Allard School of Law Milestones

The Fasken Martineau Classroom was made possible through a generous donation by Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP in support of the new law building and the establishment of the Centre for Business Law. The firm has a long and storied history and is a leading business and litigation firm respected for its commitment to excellence in client service and sector expertise.

The Law Library has been integral to the Faculty of Law since it was formed in 1945. The library was initially located in a World War II army hut, a temporary structure unsuitable for housing books. In 1948 Leon and Walter Koerner anonymously donated $10,000 to the Law Library. This figure exactly matched the amount President Klinck had determined was necessary to create a quality university law library. Their efforts paid off rapidly: by 1952, the Law Library had over 12,000 volumes, making it one of the largest collections across Canada.

Status in 1951: The need for a new building to house the law faculty became apparent. Although student needs could (barely) be met by the assembled army shacks, the conditions in which the growing law library was housed was a matter of some concern. The library was quickly developing into a valuable resource yet was housed in huts that, according to army estimates, had only a twenty-minute life expectancy in the event of fire.

Following the increased demand for legal education after World War II, UBC converted army huts for student use, establishing UBC's first law building. 

On October 1, 1992 the Chief Herald of Canada granted UBC's law school a Coat of Arms: FIAT JUSTITIA, RUAT COELUM, which means "let justice be done though the heavens fall." The law school's founding Dean, George Curtis established FIAT JUSTITIA, RUAT COELUM as the school's motto. This passionate belief in the power of law to make a better world has fueled more than seventy years of progress at the law school.

The UBC Law Review Society publishes the UBC Law Review, one of Canada’s leading peer-reviewed legal journals. The Society’s mandate is to stimulate debate and encourage discussion of the current state of the law in Canada. To accomplish this, the Society publishes independent articles, book reviews, and case comments through the Law Review. The Society also publishes the Table of Statutory Limitations (TSL).

The annual Law Ball was the highlight of the year for students of 1947, characterized by tuxedos, ball gowns, and just a little booze under the table. Madam Justice Southin would later describe it as the "social event of the year." 

The Honourable Nathan T. Nemetz, Q.C., formerly Chief Justice of British Columbia, is recognized both nationally and internationally for the remarkable contributions he has made to the legal profession, academia and public affairs. He also has a lifelong association with UBC, commencing with a first class B.A. in history and including service on the UBC Board of Governors and service as Chancellor.

The law school held a special ceremony to commemorate the recently installed house post outside of its new building, Allard Hall. On March 20, 2012, over 75 guests from both the UBC and Musqueam community came together to honour the house post that was recently installed outside the new law building, Allard Hall. The special ceremony also served as a way to celebrate the university's historic and ongoing relationship with the Musqueam community.

Today, the University of British Columbia opened the country's first new purpose-built university law school building in 30 years, a $56-million facility made possible by the largest private fundraising effort for a Canadian law school building. With powerful learning and sustainability features, Allard Hall - named after donor and alumnus Peter A. Allard - will advance legal research and education in Canada, expand the UBC Faculty of Law's presence in the community and honour its ties to B.C. First Nations.