available here

LSS President
Micah Goldberg
[email protected]
I am running for President of the LSS on a platform of promoting & preserving our community. UVic
is unique among Canadian Law Schools in its commitment to fostering a collegial atmosphere. At
UVic, diverse members of our community must be accepted and welcomed for who they are. My
commitment is to offer inclusive, representative, efficient student representation in my leadership.
My involvement at the school includes representing our school at the Gale Moot in Toronto,
volunteering to amend the LSS constitution, organizing the 1st year negotiation competition in first
year, and volunteering this year, competing on UVic’s Slaughter Cup team in first year, serving as the
student representative of the Exchange Committee, appearing as assistant captain on our Begbie Blades
ice hockey team, and playing in several other intermural sports. I have been involved in student
government throughout my undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto, and understand how to
effectively represent the student community.
We are stronger together. I am proud to be a member of our faculty, and I would value the opportunity
to serve as your president. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me or catch me in the
hallways. My running mate Mikey Williams and I are passionate about reclaiming the community that
makes our school special. We encourage you to vote for our community by voting for us. Please read
our full platform at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Micah-Mikey-for-LSS/605921219477903
John Bullock
[email protected]
Hi all, I am your current Vice President Internal and I hope to serve as your LSS President for the
coming year. I have been an active member of the UVic Law community over the last two years and
would love the opportunity to continue to do so. My previous and ongoing involvement in the school is
as follows:
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Vice President Internal
LSS Constitutional Reform Committee
Faculty Council Member
Law4All Student Outreach Volunteer
UVic Pro Bono Students Media and Promotions Officer
Denton’s 1L Negotiation Challenge Judge
UVic Law Movember Fundraiser Coordinator
Member of multiple clubs, intramural teams, and participant in most all social events.
This year for the LSS Executive was one of transition. I have had the opportunity to work directly
under the current LSS President and in this capacity have come to know what the LSS is all about,
including its strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. In this position, my goal was to make
our student government more streamlined, effective, transparent and professional. Beginning with
creating guidelines for the formation, funding, and reimbursement of clubs and student groups, to my
final project of the year in moving our finances to a proper bookkeeping system, I have endeavoured to
bring about change that will serve as a solid foundation for moving forward.
My motivation for further involvement with the LSS is to make the law school experience of my fellow
students more enjoyable, and less daunting, with the resources I’ve created or helped to bring about. To
that end, I have reprogrammed the LSS website (which has since received over 20,000 hits); spent
hours creating, organising, and updating the Outlines database from the disparate sources we’ve had in
the past; created the events calendar to keep people in the loop, and the classifieds section to ease the
process of buying and selling used textbooks and accommodation from student to student.
Throughout my time at law school thus far I have proven myself to be a dedicated member of the UVic
Law community, and will continue to build on this commitment as LSS President. If elected, I will
strive to strengthen our community by fostering an environment, events, and forums that are open,
accessible, and inviting to all members of our student body.
I have made a point of trying to meet and befriend as many of my peers as possible, and if I’ve not yet
had the opportunity to speak with you I would encourage you to strike up a conversation or send me a
message if you have any questions about myself, my campaign, or if you have any ideas you’d like to
see implemented in the coming year. I am aware of my strengths, faults, and weaknesses, and I am
willing to continue to learn and grow in my capacity as LSS President. Also, I’ll try not to spam your
Facebook groups as much (it was with good intentions, I promise :) ).
Nicholas Mcdonald
[email protected]
My name’s Nic Mcdonald and I’m running for President of the LSS. I’m a proud Northern Irish
and Ojibway man from Curve Lake First Nation and am of the Mississauga people. I went to Queen’s
University and majored in Philosophy and minored in English Literature. I’m running for President for
a variety of reasons. I want to begin by expressing my love of Uvic Law and passion for the student
body. I’ve tried to connect in all sorts of manners; from formal roles in school to casual social functions
inside and out of the school.
However great I think Uvic Law is, and can be, there remain genuine challenges that we need to
deal with. Oppression in our school has arisen in many forms throughout the past two years. It’s
important that we deal with these issues in an ongoing basis. As President of the LSS I will strive to
bring people together and attempt to unify the student body. While I will never be able to speak for
everyone I hope that everyone will be able to speak to me and have any problems addressed in a
meaningful way. I also recognize that many people haven’t experienced Uvic in the same way that I
have. Everyone deserves to attend a school they feel proud of, and safe in. We all need to work together
on these issues. At the recent EDC meeting ideas were floated that we need to integrate more
anti-oppression learning and activities throughout all years of law school. I fully endorse these ideas
and would work to implement them as President. As President I would plan on continuously engaging
with different communities within our school and suss out what needs can be met through the LSS.
