Foreword of UBC Special Issue

In 1997, the first graduate law student conference ever to be held at the University of British Columbia (UBC), and perhaps in all of Canada, was convened at its Green College. It was primarily organized by the present author (now a professor at the Osgoode Hall Law School) and Jaye Ellis (currently a professor of law at McGill University. Jaye and I also had the dedicated help and support of a number of other graduate law students. Critically, both of us profited immensely from the robust support, extraordinary commitment and expert guidance of Professor W. Wesley Pue, who at the time held the Nemetz Chair in Legal History and also served as the Director of Graduate Legal Studies at UBC. Professor Pue’s highly imaginative mind, his highly developed communication skills, his wise advice, and his steadfastness were extremely helpful as my collaborator and I plotted, planned and executed on what began its eventful life in a conversation between Jaye and I while we sat in the then graduate law student’s lounge at UBC. Ever the committed mentor, Professor Pue enthusiastically threw the full and considerable weight of the graduate law program behind us – two young graduate students who were still green in the business of conference organizing. Since there was at the time no Canadian precedent for what we planned to do, no model to follow, and no manual to read out of, Professor Pue’s expertise, experience and sage advice was a critical factor in shaping the success that the event eventually was. The financial generosity shown to this first conference by the Pue-led graduate program was extremely helpful as well. It is, thus, safe to say that we could not have done it without his support. Professor Karin Mickelson, who was a key member of my doctoral supervision committee, was also a committed and able adviser, and an invaluable source of support