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.