Pro Bono Students Canada

Hi 1Ls! As I'm sure you're all well aware, UBC Law has tons of volunteer opportunities. This can often be the most overwhelming part of starting law school. To make Orientation Week a little less of an information overload, I've asked a few friends and classmates to write guest posts about some of the organizations they've worked with this year.

And - as always - if you're feeling antsy about starting at UBC Law, have a question, want to take a tour of Allard Hall, or just want to talk to someone, you can call or email me anytime!

Now, here's Kalie and Claire from PBSC!

Hey 1L’ers, it’s your friendly Pro Bono Students Canada Coordinators here!

By now you’re probably in the midst of preparing for the craziest three years of your life. While the importance of preparation can’t be over-rated, remember to use the rest of the summer as a time to relax and enjoy your last few months of freedom.

So what exactly is ‘pro bono’? Pro bono work is when a lawyer (or law student) provides legal services for free.  These services are hugely important to the community as they ensure every person has access to our justice system and legal information readily available to them.

Pro Bono Students Canada is a student run organization that aims to help public interest organizations provide pro bono services to vulnerable members of our community. We do this by matching law students with a wide range of public interest organizations in a wide variety of areas, including immigration, health, environmental, and sports law.  Last year we matched 65 volunteers with 21 organizations, so there is definitely something for everyone!  Student volunteers (you) then provide these organizations with a variety of legal services including research, creating public legal education documents, running legal workshops and doing client intake. The result of this structure is a win-win-win situation; organizations benefit from the valuable work students provide, members of the community get access to high quality legal services they could not otherwise afford, and students gain research skills, networking opportunities, and the opportunity for one on one feedback from a supervising lawyer.  Some of our students have even ended up on the Boards of the organizations they volunteered for.

By joining PBSC-UBC not only do you get great hands on legal experience, the opportunity to meet members of the Vancouver legal community, and great karma by providing assistance to non-profit organizations and vulnerable individuals, you also become part of a national movement.  PBSC is a national organization with chapters in every Canadian law school, all promoting the mutual goals of social justice and access to our legal system.

We will be busy developing some exciting projects and placements for you this summer, and will see you at our Lunch Launch during Orientation Week!

If you have any questions feel free to email us at pbsc.ubc@gmail.com or visit our website at www.pbsc.law.ubc.ca.

Sincerely,

Kalie McCrystal (2L) and Claire Haaf (3L)

Program Coordinators, PBSC-UBC

UBC Law Students’ Society

Today’s post is by 3L Roni Jones on student government at UBC Law. The LSS is involved in everything from afterschool bzzr-ups to curriculum reform. Roni will be around for Orientation Week if you have any questions or want information on how to get involved!

Your new home away from home

My name is Roni, I am the President of the UBC Law Student Society (LSS) and I was asked to briefly describe what the LSS is and what we do. In being brief, the following description naturally does not do justice to the innumerable tasks handled by the volunteers who make up the LSS – so consider this to be just an introduction.

All undergraduate students enrolled in the UBC Faculty of Law are members of the LSS.

The LSS is split into three bodies: the Executive, the Academic Issues Caucus (AIC) and the Student Affairs Caucus (SAC).

The executive is made up of the President, the Vice Presidents of AIC and SAC, the Director of Finance, the Director of Communications, the Director of AMS Relations, the Director of Sports and Clubs, the Director of Indigenous Perspectives and Student Development, the Senator, and the Ombudsperson.

Together, the executive strives to represent the interests of all UBC law students through input from various student organizations as headed by the directors. The executive represents the student body to the faculty, to UBC, to the legal profession and to the general population.

AIC may run predominantly behind the scenes but is involved in some of the most important issues affecting all students. It deserves to be emphasized that AIC not only provides a voice for the student body but has a serious impact on the decisions that are made within the faculty.

Current issues include the recent decision to allow computerized exams, upcoming changes to admission policies, and AIC’s extensive input regarding the ongoing reform of curriculum. AIC has representatives from 1L, 2L and 3L who take part in various committees and provide a much needed voice for the student body.

SAC is the fun side of the LSS. Members of SAC organize social events for students such as bzzr-ups, foosball tournaments, BBQs, the boat cruise, the trike race and more. Many of these events are great settings to network with representatives from Canada’s top law firms while providing much deserved opportunities to unwind.

SAC is also in charge of all of the UBC Law Student Clubs. These clubs include sports teams, social interest groups, law related groups and various others. The LSS provides some funding to these clubs through student fees and fundraising and aids the clubs in their activities.  

