Hello 1Ls, welcome to UBC Law! 

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My name is Andrea Glen and I’m a 2.5L (long story), as well as the student coordinator of the Centre for Feminist Legal Studies (CFLS).

 

Who are We?

CFLS is a research centre that works to increase the visibility of feminist legal issues at UBC and to promote collaboration between scholars and students at UBC and other universities, and members of the broader feminist community. The research of the Centre focuses on issues such as gender, sexuality, family law, sexual assault, reproductive rights, aboriginality, access to justice, poverty law, disability and more.

We are part of the Positive Space Campaign, and aim to foster a welcoming atmosphere for people of all sexual orientations where gender diversity is supported and valued.

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In addition to our research activities, we offer lots of opportunities for students to get involved:

 

Weekly Lectures

We host a lunchtime lecture series on Tuesdays where feminist scholars and practitioners speak on a range of topics. Last term, the series featured Justice Donna Martinson of the BC Supreme Court (retired), Professor Lynda Collins (Co-Chair of the Centre for Environmental Law & Global Sustainability at U of O), Krista James (National Director of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law), and many others. Look for the CFLS Fall 2013 Lecture Series schedule to be released in late August!

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The annual Marlee Kline Lecture in Social Justice takes place in January each year. This year, we were honoured to receive an address from prominent Métis rights lawyer Jean Teillet on “The Métis of the Northwest: Finding Justice for an Invisible People”. The 2014 lecture also promises to be exciting … details soon!

 

Marlee Kline Room

CFLS provides students with an informal meeting/study/hangout space as well as a lending library of feminist works and faculty publications. Check out our collection online or come peruse it in person! We also maintain a collection of topic files on a variety of different areas of the law. These files are a treasure trove of rare reports, conference proceedings and other documentation. Thumb through them if you are looking for an introduction to a new topic, or use them as a resource to deepen your research in an area of law.

 

Volunteer Opportunities

If you’re passionate about feminism, there are a number of opportunities to explore and express that through the Centre.

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1) Writing blog posts.

We are currently in the process of switching from a hard-copy newsletter to a blog format, and will be looking for submissions throughout the school year. Submissions could include:

• Write-ups of events or lectures (such as the CFLS lectures!)

• Feminist critiques/commentaries of recent cases

• Book reviews

• Top ten lists

• And more… please feel free to contact us with your ideas!

2) Assisting students in the Marlee Kline Room.

Sign up to hang out in the Marlee Kline Room during a set time each week and help students new to the Centre to navigate our system and find books.

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3) Taking on a project.

Take on a library-related project or tell us your idea for organizing or improving the Centre.

Mentorship Program

The Feminist Legal Mentorship Program seeks to create a supportive link between women law students and women in legal careers. Past mentors have come from backgrounds such as tax law, human rights law, administrative law, family law, commercial law and legal ethics. They also came from a variety of situations such as Vancouver’s largest firms, government positions, sole practices, and alternative careers. We will be signing students up for the Mentorship Program in September.

 

How to Contact Us

If you would like more information about the Centre, you can visit us on our website, Facebook or Twitter. You can also email me at cfls@law.ubc.ca if you have any questions, if you would like to be added to our mailing list, or if you are interested in volunteering with CFLS next year.

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You are welcome to visit the Centre in the Marlee Kline Room (Room 424) Monday-Friday, 0830-1630. We’re right at the top of the main staircase in Allard Hall.

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Looking forward to connecting with you this fall!

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– Andrea