Christine Arnold (LLMT‘22) is one of two Allard alumni to win the prestigious BIV 2024 Forty Under 40 Award. Among her accomplishments, Christine was the inaugural director of clinic services of the Access Pro Bono Society of B.C.’s Everyone Legal Clinic, a first-of-its-kind fully virtual legal services provider and teaching incubator aimed at improving access to justice in British Columbia. She now serves as the CEO and Registrar for the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia and a lecturer for the Sauder School of Business. Passionate about resolving inequities in our society and pursuing personal growth, Christine also seeks to share knowledge with others.
1. Before law you studied neuroscience; how did your research in this area impact the way in which you approached the study and practice of law?
I’ve always thought that there is a lot more in common between science and law than it may appear at first glance. Problem-solving is at the centre of both disciplines. Science demands a rational, methodical, factual approach, and so does the practice of law. Studying and working in science helped me feel like I was on familiar ground when I went into law. Another helpful skill that I got to practise during my time in science was rapidly zooming in and out of different facets of a complex issue. Solving big problems, like neurodegenerative diseases, requires engaging meaningfully across a spectrum that features literally microscopic matters at one end and big, ambitious ideas at the other end. Scientists need to determine where on that spectrum to focus their attention at any given time to most effectively advance their research goals. Similarly, in legal practice, the best lawyers are skilled at fluidly moving around an equivalent spectrum to best advance their client’s ultimate objectives.
2. What inspired you to complete the LLM Tax?
I find taxation fascinating, especially the economic, behavioural, and social impact of taxation. I’m particularly interested in the interplay between taxation and the implementation of policy objectives. My goal with undertaking the LLM Tax program at Allard was to gain both technical knowledge around taxation as well as valuable transferrable skills, like different ways to think about and approach complex systems.
Indeed, I acquired skills that have added richly to my professional and intellectual toolkit and I was introduced to valuable perspectives from which to examine issues that lie at the intersection of law and society. For example, in my current role as the Registrar and CEO of the College of Veterinarians, I’m asked to provide input on the legal framework that governs the regulation of veterinary medicine. There may not be an intuitive connection between tax law and professional regulation, but concepts like economic distortion, game theory, and efficiency are important considerations for effective policymaking in all areas.
3. You’ve had a wide range of jobs including chief legal officer and general counsel of a tech start-up; what kind of challenges do you seek out with each of these new opportunities and how do tackle those challenges?
Every career move I’ve made has been in search of interesting and meaningful work that will challenge me to build out my skills at a rapid pace. I seek out “reach” opportunities where there is a significant delta between the kind of work I’ve already done and what will be required of me in the new role. Also, I have a soft spot for underdogs and the challenges that are often intrinsic to being in that position.
My approach to tackling the challenges of a new role includes being comfortable with being uncomfortable, identifying early and often what my weaknesses are and energetically addressing them, and empowering a strong team around me to pull together synergistically.
4. You served as the inaugural director and managing lawyer of Access Pro Bono’s Everyone Legal Clinic, a first-of-its-kind fully virtual legal services provider and teaching incubator aimed at sustainably improving access to justice in British Columbia. Tell us about what inspired you to take on that role and what lessons you took with you when you moved on? What has been one of your most rewarding moments in your career thus far?
I am committed to being part of the solution to the deplorable inequities in our society around access to justice. I began volunteering with pro bono organizations when I was in law school and continued with Access Pro Bono in their summary advice program when I became a lawyer. The few hours I spent each month assisting individuals on a case-by-case basis were meaningful, but I arrived at a point several years ago where I was yearning to immerse myself in work that was systemically impactful. The opportunity to be part of the founding team to lead Access Pro Bono’s Everyone Legal Clinic (ELC) came at exactly the right time. The ELC not only innovated a scalable way to improve access to justice by reimagining the role of articling students, but it is also directly helping to diversify the legal profession by providing articling opportunities to those who have historically faced systemic barriers to entering the profession. A healthy profession is one that reflects the population it serves and so dismantling irrational or unnecessary barriers to entering the profession is on the critical path to improving access to justice for everyone.
Many valuable lessons were reinforced for me during my time with the ELC. The overarching one was experiencing firsthand that some courage, creativity, and respectful scrappiness is enough to begin meaningfully tackling even overwhelmingly complex issues bound up in deeply rooted institutional systems and inertia. Flowing from that was the reminder to never let perfection get in the way of progress. My time with the ELC also confirmed how important it is to me to engage in work that aligns strongly with my values.
Some of the most rewarding moments in my career came in my role as the director and managing lawyer of Access Pro Bono’s Everyone Legal Clinic. I had the privilege of supervising and mentoring several cohorts of exceptionally bright and compassionate articled students. These students at the inception of their legal careers inspired me at every turn with their thoughtful, capable, and determined approach to assisting clients who were struggling to access or participate meaningfully in the legal system. Supporting these students in their profoundly valuable work will forever be a highlight of my career.
5. What motivated you to begin teaching at UBC’s Sauder School of Business? How has your life’s experiences informed your teaching style? What is one of the big ‘take-home’ ideas you try to impart on your students?
I love teaching. I’m deeply grateful for all of the educational opportunities I’ve had in my life and it brings me joy to pay it forward. I also really appreciate that I always learn a lot when I teach; teaching causes me to fill in gaps in my knowledge and to examine topics from fresh perspectives. I think that’s what draws me most to teaching – that inherent dynamic of giving and receiving. My teaching style is probably most informed by my strong desire to communicate meaningfully with people. For me, that means providing lots of context, progressing logically and systematically through the material, working through real-life examples, and approaching teaching like it’s a conversation. The ‘take-home’ idea that I emphasize most to students is that the ultimate goal is to be able to think from first principles. I’m sure I have frustrated students with my refrain of “well, let’s go back to the underlying concepts” in response to seemingly straightforward questions, but I hope the tools they acquire to think independently serve them well beyond the specific topics we engaged with in class.