The LSS encourages the participation of all students and has many positions for 1L representatives. We strongly encourage you to take part and make the most of your law school experience. Stay tuned for a future blog post with elections details.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!

www.ubclss.org

ubclss@gmail.com

UBC Law Career Services

The Career Services Office is one of the most valuable resources at UBC Law. Not only are they dedicated to their work (helping you find a job) and compassionate, they are also hilarious.  This post is written by Elise Everest, 2012-2013 Career Services Office Student Assistant. She'll be in the office all year, so feel free to stop by and ask her questions!

The Career Services Team (missing: Chiara Woods, Lance Sy and Elise Everest)



I love all types of cheese, especially the figurative kind, so indulge me when I say that your career after law school is limited by your imagination alone. 

Some of you have been thinking about law school since you were 8 years old, some of you knew you wanted to be a lawyer the moment you engaged with social justice, some of you watched every single episode of Law & Order and said: “I can do that!”  Whatever your career goals the Career Services Office is here to help you. Even if you haven’t developed career goals yet, the Career Services Office can help you with that too.

Law school is like a dense forest with your future on the other side.  Every student will forge their path differently (and sometimes change directions dramatically), but it is important to remember to reach out to people who will provide you with a machete, a match or a compass - tools you will need to ensure your personal success. 

The Career Services Team – Acting Director, Jennifer Lau, Acting Associate Director, Chiara Woods, Public Interest Coordinator, Tracy Wachmann, and Pam Cyr who is currently Acting Assistant Dean, but will return to the office in January 2013 - are previously practicing lawyers who have worked for national law firms, boutique firms, as a sole practitioner and with public interest organizations.  They have a wealth of experience and can give you new perspective.  These are people who will make sure you do not get lost in the dark wood.  Think FernGully, not Mirkwood.

Entering first year law, you should not work yourself up into a panicked frenzy about your future, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care about it.   The one thing I wish I had known in September was that legal employers are looking for completely different styles of resumes and cover letters than other sectors.  And there are jobs available after first year - not with large downtown Vancouver law firms - but with public interest organizations, Worksafe BC, as research assistants, with the Law Students Legal Advice Program (LSLAP), with UBC Law and with student-run programs like Pro Bono Students Canada.  There are lots of opportunities for personal and professional development, and if you are interested in one of those opportunities you need to be ready to apply. 

The Career Services Office offers:

·         Resume & Cover Letter writing workshops (keep your eyes peeled for them in the Fall);

·         dozens of sample legal resumes and cover letters, targeted at a variety legal of positions, available in the Resume & Cover Letter Guide available online or at the Career Services Office;

·         one-on-one counseling appointments for resume and cover letter review, mock interviews and help with developing strategies for attaining your goals; and

·         bi-weekly drop-in sessions to facilitate peer review and collegial discussion about career-related issues that matter to all students. 

It’s important to start thinking about how you are going to revise and restructure your resume early.  Because the universe has a fantastic sense of irony, it is highly probable that an ideal opportunity for you will crop up around a time when you are busy with assignment deadlines.  I know many of my colleagues let deadlines for jobs pass by because their resume was not in order and they did not have the time to update it, or think about how they were going to market their transferable skills.  There is absolutely no pressure to find a legal job after 1L or even 2L, but it is always good to keep your options open.

Elise Everest is an incoming 2L, UBC Law Ambassador and Student Assistant at the Career Services Office.  Depending on what day of the week you ask her “What type of law would you like to practice?” you will get a different answer.  Watch for more posts regarding the famous “Wine & Cheese” events, our online resource library (Symplicity) and reasons why you should sign up for a CBA mentor.  Be sure to say hi at Orientation!

Student Perspectives: Interviews with Current UBC Law Students

Name: Steve Chasey

Year: 2L

Age: So old

Hometown: Walnut Creek, CA

What did you do before law school?

Most recently, I worked in health policy for the BC Centre of Excellence for Women`s Health, where I wrote reports using health equity and sex- and gender-based analysis to understanding the different policy implications of health programming for different sub-populations.

What area of law are you interested in?

I came into law school with a fairly narrow focus – to do health law – but as you`ll probably find in your first year, my perspective broadened significantly as the year went by. I received some great advice from someone in the health law field, which is that health is so broad that it uses all kinds of law and a law student would do well to find the area of law they are excited about and bring that to the field. Or, if you find yourself taken another direction, go with it. So that`s what I`m doing. To my great shock I`m finding business law interesting as well as constitutional law.

