The Dynamism of UNB LawAs I reviewed this holiday edition of Nexus, I was struck by the dynamism and richness of the UNB Law community. In this issue, you’ll read stories about a world-class musician, a professional dancer, a leader of an international charity, a law student and mother of four, and a former Afghan judge.
These multi-dimensional lawyers, law students, and jurists represent the breadth of experiences and perspectives that make UNB Law such a special place to learn and work.
I often say that one of the great privileges of my job is getting to know all of the amazing people who are affiliated with our Faculty. I’m continuously inspired by the dedication of our professors, the accomplishments of our alumni, the enthusiasm of our students, and the professionalism of our staff.
But what strikes me today is the varied backgrounds that all of these people bring to our Faculty.
This is a real strength for an institution dedicated to advancing legal knowledge. In order for the law to be effective it must have legitimacy in the eyes of its subjects. In a pluralistic society like ours, the law’s subjects have myriad histories, beliefs, viewpoints, experiences, talents, interests, and characteristics, all of which shape how they perceive and experience the law.
So, those who are tasked with ensuring the law’s continued legitimacy need an understanding of the richness of its subjects. This is why law schools need to embrace diversity in all its forms.
Although there are legitimate criticisms about diversity in Canadian law schools, it is important to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity that does exist. Doing so reminds us of the value that different perspectives bring to legal education and scholarship, and inspires us to continue to cultivate a learning and working environment that embraces all kinds of people.
This is why I’m particularly proud that Sudaba Yameen joined the Faculty of Law this fall as Visiting Practitioner. UNB Law is just the third law school in Canada to partner with the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) to create opportunities for Afghan women judges to begin their transition to the legal profession in this country.
The fact that we are much smaller than the other two law schools, University of Toronto and UBC, speaks to our interest in seizing opportunities to enrich the learning environment by welcoming people with unique backgrounds and insights.
In the article on Sudaba, she expresses her gratitude to UNB Law for the opportunity to spend the year with us. In turn, I say that we are grateful to her for joining our community and for teaching us how the law works in a very different and complex society like Afghanistan. This is an incredibly valuable perspective on the law that most of us would have never encountered otherwise.
Another aspect of UNB Law’s dynamism is our national reach. We may be few in number and start in a place that’s sometimes overlooked, but we travel far and get noticed wherever we go.
The latest evidence of this is a recent event in Calgary that UNB Law hosted on trends in the Canadian energy sector. It attracted nearly a hundred alumni and business leaders, including a former American Ambassador to Canada, and featured an engaging and insightful fireside chat with Frank McKenna (LLB’74) and Kerry O’Reilly Wilks (LLB’01).
At the end of the event, Mr. McKenna joked that it was a little “cheeky” for two people from Atlantic Canada to opine on energy policy in the West. While this move would no doubt have been presumptuous for most people, Kerry and Frank are simply in a different league.
They can overcome regional and political barriers like very few others, and focus our attention on solving the most daunting of problems, like reconciling our expanding demand for energy with the imperative of reducing carbon emissions. This was UNB Law at its finest: unassuming, but totally effective.
The dynamism that I’ve been talking about and that you’ve been seeing from UNB Law in recent years isn’t slowing down. On the research front, thanks to the appointment of several new professors, UNB Law is developing a cluster in public international law that’s getting national attention.
As you’ll read, professors Bruno Gélinas-Faucher, Anne Warner La Forest, K.C., David Matyas, and Maria Panezi are working together to uncover Atlantic Canada’s important contributions to the rules that maintain global peace and stability. Given the turmoil in the world right now, their work is both highly relevant for humanity and strategically important for UNB Law as we seek to raise our profile.
On May 9, 2025, in Fredericton, we will have an opportunity to celebrate UNB Law’s richness and dynamism together. That’s when we’ll be hosting the launch of the Where Leaders Are Made Campaign and a Gala Dinner. Mark your calendars because this will be a once-in-a-generation event for the UNB Law community to come together, reflect on the values that define us, and join the movement that’s taking UNB Law to new heights.
During this holiday season, I’m incredibly grateful for the growth and opportunity that my association with UNB Law continues to give me. Every day I get to meet and learn about members of our community who took unique paths to join us and who are making us proud in distinctive ways.
If you have some time over the holidays and feel like making my day, please share your UNB Law story with me (michael.marin@unb.ca). I look forward to hearing from you and wish you a happy and prosperous new year.
Please email your comments, story ideas, and alumni updates to nexus@unb.ca.
Editor & Creative Director: Ed Bowes
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue.
