Hello Class of 2021! We are pleased to welcome you to the Peter A. Allard School of Law and we cannot wait to meet you all.
We are Crichton and Heather, and we are this year’s Co-Presidents of the Allard Law Women’s Caucus. We are writing to tell you a bit about the Women’s Caucus and how you can get involved!
What is the Allard Law Women’s Caucus?
The Allard Law Women’s Caucus is a student group at the Peter A. Allard School of Law committed to empowering female law students and advancing women’s rights within the legal community. The mission of the Women’s Caucus is three-fold. Firstly, the Women’s Caucus strives to create a sense of community and build a supportive network of feminists within the Peter A. Allard School of Law and beyond. Secondly, the Women’s Caucus aims to raise awareness of the barriers facing women in the legal profession and to address these barriers through empowerment-focused events and workshops. Finally, the objectives of the Women’s Caucus’ expand beyond the scope of the legal world, as our third mission is to engage in activism and support organizations who are working to promote women’s rights more generally.
Last year, the Women’s Caucus consisted of over 100 members and this year we are excited to welcome anyone who wishes to be a part of our group (whether you are a woman, a man, or choose not to identify). With more inspiring women and allies entering the law school each year, we hope to create a strong community of support for one another!
Why get involved with the Women’s Caucus?
The Allard Law Women’s Caucus offers a unique experience, because as a member you will have automatic access to a network of supportive peers. We will kick off the school year with a social event to welcome all our new and returning members, which serves as a great opportunity to get to know likeminded people at Allard. In the past, this event has been a back-to-school brunch and we are planning on keeping this tradition alive (I mean, how can you resist a waffle bar?). We also host monthly lunchtime meetings, which give members the opportunity to take a break from the hustle and bustle of law school. At these meetings, you will receive updates on Women’s Caucus initiatives and connect with your peers over a potluck-style lunch (trust us, this will be a welcome change from the pizza that is at every other lunchtime meeting). Throughout the year, we host other social and wellness events such as a Pinot and Paint Night with the Allard Wine Appreciation Society (ALWAS) and lunchtime yoga sessions. At times, law school can be overwhelming and there is nothing better than knowing that you have a large group of peers to rely on to support you along the way and celebrate your success as you reach new milestones!
That being said, the Women’s Caucus offers so much more than a likeminded network of peers. As a member of the Women’s Caucus, 1Ls are given the unique opportunity to adopt leadership roles and head a number of our community initiatives and fundraisers (with the support of the upper year exec of course!). Some of our annual initiatives include a professional attire clothing drive among downtown Vancouver law firms to benefit Dress for Success, the Time of the Month Initiative (TMI) to collect feminine hygiene products for the Downtown Eastside Women’s Shelter, and a raffle at the annual Women in the Law Dinner to benefit the Elizabeth Fry Society. Taking part in these initiatives is a great way to connect with the community at Allard law and to network with legal professionals.
An added perk of being a member of the Women’s Caucus is that you will get first dibs on a spot at the annual Women in Law Dinner. The Women in Law Dinner is hosted by the Women’s Caucus and attended by feminist lawyers and law students. The evening is dedicated to celebrating women in the legal profession and it is a great opportunity for law students to meet and mingle with a variety of female lawyers.
In a profession that is largely male-dominated, joining the Women’s Caucus is a great opportunity to gain exposure to strong female role models, and to form connections with successful female lawyers and one another. As future colleagues, the positive connections we create in law school will help carry us throughout our careers.
How can you get involved with the Women’s Caucus?
All Allard Law students are welcome to join the Women’s Caucus! You will be able to sign up to join the Women’s Caucus at Clubs Day (in the first couple weeks of classes, date TBA). Before Clubs Day, you can meet the exec and some members of the Women’s Caucus at the Allard Feminist Tea hosted in conjunction with the Center for Feminist Legal Studies during your orientation. Our first meeting and welcome brunch will take place within the first few weeks of school, and we can’t wait to see you there! We hope that you enjoy the final months of summer and please feel free to contact us at ubclaw.wc@gmail.com if you have any questions (and make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to keep updated on all that is happening with the Women’s Caucus).
Sincerely,
Crichton Scott and Heather Mallabone
Allard Law Women’s Caucus Co-Presidents, 2018-2019