Supporting the next generation of lawyers
The UVic Law Class of ’94 celebrated their reunion by raising funds together for a meaningful student award.
When the UVic Law Class of 1994 met on campus for their 30th anniversary reunion in October 2024, it was a chance to reconnect, reminisce and reflect on their remarkable journeys that began in Victoria decades ago. Flipping through old yearbooks, sharing stories and celebrating with a reception in the Fraser Building student lounge, where they once spent countless hours studying and bonding, brought back a flood of memories.
“Walking through the doors of the law school again brought tears to my eyes,” says Justice Jasmine Ahmad, now a judge on BC’s Supreme Court. “The emotions and memories were all so positive. Many of us felt the same way—that those years were truly transformative.”
For the 27 Law alumni who travelled from across North America to be there, this reunion didn’t just serve as a trip down memory lane—it became a catalyst for giving back.
A feeling of belonging, passed on
That shared commitment led to the creation of the Law Class of 1994 Prize in Indigenous Field Study. This annual award will support students in the upper years of the JD/JID Joint Degree program in Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders, recognizing those who have demonstrated excellence in community-based learning, the application of Indigenous laws, and contributions to Indigenous communities.
“We wanted to ensure that students—especially those who may not have historically had the same opportunities—could benefit from the same experiences we were so fortunate to have,” says Justice Ahmad. “Many of us didn’t come from privileged backgrounds or even know a lawyer before law school. But at UVic, we felt like we belonged. We had a voice.”
Students in the JD/JID joint-degree program spend one full-time semester in each of their third and fourth years immersed in community, studying Indigenous legal traditions with community-based experts. These field study courses give students firsthand experience of Indigenous legal orders, sources of law, reasoning processes and governance structures and work with communities on law-related projects. The inaugural prize will be awarded to students who worked in field schools this year with either Anishinaabe Law (Rama First Nation, ON) or Dene Law (Pedzeh Ki First Nation, Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation, and the umbrella organization of both First Nations, Dehcho First Nations, NWT).
The class also saw this initiative as a way to honour their Indigenous classmates from 30 years ago, including Chief Justice Leonard Marchand, the first Indigenous person to hold the role of Chief Justice of British Columbia.
A remarkable show of generosity
Collectively, the class raised enough to establish a meaningful student award. Then, in an extraordinary gesture, a classmate matched the total raised, doubling its impact.
“Within days, we had surpassed our original target,” Justice Ahmad recalls. “That’s the generosity and spirit of my classmates—a group of people I’m so incredibly proud to be part of.”
She encourages fellow alumni to consider how they can contribute, whether through mentorship, financial support, or simply staying engaged with the university, emphasizing that awards like these do more than just ease financial burdens—they help instill confidence by providing students with the affirmation that they are on the right track and that others believe in their potential.
“It’s important to know that not only do you belong, but that you have supporters who recognize the value you bring,” Justice Ahmad says. “It struck me that 30 years later, and despite the different fields and industries people went into, we all recognize how grateful we are for the inclusion and the voice we were given at UVic.”
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