My experience in the school has been multifaceted. I’ve been involved in many student groups
from day one of first year and have only tried to broaden my experiences since then. All of the
following experiences make me an ideal candidate for President. I understand the way the LSS and the
larger student body operate and I bring a variety of experiences to the table. In first year I was involved
in the Indigenous Law Students Association (ILSA) as a member and I also sat on the LSS as the ILSA
representative. I contributed to the TWU letter writing campaign that began last year and culminated
this year in the letter being sent on behalf of the LSS. I’m currently involved with Appeal as a
Publications Editor. While this is a course, it was the most unique I’ve ever taken at school and very
interesting. At the same time I have been the VP External of the LSS. My primary functions involve
being a liaison between the school and the CBABC, publications like the Legal Who and year book,
giving tours of the Fraser building on a regular basis and a multitude of other responsibilities. I’ve also
had the privilege of being one of the Co-Chairs of ILSA this year. It’s been a wonderful experience to
be a part of such a great community of Indigenous law students. In this role and as the VP I’ve
interacted a great deal with the administration and LCO. Through my work I’ve formed strong
relationships with these people and understand how these various groups can work together to improve
the experience of students. In the past weeks I’ve been appointed to the Amicus Review Panel. This is
another experience that’s teaching me how students use and interact with the school. Through this panel
I am gaining insight in to the way that the school and specifically the LSS can better serve students. For
all of these reasons I believe I am a strong candidate for President and think I would serve the student
body well.
LSS Vice-President Internal
Michael Williams
[email protected]
Hey everyone! I’m running for Vice-President Internal of the LSS and want to encourage you to vote
for me. Hailing from Vancouver, I received my BComm from Carleton University in 2011 and
somehow managed to get accepted into UVic Law in 2012. For the past year-and-a-half I’ve had an
absolute blast here at UVic. The relationships I've built will last a lifetime and the memories I've made
will keep me wanting to go back for years to come. A large part of my student experience can be
attributed to the LSS and the vision that the student government has had for our community. Working
with various clubs and societies, the LSS has facilitated many fun and constructive events that have
brought the students together and created the close-knit and supportive community that is unique to
UVic Law.
I am running for VP Internal because I would like to continue to improve this aspect of our experience.
I believe that my outgoing personality and social connections to many students make me apt or, dare I
say, perfect for this position. My running mate Micah Goldberg and I are passionate about improving
UVic experience for everyone. As a team, we encourage you to vote for our community by voting for
us. Please read our full platform at
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Micah-Mikey-for-LSS/605921219477903.
LSS Vice-President External
Jeremy Sapers
[email protected]
Dear Classmates:
UVic Law has brought us all together, but, notwithstanding our small community, academic demands
mean some of us have shared little more than microwave space in the lounge. I hope this introduction
allows you to learn little about me, my motivations for running in this election and what makes me
qualified to represent you on the LSS as Vice President – External.
I have lived and worked in four Canadian provinces and travelled along every kilometer of the Trans
Canada– from Victoria, to St. John’s. I was born in Edmonton and, at 16 moved with my family to
Ottawa. After high school, I completed my criminology degree at Carleton University (Go Ravens!).
Following graduation, I moved to Gatineau and continued employment with the Correctional Service of
Canada. Two years later, I was westward bound, heading to Victoria to begin law school.
While working for the Correctional Service of Canada, I was selected to the Young Professionals
Network and held the position of treasurer of the Social Committee. In these positions I represented
individual and group interests on matters involving budgeting, fundraising, event planning and
workplace accommodation.
I am a strong advocate of community involvement. In Ottawa, I served as a member of the Canadian
Center for International Justice, contributing to community outreach and programming. I also
completed work with the Catholic Immigration Center, assisting newcomers to Canada network in their
local communities.
I am currently completing my Pro Bono placement with the Vancouver Island Human Rights Coalition,
where my work has supported funding grant applications. I play on the Law Lords intramural soccer
team, participated in the Slaughter Cup and am a member of the Sport and Entertainment Law Club.
Recently, I contributed to consultations for redrafting the LSS constitution and by-laws.
I appreciate the diversity of our university and I value the opportunity to participate in collaborative
leadership. The range of opinions and perspectives found within the Fraser Building represent one of
our school’s greatest assets. When there are challenges, constructive dialogue, focused on positive
solutions, is important to ensure outcomes truly reflect broad student interests. I believe effective
representation promotes discussion, engagement and community within, and outside of, our law school.