A fun fact about yourself…

Hm. I had a big hand in writing You and Your Health; A Woman’s Guide, which is a BC Government document.  

What was your favourite part of Orientation Week?

I came out of Orientation Week with the feeling I think the organizers are probably aiming for – I met so many people that I felt comfortable walking into the first day of class. In terms of a specific event – I had a great time sitting down with my small group at dinner and getting to know people a bit better.

What was the best advice an upper year gave you when school started?

I got lots of great advice from upper years, but perhaps the best was from the panel on how to CAN. That helped me get some needed perspective on note-taking, prepping for finals, etc. Though I think the best advice came from Professor Goold – do the reading. Seriously. Do it.

What was the worst advice an upper year gave you when school started?

Not naming any names, but a second year last year told me to skip most of my classes and spend more time partying. That`s a terrible idea. Just for the record.

What was your favourite part of first year?

Is it too nerdy to say I loved getting into the conceptual parts of the law the best? I suppose it is, but I`m going that way anyway. Coming from a healthcare background, I`ve always been interested in the mix of theory and day-to-day implementation of a social program. That`s all the law is. It`s awesome. All of it. Except maybe the boring bits.

What was the most challenging part of first year?

I`ve never worked harder at anything than I did for the month or so before finals, but I actually don`t know if that was the most challenging part. It ranks up there with the entire adjustment period at the beginning of the first semester where you are learning how (and when) to take reading notes, what`s the appropriate amount of time to spend prepping for class, when you can get away with scrimping on reading and when you really need to get each point. That balance and approach is different for everyone and is a particular challenge to get on top of right away.

What was your favourite social event in first year?

Halloween. But I was wearing a fedora so I suppose my opinion is biased.

What would you do differently in 1L?

I wish I`d gone to more lunch-time events. I found I was pretty zoned out by the time morning classes were finished and I wish I`d pushed myself a bit more to get to some of the incredible speakers and sessions that were put on.

What extracurriculars would you recommend to 1Ls?

Definitely do the FMC Negotiating Competition in the second (or third) week of school. You go to a downtown firm with a fact pattern in hand and negotiate against other teams of UBC students in front of partners who act as judges of your performance. Incredibly intimidating, but worth the cold clammy sweat you will undoubtedly experience.

What was your favourite class?  Favourite professor?

These two are deeply related. Often I hear people say their favorite classes are their favorite because they are taught by their favorite professor. It`s no different for me, Constitutional Law was fantastic, Professor Bakan is a conlaw genius. That said, I debated writing out a list of my favorite profs and realized I`d be covering a lot of them. The level of teaching at UBC Law is consistently excellent.

Any words of wisdom for the incoming 1Ls?

There will be a time you feel overwhelmed. Everyone does. Don`t try to convince yourself you aren`t freaking out when you are and when you realize it, go talk to someone outside of law school for a healthy dose of reality.

 

 

Student Perspectives: Interviews with Current UBC Law Students

Malcolm and Nikki before the Law Halloween Party

Next up is Malcolm Funt!

Name: Malcolm Funt

Year: 2L incoming

Age: 22

Hometown: Vancouver

What did you do before law school?

I came straight from undergrad at McGill. I majored in Finance and took concentrations in U.S. History and Economics. I went on exchange to Copenhagen, an amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone. (UBC Law has an awesome exchange program).

What area of law are you interested in?

Who knows? I am working this summer researching affordable housing in Vancouver and across Canada. The constitutional and property law issues behind housing are very interesting, so I’ll see where that takes me. I went to a conference on Insolvency law in February that was really good, so I may try and pursue that. Overall though, I am in no rush to decide.

A fun fact about yourself…

I dressed up as Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law for Halloween.

What was your favourite part of Orientation Week?

The Welcome BBQ!

What was the best advice an upper year gave you when school started?

Work really hard for the December exams. (The December exams can be worth 25% of your final mark if you do worse in April).

What was the worst advice an upper year gave you when school started?

I was told to use other people’s old CANs (condensed annotated notes). I think that people rely on other peoples’ CANs too much. It may work for some people, but I think everyone needs to figure out their own method of studying.

What was your favourite part of first year?

Coffee, donuts and fruit every second Tuesday at break.

What was the most challenging part of first year?
I started the year with a part time job in September and October. Working about 15-20 hours a week is something I'd recommend more for 2nd or 3rd year rather than the beginning of law school.  

What was your favourite social event in first year?

Law Games. No doubt.

What would you do differently in 1L?

