith clerked for the Chief Justice of British Columbia, then practised law for seven years with the firm that became McCarthy Tétrault. She taught at the law school at UBC (1981-1998) and served as its Dean. A Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia (1998-2012), she also served as Executive Director of the National Judicial Institute. Currently an Honorary Professor at the Allard School of Law, she also designs and teaches education programs for the Canadian judiciary. Lynn Smith was a YWCA Woman of Distinction in 1992, the Georges Goyer Award recipient in 2003, and received an Honorary Doctorate in Law from Simon Fraser University in 2004. She was a founding Director of Canada’s Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund, and has written two books and numerous articles about the Charter, human rights, and civil litigation. With her husband Justice Jon Sigurdson, she has two daughters and three grandchildren.
This event was generously sponsored by Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Bull Housser & Tupper LLP, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, JFK Law Corporation, Lawson Lundell LLP, and McCarthy Tétrault LLP.