Representing our student body on the LSS as Vice President – External will be a rewarding opportunity
to engage meaningful issues and advance my commitment to the UVic law and greater Victoria
community.
Yours truly,
Jeremy Sapers
Braden Greaves
[email protected]
My name is Braden Greaves. I am running for the LSS executive position of Vice-President External,
or Vice –President Communications pending the results of the referendum.
I am originally from Cochrane, AB, but have had the privilege of living in Ontario, New Brunswick,
Québec, and British Columbia over the last ten years. I graduated with a BA in Political Science from
the Royal Military College of Canada. I was a member of the Canadian Armed Forces and continue to
serve part-time as a reserve officer at one of the units here in Victoria. As a member of the Forces, I
have attended training in the United States and Germany, and I was deployed to Afghanistan. All of
these experiences have given me unique perspectives on a variety of issues and have had a significant
impact on how I value and apply leadership and teamwork skills.
Before moving to Victoria to start law school, I volunteered with Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s
Shelter and was a voting member on the Remembrance Day Committee and the Emergency
Preparedness Committee for the City of New Westminster. The reasons I was selected to sit on the city
councils was to provide expert advice from a military perspective and to represent the unit I was
employed with. Working with politicians and members of the community on these committees while
representing the interests of my unit was a very enlightening experience in that it underlined the
importance of maintaining the values and needs of the organization I represented while trying to
achieve a common goal with other organizations.
In 2012 I married my wife, Sonja, and together we have a very handsome, if poorly behaved, four year
old dog named Copper. When I have time to dedicate to things other than law school I can usually be
found reading. My interest in literature is primarily fiction from the Romantic to Edwardian time
periods; however, I am always interested in receiving new recommendations and discussing almost any
kind of literature. I also spend much of my time with Sonja and Copper. We often walk our dog up
Mount Doug or Mount Finlayson, or along Dallas Road.
Nathan Van Kampen
[email protected]
Hey everyone, in case we haven’t met my name is Nathan Van Kampen and I am running for the
position of Vice President External (which will be VP Communications if the referendum passes). I’m
currently in my second year here at UVic and have had the pleasure of serving as the Sports
Representative on the LSS this past year.
For those who don’t know me, I grew up on a ranch outside of Kamloops, BC and lived in Kamloops
my whole life until moving to the island for law school. Although I left the cows, tractors and milk
trucks behind to pursue a white-collar career in the legal profession, I’m still a little bit of a country boy
at heart. So if you need someone to help you defend Taylor Swift’s honour or to get a group together to
hit up Country Night, just come and find me. I’m a big sports fan, watching all levels of basketball,
soccer, hockey and football and I spend a good chunk of my free time playing on quite a few of the
intramural teams we have at school.
I was motivated to run for this position in large part due to my positive experience on the LSS this past
year. As the sports rep, I had the opportunity to interact with students from throughout the faculty and
was able to tailor my actions in response to student requests and help resolve issues as they arose
during the year. On top of that, I particularly enjoyed being able to participate in LSS weekly meetings
(where executive members able to contribute beyond what may be designated by their positions) and to
contribute as part of the LSS Constitutional Reform Working Group.
The position of VP External is a key leadership role in our community here at Fraser High. As a
representative of the Society I would take this role seriously and believe I would be a responsible and
effective VP. Thank you for taking the time to read this and considering me for this position.
Sincerely,
Nathan Van Kampen.
LSS Social Coordinator
Sandy Town
[email protected]
Hey Everyone! Just in case you don’t know me, I’m Sandy Town and running as one half of an
energetic, fun-loving, social co-ordinating team. Rachyl Myara and I would love to represent you on
the LSS to make sure that there are just as many fun, hilarious, inclusive events next year, as there have
been in the past. We’ve both got experience planning social events and want to use those skills to make
sure you have a fabulous year in 2014-2015.
Rachyl Myara
[email protected]
My name is Rachyl and I’m originally from Vancouver. I did my undergraduate degree at UBC. I spent
a year on the Arts Undergraduate Society while I was there so I have experience coordinating faculty
events.
I’ve had an incredible experience this year with all of you guys and I want to keep the good times going
for all of us and for the incoming IL’s! I am hard working and I want to channel my energy into making
sure every one gets some free food and some fun in the up coming year.
- Rachyl Myara
LSS Health & Wellness Representative
Dora Tsao
[email protected]
Hi I’m Dora. I hope to be your Health and Wellness Representative for next year.
