Illegal Beavers

The oldest club in the Faculty of Law just happens to be the girls’ and boys' rugby squads (“Law Rugby”). Not only does Law Rugby put on the best parties (Welcome Back, Halloween, Pub Crawl, blah, blah, blah), it also provides a vital service to the general student population … that, my friends, is a little something we refer to as inclusivity!

To be a part of the school’s one true varsity team, it is permissible to have absolutely NO athletic skill whatsoever. That means no tryouts and because the majority of players don’t have any skill either, there is no pressure to perform. Importantly, since we are all in the same boat, there is no expectation that you make it to the two weekly practices or even the games for that matter – 1L is tough and Law Rugby seeks to make your experience enjoyable and manageable.

This club provides the most incredible opportunity at school to have fun, network with practicing lawyers and peers from other schools, meet upper years and most importantly, to let off steam, or, in some cases anger, due to 1L studies.

So, what should you expect if you do decide to play. First, jerseys! We are sponsored by Lawson Lundell and they help keep our costs very low. The season commences with club night and ends with a golf tournament in the spring. Note that most never actually make it onto the golf course ... some players have still yet to be located.

With respect to games, the season will kick off with a road trip in the early fall to Calgary for the Western Law Rugby Championship (UofA, UofC, and possibly UVic). The trip in itself is worth joining the team as the real action takes place off-field. Between the boat races and mingling with girls and guys from other schools, this is one event that you will remember.

Other games include the fall Alumni tournament, which is great as you’ll get to network with practicing lawyers that like you simply because you play rugby. Further, the UVic Slaughter Cup, Justice Championship v VPD (when else do you get to assault Cops), Intrasquad game and Med School Tournament are also planned for the coming season. I assure you that while all games are competitive, it is not scary and the fun that occurs during and after mitigates any bumps, bruises or hurt feelings that may develop on the field.

I encourage you all to seriously consider signing up for Law Rugby at the upcoming Clubs Day. At least try it out. I promise that you won’t be disappointed. You will quickly make friends and find networking opportunities that the general population does not have - and a positive balance between school and social activities. Any practices or games that you need to miss due to studies are totally understood by the team.

If you do not decide to play, I ask that you come out to our games and partake in the fun! Your support will drive us to, who knows, maybe actually winning a game this coming year? Anything is possible with your support. We will keep you posted on relevant dates and times well in advance of our games.

For more information on girls rugby, check out Jessie's awesome blog post or contact the co-chairs, Alex and Jessie, at ubclawwomensrugby@hotmail.com.

For boys rugby, contact our President Jack Finn at jfinn87@hotmail.com.

Pro Bono Students do it for Free

Laura Hawes (3L) and Shannon Fenrich (2L) are the 2011 UBC Law Pro Bono Students Canada Coordinators.

Hey 1L’ers it’s your friendly Pro Bono Students Canada Coordinators here!!

By now you’re probably in the midst of preparing for the craziest three years of your life. While the importance of preparation can’t be over-rated, remember to use the rest of the summer as a time to relax and enjoy your last few months of freedom.

So what exactly is ‘pro bono’? Pro bono work is when a lawyer (or law student) provides legal services for free. These services are hugely important to the community as they ensure every person has access to our justice system and legal information readily available to them.

Pro Bono Students Canada is a student run organization that aims to help public interest organizations provide pro bono services to vulnerable members of our community. We do this by matching law students with a wide range of public interest organizations. Student volunteers (you) then provide these organizations with a variety of legal services including research, creating public legal education documents, running legal workshops, client intake and dispute resolution preparation. The result of this structure is a win-win-win situation, organizations benefit from the valuable work students provide, students gain research skills, networking opportunities, and the opportunity for one on one feedback from a supervising lawyer, and members of the community get access to high quality legal services they could not otherwise afford.

By joining UBC-PBSC not only do you get great hands on legal experience, the opportunity to meet members of the Vancouver legal community, and support vulnerable members of our community, but you are becoming part of a national movement. PBSC is a national organization with chapters in every Canadian law school, all promoting the mutual goals of social justice and access to our legal system.

We have been busy all summer working on some exciting projects that you can get involved in! A few of this year’s projects are:

· Researching human rights issues with Justice for Girls

· Working with Direct Democracy Now to incorporate and work on any CRA challenges that come up

· Assisting advocates and clients in preparing evidence for hearings with St. Paul’s Advocacy

If you have any questions feel free to email Laura and Shannon at pbsc.ubc@gmail.com. You can also check out our website www.ubcpbsc.com.

Law Review

As a first-year law student, you’ll have no shortage of opportunities to get involved. LSLAP, LSS, and a host of other acronyms will vie for your time, energy, and attention (not to mention your lunch hours). If you’re like most other students, you’ll probably try to balance multiple commitments during 1L. One you’ll want to make sure to save some time for, however, is the UBC Law Review Society.

