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Allard School of Law Milestones
Thorsteinssons LLP began in 1964 when one of the country’s first tax lawyers, Paterson Thorsteinsson, QC (Class of 1951), returned to British Columbia to found the firm. Since then, Thorsteinssons LLP has grown to become Canada’s largest law firm practicing exclusively in tax law.
In honour of the special and long standing relationship the Faculty has with our esteemed colleagues and alumni from Hong Kong, UBC Law at Allard Hall has dedicated the main student lounge in the new building to this important group. Thanks to generous contributions from our friends and supporters in Hong Kong an impressive $511,500 was raised to support this area, exceeding our goal of $500,000.
Singleton Urquhart LLP is a Vancouver-based law firm that has had a long history of supporting the law school at UBC. This donation was a further example of the outstanding support provided by the Vancouver legal community to the law school’s building project. UBC recognized Singleton Urquhart's gift with the naming of a group study room in the new law school building.
Sangra Moller LLP is a leading boutique business law firm located in Vancouver, representing local, national and international clients. The firm's areas of practice are focused on securities and corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate and commercial, natural resources and commercial real estate.
The founding partners of the firm, Harjit Sangra and Kim Moller, are members of the Class of 1984.
Joan Arthur Clark and Alexander Wilson were childhood friends from Ontario who began practicing law in Vancouver in 1911. After helping to establish the 72nd Seaforth Highlands of Canada, and leading their regiment through several pivotal engagements during World War I, General Clark and Brigadier Wilson returned to Vancouver to continue their, at the time, separate legal practices.
McCarthy Tétrault LLP is Canada’s first national law firm and traces its roots to 1855. The modern incarnation of McCarthy Tétrault LLP incorporates an integrated structure, and was created through a merger of firms in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. The merger required a historic challenge to the Supreme Court of Canada, which has cemented McCarthy Tétrault’s reputation as a leader and innovator among Canadian law firms.
In April 2007, UBC and the Faculty received gifts totaling $1 million from Borden Ladner Gervais LLP and the Ladner family to support the building campaign. The law school has named a lecture hall in honour of Thomas E. (“Tom”) Ladner, DSC, QC (1916 – 2006), a loving father, decorated war hero, outstanding lawyer and community leader.
The law school at the University of British Columbia received a $1 million gift from national law firm Davis LLP and Irwin Davis, grandson of the firm's founder Edward Pease Davis, K.C., towards the building project. This gift was matched by the Law Foundation of British Columbia, which committed to match donations in support of the law school’s vital role in Canada's legal system.
In September 2006, Farris Vaughan Wills & Murphy LLP donated $1 million to the law school at UBC. This was the largest gift ever made by a B.C. law firm at the time. Farris Hall, a prominent lecture hall situated within the new building, opened in September 2011.
Senator John Wallace de Beque Farris, QC, DCL, LLB, LLD (1878 – 1970) was a highly respected lawyer and politician. An influential and indomitable leader, he rose to the highest ranks of Canadian politics, founded one of BC’s leading legal firms and helped create the law school at UBC.
The law school at UBC was delighted to celebrate the 11th Anniversary of its First Nations Legal Clinic in early 2007. The Clinic has played a vital role in the provision of legal services to the First Nations community. At the same time, the Clinic has provided UBC law students an unparalleled opportunity to learn substantive legal principles and practice skills while serving this important community.