I would have been in more study groups.

What extracurriculars would you recommend to 1Ls?

Play sports. Basically just do what you like doing and are interested in, don’t do something for someone else or for some job. I have always loved sports so for me that was one of the main things I did. We had a law soccer team and basketball team; as well I played on my old high school soccer team. Join Canadian Lawyers Abroad!

What was your favourite class?  Favourite professor?

Property Law. Professor Edinger for Constitutional Law.

Any words of wisdom for the incoming 1Ls?

Don’t sell yourself short. Also, get to know your professors, they are the best.  

Give Me Shelter

I saw on the 2015 Facebook page that a few of you are looking for housing, so I asked my long-time Vancouverite friend Aubrie Chaylt for some words of wisdom on the Vancouver rental housing market. Here's a map that might be helpful in your search. I live in Fairview, on Oak Street. It takes me about 35 minutes to get to school on the #33 bus.

Check out Aubrie's post:

Vancouver is small as far as major cities go. In appropriate footwear, you can walk from the depths of Gastown to the edge of Kitsilano in 47 minutes. If you are not from around these parts, the words I have just written may mean nothing to you... yet. The message you should be able to grasp though is not to freak out about housing. It will never be impossible to get from somewhere in Vancouver to campus. Still, deciding where to live in this beautiful city while attending your first year of law school is a pretty important decision.

Resources

One of the many eccentricities of this city is that it is hard to find apartments for rent more than a month before the move-in date. Try not to stress because August is ripe with opportunities. The resources are standard: vancouver.craigslist.ca, vancouver.kijiji.ca, rentbc.com, the classified section in newspapers like the Vancouver Sun and the Province, and UBC Student Housing. Another approach that I have found extremely effective during my seven years in this city is walking around the neighbourhood I want to live in with my cell phone and responding to all the signs out on the lawns stating the availability of a unit in that building. Some places only advertise in that way.

The ‘Hoods

If you are intending to live off-campus, the first thing that I am going to suggest is to stick to Vancouver proper. Unless you have a vehicle, and are planning on buying a parking pass for school, North Vancouver and West Vancouver are a little too far. The following neighbourhoods are not the only ones that exist in Vancouver but they are all attractive to students for different (and the same) reasons:

Point Grey

This is as close as you can get to campus without actually living on campus. Bus routes run through it or just bike to school. There are lots of large, older houses in the area that often contain basement or ground level suites. Sometimes entire houses have been converted into several apartment units primarily intended for students. However, homeowners in this area tend to bank on the fact that students coming from outside of BC will want to be close to UBC and will not be able to canvass the neighbourhood beforehand so do not expect anything in this area to be cheap. Unless your idea of cheap is $1200 per month for a one bedroom. If you are close to 10^th ave, this area has a lot of choice for groceries, coffee, pubs, and even a stellar fine dining Cuban restaurant.

Dunbar

Also close to campus, the number 25 bus will whisk you to school while the number 7 will take you downtown. Still, the primary complaint I have had from friends living in this area is that it feels far away from things. For ease of transit travel, I would recommend looking at places between 16^th and 30^th ave. It doesn’t sound like a large net to cast but there are plenty of units within those boundaries. The student housing in this area tends to be in actual houses again so if you are looking for a basement suite or hoping for a main level unit with yard access... this might be for you. Dunbar St has plenty of necessities including a teeny movie theatre. This neighbourhood tends to be slightly less expensive than Point Grey, especially if you split a full house with several friends.

Kits

What we students refer to as “Kits” tends to be a lot broader than what is technically “Kitsilano”. For the purpose of this article, let’s say it runs from Alma St to Oak St. Kits is home for many UBC students and many yoga mums. It has great transit to UBC and is bike-able if you are slightly more athletic than me. This neighbourhood offers units in houses as well as plenty of apartment buildings and it has less of a “residential feel” since it is littered with places to shop, eat, drink, and do yoga of course. The price of rental housing in this area varies widely. Some apartments are from 1910 boasting 10ft ceilings and awkward bathrooms while others were built within the last five years and have marble countertops and sexy new hardwood floors. For a one bedroom, you are probably looking at something between $800 and $1400 per month depending on what you fancy and what you manage to find.