Completely run by UBC law students, the Society publishes two important works. The first is the UBC Law Review, a peer-reviewed academic journal where law professors from around the world publish up-to-date articles on a variety of legal issues. The second is the Table of Statutory Limitations, a compilation of the legal limitation periods for laws across Canada. A few dozen law students are selected to work with the Society each year, helping to review, edit, and publish these works.

There are many good reasons to get involved. It looks good on a resume. You can meet like-minded people. The hours, not more than a few each week, are very flexible. In upper years, you can earn course credit for your time, also fulfilling the Advanced Legal Research course requirement. There are even a few paid positions each summer, when not everyone can find law-related work. And you’ll get a head start on learning proper legal citation style, which you will eventually need to learn anyways.

But it’s not all about the perks. We’re looking for the type of people who will enjoy the work. Perhaps you’ve been an editor in the past, and want to keep sharpening your skills. Perhaps you own a well-worn copy of Eats, Shoots & Leaves, and love everything it stands for. Perhaps you secretly cheered for the two guys who took a road trip around the U.S., correcting spelling and grammar on signs along the way. Or perhaps you have no experience at all, but are really eager to learn and contribute. We’d love to hear from each of you.

In the first few weeks, keep an eye out for information on how to get involved. Our editor-in-chief, Sandra Raath, will be speaking at the student services rotation, and we’ll have a booth at the LSS clubs day. You’ll have to apply, though last year we did accept around two out of every three applicants. If you have any questions in the meanwhile, we’d love to hear from you: I’m one of two editors working on the Review this summer, and you can email us any time at lawrev@interchange.ubc.ca.

Enjoy your Orientation Week, and we look forward to meeting you soon!

- Andrew Dilts is a second year UBC Law student who is a summer editor for the Law Review.

Mo' Money, Mo' Problems...

Money, Money, Money
For the most up-to-date information on student finances, please visit http://www.students.ubc.ca/finance/post-baccalaureate-students/law. Although our blog may be inaccurate, this page won’t be! As well, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact the law faculty’s Financial Advisor, Liz Hagerty, at liz.hagerty@ubc.ca or 604.822.5849.

Tuition Deadlines and Student Loans
For the Winter term, tuition is due September 7, 2011. For those of you who have applied for student loans, you will receive a package from StudentAid BC. You do not need to confirm registration, as it will be pre-authorized by UBC.
Make sure to send your Master Loan Agreement back through a designated Canada Post outlet, such as the one at The Outpost in the UBC Student Union Building (SUB). You can also find a designated Canada Post outlet at http://www.canlearn.ca/eng/onlinetools/canadapost/postal_outlet.shtml?lookup=Vancouver&lang=e&results=. Remember to bring your SIN card, government issued picture ID, and a void cheque.

Student loan funds should be disbursed on September 6, the first day of school, provided you have submitted your paperwork. This may seem alarming with the September 7th deadline rapidly approaching, especially for those of you who are coming from out-of-province. However, you can have your tuition deferred until later in September. For more information about deferment, check out: http://www.students.ubc.ca/coursesreg/tuition-fees-deposits/deferments-refunds/tuition-fee-deferments/. Please note that this deferment does not include your registration deposit. You will still need to pay this accordingly.

Paying Tuition (All at Once!)
For many of you, your daily transaction/spending limit will be too low to pay your tuition in one lump sum. However, you need only take a trip to your local bank branch to overcome this issue, and move all the necessary funds into your UBC account. If you do have a high enough limit, you can make your tuition payment at www.students.ubc.ca/ssc, with either electronic fund transfers (EFT) or debit card. Alternatively, you can do it in person at the Information Centre in Brock Hall. It should be noted that international students can still pay tuition by credit card.

Women's Rugby Club

Jessie Cameron is a 2L and in charge of the UBC Law Women's Rugby Team.

Clubs Day. What a wonderful part of back to school. I remember receiving the clubs information during orientation week last year, and being excited about the variety of student clubs to be involved in.

You’re going to be overwhelmed by the dizzying array of clubs this year. There are the highly organized clubs such as the Law & Business Society and the infamous Illegal Beavers. There are social clubs such as Outlaws and LawChaim. There are active clubs, such as the Environmental Law Group and Law Students for Choice and there are active clubs of a different variety such as the Ski & Snowboard Club. And so many many more clubs to tickle your fancy.

But I’ll admit, I’m not writing this blog in order to promote the vast selection of clubs at UBC Law. I’m here to promote my favourite club: the UBC Law Women’s Rugby Club. The who? Yeah, I know, a lot of other law students may be asking the same question. The club has gone by several monikers, including the Fighting Rhinos (I don’t remember the history behind that one), simply the Women’s Rugby Club, and last year we added that oh so special word: “touch”.

Now, despite our borderline inappropriate bathroom posters rank with sexual innuendos, this special word “touch” does have some significance. As of last year, we have become a touch rugby club. Although the Fighting Rhinos used to be a full contact team, playing against fellow law schools much like the Beavers do, the admissions department at UBC Law has unfortunately thwarted our efforts at being the best law rugby team in the country. They’ve just stopped letting in [female] law students who play rugby!! (Author’s note: I’m sure they haven’t actually stopped letting people in. I mean I got admitted, right?)

