Law History Profiles

Robert William Bonner, Q.C., B.A., L.L.B., C.D., a native son of Vancouver, British Columbia, has distinguished himself in a varied and interesting career. His early education took place at Hastings School, Templeton Junior High School and he later attended Britannia High School and the University of British Columbia. While at the University, he became an accomplished debater and won the McGown cup, returning it to the University after a lapse of many years ... 

In 1948, Dr. Malcolm MacIntyre, a Harvard graduate, joined the UBC Faculty of Law. He was well-loved and greatly respected by his students. Dean George Curtis would later describe Dr. MacIntyre as the critical nexus between students and the faculty. 

“Seventy-eight of us rose from the ash cans of war—76 men and two women—and descended on the campus looking for the law school,” McKenzie recalls. “It existed only in the abstract, as there was no building. We found it embodied in the person of Dean George Curtis.” With two years of Arts courses at Victoria College and an honours degree in English and Philosophy from UBC, McKenzie had joined the Army and was posted to Europe.

“I was born in 1922, when you had to have cranks to start the cars - some of us have remained cranky ever since. I was born in Saskatchewan in a snow storm ... My father was a general manager there. He remained in the prairies until about 1925. Immediately prior to his departure from Saskatchewan, he was involved in the bank hold up," begins Blair Baillie ...

In 1946, George McAllister joins the UBC Faculty of Law, after having worked at the Institute of Public Administration at Dalhousie. He taught labour law, which was a relatively new subject in Canadian schools at the time. 

“I know of no Canadian who has served his country in war and peace with greater distinction and more unselfishly” – Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson

Sherwood Lett was a decorated veteran of the First and Second World War, Chancellor of UBC from 1951 to 1957, Chief Justice of the BC Supreme Court from 1955 to 1963, and Chief Justice of the BC Court of Appeal for a short time before his death in 1964. While Chancellor of UBC, he also served as a Canadian representative on the International Control Commission overseeing the withdrawal of French forces from North Vietnam.

George F. Curtis (1906-2005) served as Dean from the founding of the law school at UBC in 1945 until his retirement in 1971. He remained actively involved in the law school, addressing every incoming class and continuing to meet with students, faculty and staff throughout his retirement. He was an unfailingly positive presence at UBC, and shared his joy with faculty, staff, students and alumni to the end.

Nancy Scott always knew she wanted an international career. After completing her law degree at Allard Law and a year of practicing law in Vancouver, she found herself wanting to try something new. “The more international the environment, the more I thrive, and that’s why I wanted to move to London,” says Scott.

As a child, Robin Gage (LLB ’01) wasn’t entirely sure what a lawyer did, but she knew she wanted to be one. 

Today, Robin’s legal practice is driven by a passion for equality and social justice. As Managing Partner at Arvay Finlay, she focuses on areas of public law including environmental, Aboriginal, human rights, administrative and employment law.

Thomas Woods, a recently retired judge from the BC Provincial Court, has had a multifaceted career that extends beyond the courtroom. After graduating from UBC Law in 1987, Judge Woods began writing under the pen name P.W. Bridgman, and today is an author of both short fiction and poetry. He also served as editor of the Advocate for 17 years. 

In this Q&A, Thomas reflects on his extraordinary career, sharing insights from his time as a law student at UBC, his tenure on the bench, and his latest book. 

What started as road trip to Alaska turned into a lifelong career in the Canadian North for retired Nunavut Chief Justice Robert Kilpatrick. Justice Kilpatrick fondly looks back on the adventure he embarked on following his graduation from law school at UBC in 1980. He reflects on the emerald lakes, towering mountains, friendly people, and all that inspired him to build his career in the “land of the midnight sun.”

“I used to explain to my kids that I worked with the police but I wasn’t a police officer,” says Allard Law alum Sean Hedley (JD ’ 15). “Now I explain that I work for the airplane company but I’m not a pilot. They consider both occupations equally unexciting.”

Allard Law alum Aleem Bharmal, KC (LLB '94) began his legal career as an articling student at one of Vancouver’s oldest law firms. But his experience with overt racism by one of the lawyers at that firm and the lack of any real action from the Law Society in addressing it, led him to rethink his career plans.