Law History Profiles

The memory of her deceased grandmother inspired UBC grad Cindy Allen to study Aboriginal law

In 2009, Cindy Allen’s 83-year-old grandmother, Marie-Adele Doctor, was viciously attacked in her home near Yellowknife by an intruder. The Dene Elder from N’dilo, N.W.T. died in hospital a few weeks later.

Initially charged with aggravated assault, the perpetrator was convicted of a lesser charge and sentenced to 14 months in jail.

Recently called to the bar, Jessie Ramsay is looking forward to developing her legal career in Chilliwack, where she grew up and spent most of her childhood. After completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in First Nations studies from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Ramsay went straight from her undergraduate studies to law school. Indeed, law school was the only option for Ramsay – there wasn’t a backup plan.

"When I was born, the doctors told my parents that there had been a tragedy," says Josh Vander Vies, who has no arms and no legs. "They painted such a bleak story." Now at 29, Vander Vies has charted a course filled with achievements: elite athlete, abstract painter, motivational speaker and father of two. In June 2014, he will add a law degree from the University of British Columbia to the list before working towards his next goal: competing at the 2014 World Boccia Championships in Beijing.

With a passion for protecting human rights, recent graduate Flora Vineberg knew early on that she wanted to go to law school. At a young age her mother took her to a memorial for the Montreal Massacre, the tragic shooting that took place at the The École Polytechnique in 1989: “It was sort of my first exposure to the idea of injustice,” she said. “I guess as I grew up and matured, my thoughts were able to progress and I just realized that knowledge is power. One of the best ways to combat injustice, to foster inclusion and to give a voice to the voiceless is through the law.”

Aside from being a successful lawyer at Osler, Hoskin, & Harcourt LLP, Steven Ngo is also a self-described "social entrepreneur". He co-founded a chapter of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL) in Alberta and also founded Healing Using Music (HUM), a musical not-for-profit organization that helps disadvantaged and at risk populations attain happiness and joy through music.

You call yourself a social entrepreneur, can you tell us what that means to you?

Vanessa Johnson graduated from Allard School of Law with a concentration in business law in 2014. She reflects on why she left a career in music to pursue her passion for business law, her experiences as a student at Allard School of Law, and the similarities between business law in practice as well as a career in music. 

Did you always know you wanted to study law?

Michela Fiorido is a Lawyer at Harris & Company LLP (“Harris”) in Vancouver. The core focus of Michela’s practice concerns a variety of legal issues pertaining to the entertainment and performing arts sectors. She frequently advises and represents clients in relation to employment law, human rights law, and privacy law.

Mark McPhee is a graduate from the JD class of 2013 and is currently an Associate at Harper Grey LLP (“Harper Grey”) in Vancouver. Prior to attending law school, McPhee studied at both Kwantlen Polytechnic University and the University of British Columbia Okanagan. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Political Science in 2009 from the University of British Columbia Okanagan.

Leah George-Wilson is a member of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation (“TWN”) located in North Vancouver. She was the first woman to hold the office of Elected Chief for the TWN, a position she held from 2001-2003 and 2005–2009, and has been involved in the TWN for many years in various capacities. For instance, Ms. George-Wilson was a member of the TWN’s negotiating team in the British Columbia Treaty Process, TWN Self-Government Coordinator, and Director of the TWN Treaty, Land and Resources Department.

Graham Reynolds is an Associate Professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law with research and teaching interests focused on copyright, intellectual property, human rights, technology, and access to justice. Prior to joining the faculty at the Allard School of Law, Reynolds was an Assistant Professor at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University.

Victor Gerchikov is an Associate at the Vancouver office of Stikeman Elliott LLP (“Stikeman Elliott”). His legal practice primarily centres on commercial and corporate matters ranging from securities to mergers and acquisitions. He works alongside the Corporate and Securities Group at Stikeman Elliott.

Claire Haaf is an Associate at Whitelaw Twining Law Corporation (“Whitelaw Twining”) in Vancouver. Her legal practice primarily focuses on personal injury litigation. Haaf has experience appearing before both the Provincial and Supreme Court of British Columbia.

Millie Bojic graduated with a juris doctor in 2013, and completed a business law concentration through UBC Law’s Centre for Business Law. She has recently returned from Paris as head delegate and volunteer ambassador for the Young Diplomats of Canada. UBC Law caught up with her to learn about her important work in international diplomacy.

What have you been up to since you graduated in 2013?

What started as stress relief activity during law school turned into passion that would eventually lead to being published in the New Yorker. Zoe Si (JD, 2013) is a lawyer and cartoonist whose cartoons have gained quite the following of fans who can relate to her witty and thoughtful reflections on life, and recently, on isolation. We recently had the opportunity to chat with Zoe about her career and life as an artist.

Have you always been a cartoonist? How did you get started in the field?

Many law students pursue exchange semesters as a way to travel before entering practice, but for Dustin Klaudt, the CBA Young Lawyers International Program (YLIP) provided a chance to continue travelling, even after being called to the bar in BC. The program, with funding from Global Affairs Canada, places young law graduates at internships with organizations working in law reform, human rights, and access to justice in various countries in Africa, East and South Asia, and the Caribbean.

The Allard School of Law is pleased to welcome Dr. Asha Kaushal, who recently joined the faculty as an Assistant Professor (tenure-track). Dr. Kaushal is an alumna of the Allard School of Law, where she earned her Ph.D. in 2013. She holds an LL.B. from Osgoode Hall and an LL.M. from Harvard, along with an M.Sc. in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics. She joins the Allard School of Law following a SSHRC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Law at the University of Toronto. Prior to embarking on her Ph.D., Dr.

Brad Cocke is a Partner at Harris & Company LLP (“Harris”), a well-regarded labour and employment firm located in Vancouver. Cocke works with both public and private sector employers, addressing his clients’ needs in relation to a variety of legal matters involving labour law, employment law, and human rights law.

When Allard School of Law Associate Professor Wei Cui saw a posting for an appointment at UBC in 2012, he suspected that the job was perfectly suited to him. Describing a tax law specialist along with expertise in comparative law in Asian countries, the posting couldn’t have been a better fit, and Cui’s colleagues at the time agreed.

The school’s search for such a scholar coincided with Cui’s desire to relocate from China to North America, where he wanted to pursue academic work more exclusively after several years as a government advisor and senior tax practitioner.

Katy Allen graded from the law school at UBC with the JD class of 2012. She currently works as an Associate in the Labour, Employment, and Human Rights Group in the Vancouver office of Lawson Lundell LLP (“Lawson Lundell”). Her work continually brings her before a variety of administrative bodies relating to employment, labour, and human rights as well as all levels of court in British Columbia. Allen has a keen interest in the intersection between human rights law and employment as well as questions arising from cannabis legalization.

Derek Frenette is a Partner at Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP (“Alexander Holburn”). At Alexander Holburn, Frenette’s practice is largely litigation focused with a concentration in wills and estates, employment, and commercial law. Frenette works alongside numerous teams at Alexander Holburn, ranging from the Wills, Estates, and Trusts team to the Intellectual Property and Technology working group. Over the course of his practice Frenette has appeared before the British Columbia Supreme Court, the British Columbia Provincial Court, and a variety of administrative tribunals.