The switch to touch rugby is a positive step for our club as far as inclusion goes. Anybody can play touch rugby!! Can you run/jog/keep up with the pack? Can you catch a ball? Are you willing to learn how to catch a ball? We take players of all skill levels and trust me, there are no cuts on this sports team! The majority of our group last year were new to the sport of rugby, and they quickly learned that touch rugby is pretty much just tag for grown-ups. And who doesn’t love tag?

We were a small group last year, due in part to being missed at clubs day, and a lot of students perhaps misinterpreting what “touch” rugby was all about. So my real goal in writing this is to spread the word about a club that is easily accessible to all! And really lots of fun! We got together once every week or two weeks, and only during the quieter parts of the school year. We had our touch events on Sundays, so that no one had to leave the after party early. Yay for “no class” Mondays!!

Although we are a “women’s” rugby club, we interact with all genders! We organized two Touch Rugby events last year, which involved players from our club and the Illegal Beavers, as well as other law students, students from other professional faculties, and spectators. We can teach anyone who doesn’t know the rules, and get them up and running in mere minutes. It was a great way to socialize and meet people outside of your circle, and the Beavers were super keen to show us all the ropes. Playing alongside the Beavers at our events was one of my favourite parts of first year law!

When you make the rounds at Clubs Day and you’re trying to decide what extra-curriculars are going to take up those spare minutes in your calendar, come visit us at the UBC Law Women’s Touch Rugby Club. We’d love to have any and all who are willing to get dirty!

Get Involved: Centre for Feminist Legal Studies (CFLS)

There are many ways to get involved at UBC Law. Read about the Centre for Feminist Legal Studies in this blog post by Camille Israël, a 2L and the coordinator of the Centre for Feminist Legal Studies (CFLS).

The CFLS is a research centre at UBC which focuses on feminist legal research, including issues such as gender, sexuality, family law, sexual assault, reproductive rights, aboriginality, access to justice, racism, poverty law, disability and more. Founded in 1997, the Centre works to ensure that feminist research and legal issues remain visible at UBC and to promote collaboration between scholars at UBC, those at other universities, students and members of the broader feminist community.

What do we do? We organize a weekly lunchtime lecture series as well as the annual Marlee Kline Lecture in Social Justice. Last term, speakers included Professor Ruthann Robson (author of Sappho Goes to Law School), Susan Bazilli (director of the International Women’s Rights Project) and Kasari Govender (executive director of West Coast LEAF), among many others. We also publish our LawFemme newsletter three times a year (http://faculty.law.ubc.ca/cfls/centre/newsletters.html) and host visiting scholars from all over the world.

We provide students with informal meeting/study/discussion space as well as a lending library of feminist works and faculty publications. Check out our collection online (http://www.librarything.com/profile/cfls) 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.

The Centre is part of the Positive Space Campaign (http://positivespace.ubc.ca/), an initiative intended to help make UBC more receptive to and welcoming of its lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, questioning, transgender, transsexual, gender variant, two-spirit and intersex (LGBQTTI) communities and individuals. It is a safe space where sexual and gender diversity is supported and valued.

I look forward to welcoming you to our space in the new building next year! The Centre will be located in room 424, the Marlee Kline Room.

If you would like more information about the Centre, you can visit our website at http://faculty.law.ubc.ca/cfls/ or like us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/UBC-Law-Centre-for-Feminist-Legal-Studies/113942732024780). You can also email me at cfls@law.ubc.ca if you have any questions, if you would like to be added to our student mailing list, or if you are interested in volunteering with the Centre next year.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and see you in the fall!

-Camille

Course Scheduling

With September rapidly approaching, the “School” part of “Law School” has undoubtedly crossed your mind, probably more than a few times. I know that I was both excited and nervous to start learning about the law. First year law will be very different than your undergraduate programs – so get ready to learn something totally new. While this may be a frightening concept for some of you, remember that all 1Ls are in the same position. Indeed, no undergraduate program is better than another; each student starts with a clean slate.

So how will you know what classes to take? In first year, your time table is completely set for you. This means that you don’t need to worry about picking classes, or scheduling them. You will have classes from Tuesday-Friday each week, starting at 9am. Yes, this does mean that you will have a three-day weekend, every weekend. As you’ll soon find out, Mondays are a great time to catch up on readings and prepare for the upcoming week. With busy weeks and fun-filled weekends, I know I was happy to have my Mondays clear. I would recommend making the most of these days - you won’t regret it!

The rest of my advice regarding school relates to this summer. In particular, I want to remind each and everyone of you to relax and enjoy the sunshine. There is not a lot you can do to prepare right now, at least academically. It’s much more important to start law school refreshed and re-energized, so try not to stress! It’s going to be a big year, so rest up while you can.
I look forward to meeting all of you soon!

- Raylene