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Allard School of Law Milestones
In April 2018, the UBC Chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) received the Helen McCrae Award from the UBC Office of the Vice-President, Students. This annual student development award recognizes “exceptional contributions and significant improvements to the student experience and learning environment at UBC.” The Helen McCrae award recognizes a student program that shows commitment to the community, in honour of Helen McCrae, a former UBC professor of Social Work and Dean of Women who dedicated her career to increasing educational opportunities for women and children.
On June 12, 2018, the Honourable Madam Justice Risa E. Levine, LLB class of 1978 alumna and former Justice of the BC Supreme Court and BC Court of Appeal, was awarded one of five inaugural President’s Medal of Excellence by the University of British Columbia President and Vice Chancellor Professor Santa J. Ono. This remarkable achievement recognized Justice Levine’s significant contributions to the purposes and ideals of the university.
In September 2017, the Allard School of Law launched its Cultural Competency Certificate – a cultural competency training program designed to start a dialogue on issues disproportionately affecting Indigenous peoples and communities, with an emphasis on the interaction between Indigenous peoples and the Canadian legal system.
The 2018 Allard Law Alumni Association Awards, hosted by the Allard Law Alumni Association, was held on May 2, 2018 at the Vancity Theatre in Vancouver, BC. The event was generously supported by Fasken LLP, Harper Grey LLP, Lawson Lundell LLP, and McCarthy Tetrault LLP. This annual event recognizes the achievements of distinguished alumni and faculty of the Allard School of Law through four awards: Lifetime Achievement Award, Alumni Award of Distinction, Alumni Award for Research, and Outstanding Young Alumnus Award.
When the Student Union Building opened at the University of British Columbia in 1969, students from the law school began offering regular legal advice sessions out of the new office space. Originally, Carey Linde, Stuart Rush, and Dave Robertson served students from the broader UBC community, but they were soon joined by other law students.
Hoop-Law, an annual charity basketball tournament, first started in 1995. The event brings together the legal community in Vancouver, as well as students from the Peter A Allard School of Law and students at Thompson Rivers University and the University of Victoria, for an exciting day of hardwood action. Since its inception, students from the law school at the University of British Columbia have been integral to the organization and execution of the event, and it has become a tradition central to attending law school in Vancouver.
The International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy was founded as part of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme. The Centre seeks to improve the quality of justice, while upholding democratic principles, the rule of law, and respect for human rights in criminal law and in the administration of criminal justice. It aims to achieve this at domestic, regional, and global levels.
The Class of 1962 gathered over the weekend of October 20th, 2017 to remember their past times in law school, reflection on work done by the class in their careers, and to enjoy each other's company once again. The occasion began with a lunch at Sage restaurant on the University of British Columbia campus on Friday. The class generously extended an invite to current Allard Law students. The alumni and students in attendance shared stories and listened to reflections from Martin Taylor and Frank Iacobucci with Marvin Storrow serving honourably as Master of Ceremonies.
While no one seems to know why the trike races started, it is known that the first race occurred in 1972.
Allard Hall was designed to be LEED Gold. The LEED system grades building's excellence in sustainability in seven areas, and awards the building as certified, silver, gold or platinum. All new construction on the University of British Columbia campus is expected to meet a minimum LEED Gold certification, which Allard Hall has accomplished.