I am very seriously passionate about healthy living and mental wellness. As the LawAbility
Representative this past year, I had the rewarding opportunity of providing assistance to students and
working with faculty on issues involving accessibility in the school. Next year, I hope to extend the
wonderful events put on during the health and wellness weeks to year-long initiatives and supports.
These will likely involve lots of fresh air, hugs, and snacks.
Let’s work together and make it a fun, inclusive, and healthy year for everyone!
LSS Sports Representative
Danielle Marshall
[email protected]
Hey guys, I’m Dani Marshall, and I’m running for sports rep with Taylor Paulson. I genuinely believe
intramural sports offer a lot to law students – as a way to get involved, to meet people from other years,
and to build lasting connections while getting out of the library. I’ve played on a number of intramural
teams this year, and I would love to be involved in the process of organizing the program and
sport-related events next year. I have played a long list of organized sports, including varsity volleyball
for the past four years at Western, downhill skiing, as well as a lot of coaching. However, you can also
find me doing pretty much any type of outdoor activity, from hiking to biking and kayaking. YAY
SPORTZ.
LSS Third Year Representatives
Sarah Ahsan
[email protected]
Hi There,
As one of your Third Year Reps, I want to make your final year of law school a memorable and
rewarding one. I am always ready to help others and will do my level best to successfully advocate on
your behalf and provide meaningful solutions to your problems. Over the years, I have grown to really
appreciate the importance of having mentors and peers who you can reach out to in good and bad
times. I want to be that person for all of you. So whether you are concerned about articling, course
selection, or the selection of food in our café (cough), I am ready to hear you out. My engagement
within the law school and personal attributes make me a good candidate for Third Year Rep. I was a
member of the winning UVic Wilson Moot team, volunteered for a local soup kitchen through Pro
Bono Students Canada, participated in the First Year Negotiation Challenge, and volunteered for the
Legal Information Clinic. I am a meticulous researcher and while I never thought this trait would make
it onto an LSS pitch; I anticipate it will be perhaps one of my most important skills as I help you
navigate through any problems. If I could use one word to sum up my vision as Third Year Rep, it
would be “resourceful”. I want to be a valuable resource for you on anything that may emerge in third
year. If you have any questions then feel free to email me at [email protected] or send me a Facebook
message. I hope you vote for me and it will be my pleasure to serve as your Third Year Rep.
With gratitude,
Sarah Ahsan
Rupinder Brar
[email protected]
Rupi was born and raised in Surrey, B.C. She obtained a degree in Criminology from Simon Fraser
University in 2011. She enjoys traveling, spending time with her friends, dancing, and well honestly
anything but studying!
If you ever want to chat you can usually find her in her library "cube" or on the dance floor. But
proceed with caution, she has a tendency to talk too much!
- Rupinder Brar, 2L
LSS Second Year Representative, Articling
Sam Chapman
[email protected]
Hi, my name is Sam Chapman and I am running for the Second Year Representative, Articling position.
I am a first year law student and I attended a number of the firm networking events this year. My
interest in the position stems from these experiences. As the Second Year Representative, Articling I
hope to be a resource to students considering the OCI process, help law students become acquainted
with firms and provide insight on how to properly interact with firms, and be an overall asset to
students with employment-related questions. In addition, I hope to consult with the Careers Office to
explore new law student employment opportunities within departments of the University of Victoria.
Thanks for your time.
LSS Co-op Representative (Fall)
Kristina McKinnon
[email protected]
Prior to coming to UVic Law I received my Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from UVic. If given the
chance to be a Co-op Representative next year, I would like spend some time spreading information to
the incoming 1L class about the unique opportunities that are facilitated by being a Co-op student. I
would also love the chance to keep in touch with students away on work terms, both to help in any way
that I could, but also to find out about all the interesting things they are doing! This year I was
co-secretary for the Indigenous Law Club and was also on the Organizing Committee for the
Community Conference, which took place on Friday, March 7th. I feel that these positions have given
me significant relevant experience both in balancing a number of commitments and in effectively
keeping in touch with other students.
Faculty Financial Aid Committee
Rosie Jacobs
[email protected]
My name is Rosie Jacobs, I am a second-year law student from the suburbs of Vancouver, B.C.
Finances can be a huge source of stress and anxiety for many students in the Faculty of Law.
Particularly because many students have already accumulated large amount of debts to finance their
undergraduate degree or to support their families, many students are already stretched financially thin
when they arrive to law school. The UVic Faculty of Law has thus far been a leader in keeping tuition
costs low and providing many scholarship and bursary programs. I would like to see our Faculty to
continue to lead the way in Canada to keeping law school affordable by starting explore other means to
help students who require financial assistance, such as offering perhaps alternative tuition payment
programs or creating an internal grant fund.