Downtown

Downtown Vancouver is not very big but it has a lot to offer. Yaletown is shiny, expensive, and preppy. Gastown is hip, expensive, and touches the edges of a riskier neighbourhood or two. The West End is young, reasonably priced for the most part, but also includes Stanley Park and Coal Harbour. And then there is everything in between. Prices for a one bedroom can range from $850 to around $2000 per month. Getting to campus from downtown can be a bit trickier if you are without a vehicle. Both the number 14 and the 44 will take you straight to school but the 44 loads right outside of the Burrard Skytrain Station and it fills up quickly during peak hours. While you are checking out apartment listings, check out bus routes at translink.bc.ca. The benefits of living downtown include a million fun things to do, places to go, and a sweet public library on West Georgia St if studying in the law library is getting you down.

Kerrisdale

Kerrisdale is an easy bus ride to campus on the number 41 or 480 (ten to twenty minutes depending on whether or not it is raining and everyone and their pet turtle is on the bus) but a slightly more onerous trek to downtown on a number 16 (about thirty minutes). Although it is not necessarily a “happening” neighbourhood and grocery shopping is a little inconveniently located, it has great running trails, delicious cafes and restaurants, and the houses have real yards. One bedrooms sit around the $1000 per month mark.

Mount Pleasant & Riley Park

I used to live on Main St and I am constantly on the lookout for a way to return. Like Commercial, Main is not super close to campus so it may not be ideal for a 1L who is planning on spending a lot of outside class time at Allard Hall but, if you catch a B-line from Main and Broadway or a number 25 bus from Main and King Edward, it is an easy trip. Main St has some of my favourite places to eat and drink, a brand new library and community fitness centre on 7^th ave, and hosts Vancouver’s winter farmer’s market at Nat Bailey Stadium. Apartments and suites in this area are less expensive than downtown and the neighbourhoods adjacent to the UBC endowment lands. Prices for a one bedroom can run between $700 and $1050 per month.

Commercial

Commercial is far away from UBC. As a 1L, it is probably not your best bet for securing residence unless you have a car or you find something close to the Broadway Skytrain Station so you are the first kid on the B-Line express bus to UBC in the morning. However, Commercial is a very cool area to live. There are a lot of interesting things going on – performance art, urban gardening spaces, thrift stores, and great places to eat. Also, going further east means lower rental housing prices. The range tends to sit between $700 and $1050 per month for a one bedroom.

And if all else fails, simply construct a dwelling out of all your 1L reading material.

Best of luck!

-          Aubrie (2L)

Student Perspectives: Interviews with Current UBC Law Students

Hi 1Ls!

In order to give you more insight into what UBC Law is like and who your new peers are, many of the posts on this blog will be written by different UBC Law students.

To kick this off, here is part one of an interview series with current UBC Law students. I’m happy to introduce you to my friend Nikki Alvarez. I don’t know how I would have made it through 1L without her!



Aletha and Nikki at the Blakes Hockey Night

Name: Nikki Alvarez 

Year: 2L

Age: 23

Hometown: Calgary, Alberta

What did you do before law school?

I completed my Bachelor of Arts degree (psychology major) at UBC.

What area of law are you interested in?

           

I’m really not sure yet. I think I would like to practice energy, corporate or international law but I really have no idea! Ideally, I would like to work in a larger firm for a couple of years and then switch to in-house counsel.

A fun fact about yourself…

I took courses on a tall ship for a semester and sailed across the Pacific!

What was your favourite part of Orientation Week?

My favorite part was the banquet at the end of the week followed by Mahoney’s (the Pub on campus) with the students and profs! It was so nice seeing my new classmates all dressed up and watching the slideshow of everything that had happened during Orientation Week. Everyone was starting to open up more and it was a great opportunity to start getting to know my professors. It truly represented the incredible year that was to follow!

What was the best advice an upper year gave you when school started?

Start CANing early! (Easier said than done)

What was the worst advice an upper year gave you when school started?

           

I don’t think I ever received any particularly bad advice. I think it is important to realize that everyone is different and some advice will prove to be beneficial for some students while detrimental for others. Law school really is a major adjustment so it is important to try different things and see what works best for you.

What was your favourite part of first year?

I loved the social aspect of first year. Every week there was at least one event to attend. At school, we have coffee and donuts with our professors every second Tuesday. Every second Friday there is a bzzr-up hosted by a different firm. We would also attend ‘wine and cheese’ nights hosted by multiple firms, small groups would organize their own outings and then of course are the classic events: the annual boat cruise, Halloween party, Semi-formal, the trike race and many more! I found that my amazing classmates were what truly made these events memorable.

What was the most challenging part of first year?

