Congratulations Class of 2023! We are pleased to welcome you to the Peter A. Allard School of Law.
We are Benae and Lily, and we are this year’s Co-Presidents of the Allard Law Women’s Caucus. We are writing to tell you a bit more 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-run group that is committed to empowering female law students and advancing women’s rights within the legal community. Our mission 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 address these barriers through empowerment-focused events and workshops. Finally, we engage in activism and support organizations beyond the legal world who are working to promote women’s rights more generally.
Last year, the Women’s Caucus consisted of over 140 members. We are excited to welcome anyone who wishes to be a part of our initiative and support our mandate (whether you are a woman, a man, or choose not to identify). With more inspiring women and allies entering law school each year, we hope to create a strong community of support.
How can I get involved with the Women’s Caucus?
The Allard Law Women’s Caucus offers so much more than a network of likeminded peers. As members of the Women’s Caucus, 1L students are given the unique opportunity to adopt leadership roles and head a number of our community engagement initiatives and fundraisers (with the support of upper-year exec, of course!). Some of our annual initiatives have included a professional attire clothing drive with support from downtown Vancouver law firms in benefit of 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 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.
Finally, the Allard Law Women’s Caucus hosts our signature celebratory event annually: The Women in Law Dinner. This evening is dedicated to celebrating women in the legal profession and is a great opportunity for law students to meet and mingle with a variety of feminist lawyers in the community. We look forward to continuing this tradition, following public health directives, in the coming year.
All Allard Law students are welcome to join the Women’s Caucus! We hope that you enjoy your summer, and we look forward to welcoming you in September. Please feel free to contact us at ubclaw.wc@gmail.com if you have any questions (and make sure to follow us on Facebook to stay connected)!
Warm Regards,
Benae Tutelman and Lily Dubrovsky
Allard Law Women’s Caucus Co-Presidents, 2020-2021