FAQs

GENERAL LAW SCHOOL QUESTIONS:

Q: WHERE IS THE ALLARD SCHOOL OF LAW LOCATED?

Allard School of Law is located in the purpose built Allard Hall, a building which the law school occupied in August 2011.

Allard Hall is located at 1822 East Mall, Vancouver, BC. For directions and a detailed map showing the location of Allard Hall on the UBC campus visit the UBC Wayfinding website.

Q: CAN I SPEAK TO AN UPPER YEAR STUDENT?

Allard School of Law has a “Law Ambassador” program designed to provide prospective students with information about the Allard School of Law. You can contact a Student Ambassador regarding the law school experience, life at Allard School of Law, or living in Vancouver, at ambassadors@allard.ubc.ca.

Q: Is there someone I can speak to about financing my studies?

For more information about financing your education, visit the Allard School of Law Scholarships and Financial aid webpage.

Additionally, the Allard School of Law has a team of Enrolment Services Professionals (ESPs) dedicated to providing financial aid advising to law students. The Law ESPs can assist students to research and apply for various forms of funding. To connect with a Law ESP, send an email via the dedicated JD student email box at: es.lawsupport@ubc.ca. You can also call Enrolment Services at: Local: 1-604-822-9836; Toll-free in Canada and the US: 1-877-272-1422.

Access the Allard Bursary Calculator here.

Q: How can I ensure that I go by by preferred name, and not my legal name while at UBC?

As a first step, you can list a preferred name on the SSC (see: https://students.ubc.ca/enrolment/records/change-personal-information) – this name will be used for class lists and your UBCcard. Please ensure you undertake this step soon so that your professors can learn your preferred name and your UBCcard will reflect your preferred name.

Documents that require a legal name will continue to display your legal name only.

For more information about preferred names at UBC visit https://equity.ubc.ca/resources/gender-diversity/names/

Finally, we are a small community and we will learn your preferred name quickly! Please don’t hesitate to correct anyone if they are wrong.

Q: How can I ensure that I am referred to by my preferred pronouns?

Canvas (UBC’s online learning platform) now allows users to display their personal pronouns (e.g., she, he, they) next to their name throughout the platform. Displaying your pronouns can help make sure instructors and students use the right pronouns when referring to you. You can also look for that information about other people to ensure you use the right words for other people, which helps create an inclusive and welcoming climate online. To choose a set of pronouns to display, go to Account then Settings and then to Edit Settings. For broader questions about pronouns, check out the Gender Diversity FAQ from the Equity & Inclusion Office or contact trans.inclusion@equity.ubc.ca.

 

FIRST YEAR LIFE:

Q: What is the first year schedule like?

All first-year students take the same classes. You won’t need to register for courses, as you will be assigned a standard time table based on the “small group” you are assigned to. We will update this page once the 2020-2021 first-year schedule is published. Students will receive their “small group” assignment in late August, but should note that this assignment is subject to change all the way up until Orientation.

Q: What are the “small groups”?

Each student is placed in a “small group” of approximately 50 students, with whom you will have all your classes. The small groups are Curtis, Proud, Scow, and Gee; named after famous Allard alumni.

CURTIS
George F. Curtis, O.C., O.B.C., Q.C., LL.B., B.A., B.C.L., LL.D., D.C.L., was our founding Dean in 1945 and remained so until his retirement in 1971.  His accomplishments are manifold, but for UBC Law he worked to combine both professional training and university education to establish an open, inquiring, academic, and professional law school.  He died in 2005 at 99 years of age.

GEE
Margaret Jean Gee, LL.B., 1953 became the first Chinese Canadian woman called to the bar in Canada. She was also the first Chinese Canadian woman Pilot Officer (Reserves) in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

PROUD
Patricia M. Proudfoot, O.B.C., LL.D., LL.B., 1952 became the first woman on the bench in BC’s Provincial Court (1971), the first woman in the County Court of Vancouver (1974), the first woman in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and a judge on the Court of Appeal for British Columbia and the Yukon (1989).

SCOW
Alfred J. Scow, C.M., O.B.C., LL.D., LL.B., 1961, member of the Kwaguilth Nation, was the first Aboriginal person to graduate from the Faculty and the first to be appointed to the Canadian judiciary.

Q: I’M A MATURE STUDENT. WILL I BE OUT OF PLACE AT ALLARD?

Absolutely not! Allard students represent a large range of ages. If you want to connect with other mature students, please feel free to join the Allard Mature Students group, which will help you connect with mature students from all three years at Allard.

 

HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION:

Q: Is housing a thing that exists in Vancouver?

Yes! It takes some hard work and patience, but eventually you will be rewarded with a place to live in this beautiful city.
UBC has created a page with some helpful tips about Vancouver neighbourhoods and finding a place to live: http://vancouver.housing.ubc.ca/other-h…/off-campus-housing/
Here are some starting points for your search:

 

Have a question that hasn’t been answered? Help us create content! Email any questions to orientation@allard.ubc.ca

Spam prevention powered by Akismet