14 February 2025
The University of Alberta Faculty of Law is creating new opportunities and resources for current and future Black students.
Each February, individuals and groups across Canada organize and participate in Black History Month activities and celebrations. The Faculty of Law is commemorating Black History Month this year by launching the Black Student Life page on its website. The page is one facet of the faculty’s commitment to attracting talented Black students to study law at the school.
“This is an important step in fostering inclusion and celebrating Black legacies in faculty life, exemplified by Violet King Henry and Lionel Jones,” says Ubaka Ogbogu, Faculty of Law professor and associate dean research.
Launched on February 14, the Black Student Life page is a collection of resources available to Black students who are currently studying or interested in studying at the Faculty of Law. This includes information on awards — such as the Violet King Henry Law School Award, and the Lionel Jones Memorial Endowment in Law and others — moot opportunities, and organizations both within the faculty and beyond that support Black students, such as the Black Law Students’ Association (BLSA), which has a chapter in the faculty.
Fiona Kelly, dean of the Faculty of Law says, “The Black Student Life page is one of the first steps in a process of relationship building (and mending) between the faculty and the Black community in Edmonton. The initiatives it highlights are designed to welcome the Black community into the faculty and to create an environment where the next generation of students feels like law school is for them.”
The page also features information about two initiatives designed to welcome prospective Black students into the faculty and demystify the law school application process. The first is the announcement of the second ELITE Pathway for Law (EPL) symposium, a collaboration between the Faculty, the ELITE Pathway for Law (EPL) Program, and the Black Future Lawyers University of Alberta chapter, and sponsored by the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta Branch. The EPL Program, co-founded in 2023 by Professor Ogbogu and Ellen Doty, is an extension of the ELITE Program for Black Youth, which provides experiential learning opportunities to Black youth in the STEM disciplines.
The symposium will offer information sessions, networking and mentorship opportunities, a tour of the Law Centre, and a keynote and career panel featuring Black legal professionals, academics and students. Any Black undergraduate, graduate, or high school student interested in applying to law school is invited to register for the free event, which is scheduled for March 28 (online) and in person on March 29th at the Law Centre. For additional information and to register, visit the event’s website.
The second new initiative is the launch of a summer LSAT Prep course for Black applicants. Prospective Black law students who intend to apply to law school in the next two years can apply to participate in the 12 week virtual course, hosted by the Faculty and sponsored by Law Alumni and Friends. Participants will also enjoy two in-person sessions, a welcome event and a graduation celebration with an opportunity to network with professional mentors.
According to Carline Petit-Homme, the BLSA chapter president and a third-year student at the Faculty of Law, programs like EPL and others provide “invaluable experiences that help students connect with like-minded peers before stepping into the challenges of law school.”
“The University of Alberta is an exceptional place to study law, offering a welcoming and enriching environment,” Petit-Homme says. “I highly encourage all aspiring law students to take part in these opportunities to network, gain insight, and get a head start in their legal education.”
