Law Co-op Office – Student of the Year

This is a guest blog post submitted by Law Co-Op Coordinator Francine Proctor. Thanks for your contribution, Francine!

As we approach the end of the year, the Law Co-op Office extends a huge thanks to the many students and legal employers who have worked with us this year to ensure that many meaningful work terms took place. 

Salena Thomas was selected as the law student of the year for the work term they completed with the BC Provincial Court, Office of the Chief Judge.  Salena is a student joint degree in Canadian Common Law (JD) and Indigenous Legal Orders (JID). 

A few highlights about Salena’s term:

• Salena completed a wide variety of legal research projects that were much more complex than what Salena would have experienced during law school, often with no clear answers.  Salena rose to the challenge, interpreting statues and case law, applying them to unique circumstances.  An example is the research Salena completed about First Nations ability to pursue private prosecutions to enforce their own laws or by-laws in the Provincial Court.  Salena appreciated that this project deepened her understanding of how Indigenous legal orders interact within the common law legal framework in Canada.  
• Salena completed a large assignment where she consolidated and updated internal policies governing media and public access to court recordings and proceedings.  The outcome was a draft consolidated access policy that Salena presented to the Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of BC.

• Salena prepared an updated memo on the service requirements for judicial review applications under the Judicial Review Procedure Act.  This memo was circulated internally and has informed discussions on how the Court handles service issues.

• Salena attended the Provincial Court Spring Judge’s Conference where she seamlessly integrated herself with the legal team and made valuable contributions.

• Salena attended First Nations Court twice in Duncan to observe and met with the judges in chambers afterwards to discuss the matters.  Her supervisor noted that “Salena’s interest and respect for Indigenous culture was clear during her time with us.”  Salena appreciated the experience because it strengthened her ability to navigate diverse legal systems.