President's Message

 

As I begin my second year as president, I'm proud to say your association continues developing opportunities to socialize with alumni, students and friends.  The association has also expanded their assistance to current students through bursaries, providing articling students with advice and our members with tools to keep in touch both with each other and their association.  Our website continues to be updated, and the alumni e-newsletter, WP Update, provides monthly updates.

In all active fraternal organizations such as ours, the efforts of the preceding executive members lay the foundation for the subsequent year’s activities and successes.  Many thanks go to our past-president, Dennis Denis, for his vision and energy during his tenure.  He, the executive, and committee chairpersons contributed considerable time and effort to develop our activities and initiatives.

In 2009, the Faculty Of Law welcomed a new Dean of Law, Philip Bryden, who started at the school on July 1.  The Alumni and Friends introduced him to our legal community and hosted a “Meet the Dean” reception in November at the Union Bank Inn.  This event was a wonderful opportunity to meet our Dean and learn more about him.

Our association is one of the most active U of A alumni associations, for which we can thank our dedicated volunteers.  We currently have branches in Calgary, Halifax, Lethbridge, Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Toronto, Ottawa/Montreal, Hong Kong and Sydney, Australia, with contacts in New Zealand, Singapore, China and London, UK.

Your association remains committed to its stated aim “to promote the welfare of the University of Alberta in general and the Faculty of Law in particular, by promoting the Faculty’s relationship with the Alumni & Friends of the Faculty of Law, both present and future, worldwide.”

As part of that mandate, we plan social events such as our annual Spring Reception where alumni and friends can gather outside of their daily professional setting. 

Future website updates and articles in the Without Prejudice magazine will provide current information on activities which you are all welcome to attend.

Thank you all for your continued interest in the association’s affairs and please continue to visit our website at www.law.ualberta.ca/alumni/alumnifriends. 

Kim Graf
Class of 1984
President, Alumni & Friends of the Faculty of Law Association