           

Final exams! I have never worked so hard or spent so much time on school in my life! It really does consume you for a couple of weeks but don’t worry; in the grand scheme of things two weeks is nothing so if you really push yourself you will see that it flies by. I promise that despite final exams you will still love law school!

What was your favourite social event in first year?

My favorite event was definitely the trike race. Students filled up over 2000 water balloons to throw at student-teams while they raced down the street in ridiculous costumes on tiny tricycles.

What would you do differently in 1L?

I would try to start CANing earlier but as I mentioned it is easier said than done given that you are simultaneously working on assignments and projects. Overall, the past year has been one of my best years so there really isn’t much I would change.

What extracurriculars would you recommend to 1Ls?

I would recommend the International Law Journal. I was an assistant editor and as a result I was exposed to articles relating to areas of law that I would otherwise not have known about in first year.  It definitely helped point me in the right direction in terms of my course selection for second year.

Also, the men’s rugby team seems like it would be a lot of fun and they always host the year’s best parties!

What was your favourite class?  Favourite professor?

           

My favorite class was Criminal Procedure! That class had all the cool stuff you see on the TV and encompasses what you thought of as  “Law” before you actually start law school.

My favorite professor would have to be Nikos Harris. If you have him at 9:00 AM you can skip the coffee – trust me, he will keep you awake! You’ll see what I mean.

Any words of wisdom for the incoming 1Ls?

Remember to BALANCE. It is all too easy for law school to consume you but I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to maintain your life outside of law school. Do not lose touch with your friends and make time for family. You will be thankful to have them during exam time when all your other law school friends are running around like chickens with their heads cut off or when you just want to hang out with someone without the conversation inevitably turning into a heated debate over whether something is legal or not.

UBC Law Ambassadors

UBC Law Ambassadors

My name is Alain Saint-Onge and I am a 2L at the University of British Columbia. In my first year at UBC, I tried to gain a broad exposure to everything that the school had to offer. UBC provides students with countless volunteer opportunities and is home to a numerous organizations providing valuable services to the legal community, as well as the community at large. I’ve represented the school as a Law Students' Legal Advice Program clinician, as the student representative to the board for the CoRe conflict resolution clinic, and as a UBC Law Student Ambassador.

In effort to provide support for students considering UBC Law, the school created the Law Student Ambassador Program. The program was designed to assist prospective and admitted students of UBC Law in gathering the necessary information to make an informed decision about applying to or accepting an offer from UBC Law, but the responsibilities of Ambassadors continue to evolve and diversify. For instance, the recently completed construction of Allard Hall attracts alumni and practicing lawyers from around the area, looking to Ambassadors to help them learn more about our fantastic new building. Ambassadors are hand picked from the student body because they are representative of the broader student body, and are able to offer thoughtful insight into their experiences as law students.

I decided that I wanted to become an Ambassador because I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience at UBC and thought that I could be an excellent representative of the school. I grew up in Waterloo, Ontario and experienced great angst in deciding whether to attend UBC from out of province. After much deliberation I decided to accept my offer to UBC Law, and I remember how helpful it was to hear a candid student perspective on the experience. There is only so much you can learn from reading a brochure or website! Should you have any questions, want to get a look at the new building, or just simply want to meet with an Ambassador to talk about what to expect from law school, feel free to email us at ambassadors@law.ubc.ca.

Welcome to UBC Faculty of Law!

Hi Graduating Class of 2015,

Congratulations on your acceptance to UBC Law! My name is Aletha and I am the Orientation Coordinator for the incoming class of 2012.

This blog will serve as a source of information on UBC Law’s first year structure, faculty resources, clubs, teams and volunteer activities. I will do my best to keep you filled in on what to expect during your first year at UBC Law. If you are wondering what to do to prepare yourself for the coming year, the best advice I can give you is to enjoy the summer and take some time to relax! You will thank yourself later; it will be a big year!

There are several ways to stay up to date on what’s planned for your Orientation Week, which will run from August 28^th to August 31^st:

1.   Orientation Week Blog: I will be updating this blog throughout the summer with information about Orientation Week, what first year law is like, the different opportunities available at UBC Law, and Vancouver;

2.   Emails: The Admissions Office will send out emails with any important information;

3.   Orientation Week Guide: The Orientation Week Guide will contain a lot of helpful information. Currently, it is still under construction, but I will add links throughout the summer;

4.    Facebook: Join the UBC Law 2015 Facebook page to see who is in the incoming class.

Feel free to email me at orientation@law.ubc.ca if you have any questions, concerns or ideas for future blog posts.

I look forward to meeting all of you!

-Aletha