The Law School Experience: Indigenous Alumni Tell Their Stories

This project and the stories below were collected in response to suggestions from members of an external Dean’s Advisory Council on Truth and Reconciliation. The aim is to create a space for Indigenous alumni to reflect truthfully on their experiences as law students.

If you have questions about the project, or if you wish to contribute your own story, please email ilshistory@allard.ubc.ca.

Timeline

The timeline below is intended to supplement participant stories with a sketch of the institutional development of Indigenous legal education at the Allard School of Law. It is drawn from internal administrative records and from the UBC Archives.

View Timeline
 

Stories

Bill Wilson
(LLB '73)

Sam Stevens
(LLB '84)

Sam Stevens
(Director, 1984-1990)


Al Price
(LLB '90)

D. Heather Raven
(LLB '85)

John Borrows
(Academic Director, 1992-1994; 1996-1998)


Cynthia Callison
(LLB '95)

Darwin Hanna
(LLB '95)

Isabel Jackson
(LLB '98)


Gloria Cardinal 
(Coordinator of Student Services and Administration, 2002-2006)

Anonymous
(LLB '03)


About the Project

A diverse cross-section of Indigenous alumni and former staff and faculty were invited to be interviewed. Participants have reviewed the final stories and provided consent for publication. The UBC Behavioural Review of Ethics Board’s approval for the project necessitated removing all references to third parties due to ethical and privacy considerations. This has involved editing out the names of individuals who have been involved in and contributed to Indigenous legal education and to students’ lives. We regret that many remarkable individuals who should be honoured are not directly referenced in these stories.

We sincerely thank those who participated in the project, as well as our two research assistants, Jennifer Mackie and Kennedy Pope, without whom the project would not have been possible. The final shape of the project, however, is solely the responsibility of the Allard School of Law. 

 


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