Hi everyone! Although we have already spoken with some of you, we thought we would introduce ourselves and say an official welcome to Allard Law! We just finished our first year of law school (“1L”) and are working this summer as your Orientation Coordinators. This means we have the incredible privilege of making your first week of law school fun, informative, and memorable. Here are a few things to help you get to know us!
Emma Hobbs
I was born and raised in London, Ontario where I did my undergrad and my MSc in Biology at Western (I know a LOT of animal facts). The idea of going to law school really hadn’t occurred to me until I was halfway through my Master’s. After graduating, I worked at the municipal office in a tiny rural community. I decided to apply to law school working with some amazing municipal lawyers there. Before I came to Allard, I spent my summers in northern Canada leading remote canoe trips, including a 52 day trip above the Arctic Circle in 2016.
I’m still not sure what type of law I want to practice, but I loved Torts and Criminal Law this year. I also loved mooting (you’ll hear all about that soon), so I’m pretty sure I want to be a litigator. I’m hoping to take environmental law and aboriginal law courses next year, and will be participating in the Indigenous Community Legal Clinic in second term.
In my first year I was involved in a number of programs and clubs at Allard including the Environmental Law Group, the Allard Law Students’ Society Social Council, Pro Bono Students Canada, and Allard’s Cultural Competency Program. I really recommend getting involved in the Allard community, it’s a great way to meet students from other years and give yourself a well-deserved break from the library.
In my spare time, I love canoe tripping, hiking, biking around Vancouver, trying to befriend dogs at the beach, and listening to true crime podcasts.
You will soon find that your first few weeks of 1L will be filled with more advice than you’ve ever been offered in your entire life, so I won’t spend too much time on that now. What I can say is that every law student’s definition of success is different, so try not to focus on what other people’s grades are, how they study, or what extra-curricular activities they’re involved in. Be open to new experiences and new ways of thinking, but also remember that not everything works for everybody.
The best thing you can do in 1L is get involved in something at Allard that you’re passionate about. This will help you to surround yourself with a group of people you can have fun with when things are great and turn to when things get tough. Trust me when I say that you are about to be surrounded by some of the most interesting, fun, and smart people you’ve ever known!
Carson Bell
Welcome to Allard Law!
I am incredibly excited to have the opportunity to invite you to Allard, and to be one of the first of your fellow students that you’ll be meeting over the next few months!
A little bit about me – I was born and raised in Richmond, British Columbia and completed my BCom at the University of Victoria. During my time at UVic, my interest and passion for law began to grow; I was fortunate enough to enroll in courses surrounding contract law as well as European law and economics.
Before moving back to the mainland, I took a year to travel and to knock off a couple items from my bucket list. While travelling, I decided to finally take the leap and apply to law school (I know some great Internet Cafés abroad if you’re in need) and was lucky enough to be accepted to Allard Law.
This past year has certainly been filled with challenges, but it has been by far the most rewarding. I have met so many incredible individuals and I have pushed myself to achieve goals I would have never thought possible. During my first year, I have worked with some of the school’s volunteer programs such as Legal Education Outreach and Pro Bono Students Canada. Throughout the year, I have also taken advantage of a number of different clubs and groups lead by Allard students such as SEALS (Sports, Entertainment, and Law Society) as well as OutLaws (a group promoting LGBTQA+ students in Law). There is so much to take part of in the Allard Community. You’ll be hard pressed to find a day of the week where one of the many different clubs at Allard Hall isn’t hosting an event.
Like Emma, I am still unsure what type of law I want to practice, but I am incredibly keen to learn more about Labour and Employment Law. In the beginning of 2019, I will be participating in the Canadian Labour Arbitration Competition. The competition takes place in Toronto, and includes eight two-person teams from law schools across Canada.
There are many opportunities for students at Allard Law! I encourage you to explore as many as you can and to stick with the ones that suit you best. You’ll find that the Allard community is beyond supportive, and no matter where you turn there’s someone to help you out.
I can’t wait to meet more of you over the summer, and to official welcome you all to the school in September!