Announcements and events

Distinguished Professor Gerry Ferguson combines the youthful passion and curiosity more commonly associated with a lawyer just beginning his career, with the wisdom, humility and ‘can do’ attitude of a confident senior leader in his field who has seen and done it all. Well loved and respected for his many career accomplishments in teaching, scholarship and administrative leadership as well as his dedicated, long-term mentorship of students and younger colleagues, Ferguson is retiring this summer after an incredible 45 years with UVic’s Faculty of Law.

McKerracher is a member of the first graduating class from UVic’s world-leading joint degree program in Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders (‘JD/JID’). She is also the 2022 recipient of the Law Society of British Columbia’s Gold Medal at UVic Law, presented to the student with the highest cumulative grade point average in either the JD or the JD/JID program.

In a history-making motion by the University of Victoria, Dr. Irehobhude O. Iyioha has received tenure and promotion to Associate Professor of Law after a unanimous vote by the Reappointment, Promotions and Tenure (RPT) Committee of the Faculty of Law.

The Faculty of Law invites expressions of interest for teaching in a number of areas in the 2022-2023 academic year. Please see the attached request for expressions of interest.

For third-year law student Nick Sayed, the University of Victoria (UVic) was his first and only choice to earn his law degree. “I was accepted into several universities, but the reason I decided on UVic was because of its focus on social justice, including Indigenous rights and environmental and international law,” he says. “These are very important issues to me and it turns out that UVic has been the perfect fit.”

After three years full of memorable moments, hard work and cultivating friendships that will last a lifetime, Nyssa Lessingham is excited to graduate from the Juris Doctor (JD) program this June with her law degree. While she won’t be able to attend convocation in person, she will be watching the ceremony live from afar, and plans to cheer on her peers as they cross the stage to receive their degrees, while enjoying the special moment when UVic’s Chancellor recognises her as this year’s recipient of the William McIntyre medal for demonstrating the highest qualities of community service, student leadership and academic excellence over the course of her degree.

When the first graduates from UVic Law’s trailblazing joint degree program in Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders (JD/JID) receive their degrees at convocation ceremonies this June, they will wear graduation regalia featuring a striking—and deeply meaningful—new hood design. The hood was designed by Dylan Thomas (Qwul’thilum) at the request of Songhees Nation Chief Ron Sam. Thomas is a Coast Salish artist from the Lyackson First Nation.

Exciting things are happening at the Faculty of Law and we're hiring! Position: Special Advisor to the Dean, National Centre for Indigenous Laws (two-year term).

UVic is building an expansion to the Fraser Building to house a National Centre for Indigenous Law (provisional name). Learn more at our two upcoming open houses on June 15 & 16. The project team will be on hand to answer your questions.

Rob Lapper remembers a time when his law classes were scattered in makeshift rooms in a building behind the MacPherson library. “Faculty offices were all kind of crowded together over there. There was a student lounge at one end, and an entry way at the other end, and a hallway in between,” he recalls. “You had to actually walk through the bathrooms to get to the student lounge.”

The UVic Faculty of Law presents: Indigenous Law: Today and Tomorrow with John Borrows and Val Napoleon 7:30 p.m. Farquhar Auditorium, University of Victoria. Join Chancellor Shelagh Rogers, Indigenous leaders, community members, and scholars to mark this historic moment as we celebrate the launch of the world’s first Indigenous law degree. Dr. Borrows will explore Salish Law and Land: Lessons Learned and Dr. Napoleon will look at the future of Indigenous Law: Fast Forward. This free public lecture has reserved seating.

Shiri Pasternak presents "What is colonialism that does not dispossess? Ecologies of Care and Supply at Barriere Lake." This presentation examines the materialities of colonialism from the perspective of a present-day Algonquin community in northern Quebec.

Join us in celebrating the Law Class of '93! This reunion will be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with fellow grads! Saturday, September 15, 2018 4:00 pm: Meet and greet with classmates and former professors in the Fraser Building 6:00 pm: Dinner & Dance at the University Club Cost: $125 per person (includes catering, gratuity and taxes) Sunday, September 16, 2018 10:00 am: Golf (optional, not included in above price) at Cordova Bay Golf Course If you have any questions, please contact Liz Eby, Law Alumni Relations Officer at lawalum@uvic.ca or 250-853-3518.