Supporting Indigenous Legal Education at UBC

Indigenous Legal Studies at the Peter A. Allard School of Law was created in 1975 to assist Indigenous law students as they make their way through law school at UBC. ILS offers numerous courses and experiential learning opportunities that help students learn about Aboriginal and Indigenous law while developing an Indigenous perspective. Students can earn a specialization in Indigenous Legal Studies by completing 14 credits in Indigenous law-related classes.

In addition to classroom learning, Indigenous Legal Studies offers and facilitates numerous learning opportunities and resources for Indigenous law students:

• The Kawaskimhon Moot is offered to second- and third-year students to help build negotiation, public speaking and research skills. Students work collaboratively to negotiate a mock agreement between Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups, using an Indigenous lens.
• The WSÁNEĆ Law Field Course is a semester-long intensive created and taught by Assistant Professor Robert Clifford. The field course gives students an opportunity to learn, practice and engage with Indigenous legal traditions while living and participating in the WSÁNEĆ community on Southern Vancouver Island.
• Located in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side, the Indigenous Community Legal Clinic offers free legal services to low-income Indigenous clients on a wide variety of legal issues and provides students with the opportunity to gain practical hands-on legal experience managing client files and making court appearances. Students are supervised by practicing lawyers and complete an academic course along with their clinical experience.
• Students have the opportunity to participate in weekly academic and leadership sessions aimed at helping them navigate the challenges of law school. These students fine-tune their abilities to write exams and papers and take part in leadership sessions focused on cultural and skills-based learning. Additionally, the certificate program provides a space for students to meet and interact with other Indigenous students in their cohort, which helps build fundamental relationships that can last a lifetime.

Who Am I?

My name is Russell Nesbitt. I am Métis on my mother’s side and of mixed European ancestry on my father’s side. My Métis family connections are from the Red River Valley under the family name Isbister.

I grew up just outside of Calgary, Alberta, on Treaty 7 territory. I moved to Vancouver where I completed my undergrad at the University of British Columbia, majoring in psychology with a minor in First Nations and Indigenous Studies. I completed my Juris Doctor in 2022 at the Peter A. Allard School of Law.

As of January 6, 2025, I have been honoured to come back to UBC as the Associate Director of Indigenous Legal Studies. As a recent grad from UBC, I understand the stresses of being an Indigenous student going through law school, and I am looking forward to working with students to help ease the transition into law school. I am an avid advocate for mental health and hope to foster an environment that supports Indigenous students in maintaining their well-being throughout law school. Legal studies and legal work can often lead to anxiety, stress and depression. I aim to help destigmatize conversations around mental health so that all students and lawyers feel empowered to address these concerns in a healthy and safe way.

In my spare time, I enjoy going to the gym, walking along the Vancouver Seawall and exploring the incredible food scene the city has to offer. I’m excited about my future at UBC and look forward to supporting the next generation of Indigenous lawyers.