Faculty Admissions Committee
Kristen Withers
[email protected]
Hello UVic! I am currently a second year student in the JD program and am seeking your votes for two
positions on Faculty Council Standing Committees: one with the Admissions Committee, and a split
position with Rebecca Gill on the Equity and Diversity Committee. Last year I had the benefit of being
the first year representative on Faculty Council, and this gave me the opportunity to see what a
significant impact these committees have on the environment here in the law school. I also worked
directly with the Equity and Diversity Committee as a research assistant on the Multi-Faith Calendar
Project. If you select me for one or both of these positions, I hope to work towards building a safe,
respectful, and inclusive environment at this school. Thank you!
Stephen Whibbs
[email protected]
Sitting on the admissions committee would mean a great deal to me and I would welcome the privilege
to serve Uvic. As someone who was admitted in a non-regular category to Uvic, I feel that I have a
unique perspective on qualities that are traditionally overlooked in academia. I have been an active
volunteer since coming to Uvic (and before) and have worked with public interest organizations like
Pro Bono Students Canada and Uvic's Legal Information Clinic. I have also participated in functions
by the Canadian Hemopilia Society and the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Thank you for your
consideration and I look forward to serving on the admissions committee.
Darlene Crimeni
[email protected]
Hello everyone!
I am very passionate about being on the admissions committee because I am very proud of UVic law’s
admission criteria. I have been an active member of the UVic law community and do not feel that GPA
and LSAT marks are always indicative of whether a person would be a good candidate for law school.
All of us have overcome obstacles to get here, and I understand the importance of looking beyond
previous academic achievement. We are not just looking for Dean’s Scholars, but are looking for
people who will improve the law school and legal community. It is often argued that with a more
holistic approach to admissions the Discretionary Category and the Indigenous Category are no longer
needed, but I do not agree. These categories are crucial to ensuring appropriate weight is given to
special circumstances. If elected I will try and ensure these categories stay.
I am very grateful to have been granted admission into UVic law. I remember crying in happiness on
the day I was accepted. We are all here because someone read our application and believed in us. I just
want to pay it forward and ensure we have a wonderful grad class of 2018.
Thank you.
Faculty Equity and Diversity Committee
Kristen Withers
[email protected]
Hello UVic! I am currently a second year student in the JD program and am seeking your votes for two
positions on Faculty Council Standing Committees: one with the Admissions Committee, and a split
position with Rebecca Gill on the Equity and Diversity Committee. Last year I had the benefit of being
the first year representative on Faculty Council, and this gave me the opportunity to see what a
significant impact these committees have on the environment here in the law school. I also worked
directly with the Equity and Diversity Committee as a research assistant on the Multi-Faith Calendar
Project. If you select me for one or both of these positions, I hope to work towards building a safe,
respectful, and inclusive environment at this school. Thank you!
Faculty Council Exchange Term Committee
Ivelina Ivanova
[email protected]
Hi, I'm Ivelina! I am a lover of foreign languages, learning about new cultures and customs &
travelling abroad! I would love to take part in the process of giving our program's interested students
the opportunity to go on an international or domestic exchange! It's an absolute wonder experiencing
life's social and academic aspects in a new region, country or continent!
Faculty Advisory Committee (Faculty Appointments)
Lina Truong
[email protected]
Hi everyone! My name’s Lina Truong and I’m currently finishing my first year here at UVic Law. I
came out here to UVic to escape the (relatively) harsh Calgary winters and to live in a place where
pants and real shoes aren’t required for most of the year. For this election, I’m running for the Faculty
Advisory Committee position for faculty appointments. I know many (at least exactly half) of us 1Ls
were very passionate about this matter and I want to take part in making sure our voices are heard. I
hope all our future professors are as awesome as the ones we have now!
Best,
Lina
Faculty Curriculum Committee
Darian Khan
[email protected]
Hi, I’m Darian. You might remember me from my involvement with such clubs and activities as the
LIC, the 1L Negotiation Challenge, the Amicus Program and Boire dire. I am basically a 3L student
who hopes to make the academic experience of law students at UVic as enjoyable and rewarding as
possible. That’s why I’m running for the curriculum committee. I have relevant experience in student
government from my days at the U of A, and I would look forward to representing students’ concerns
and advocating for important and timely changes. I will be elaborating on my platform of revising
course credit values, assuring quality of instruction in practitioner-taught courses, and improving
course offerings this Thursday.