UBC Reports | Vol.
51 | No. 5 |
May 5, 2005
Law School Equips Community Advocate
By Brenda Austin
What makes Agnes Huang so special, her professors say, is
the energy she has invested in her law studies and those around
her. They agree many extracurricular activities reflect her
spirit, character and dedication, and have enhanced the quality
of life within the Faculty of Law.
Among other activities, Huang initiated a monthly newspaper,
The Legal Eye, organized the annual lecture series of the
Centre for Feminist Legal Studies, and worked as a researcher
on legal projects.
All this reflects a passion for community involvement, which
she says she learned from the example set by her parents.
“I was in my 30s when I came to law school and I was
already a volunteer, an activist and an advocate for various
issues in the larger community,” Huang says.
“Law school did not change my political views, but
it helped me better understand and analyze how laws and judicial
decisions are made. It provided an opportunity to be a more
effective advocate and it totally expanded my knowledge of
where to look for information and how things in law are connected.”
Huang is looking forward to a one-year Federal Court clerkship
in Ottawa and then completion of her articles in Vancouver.
In the long term, she sees herself in private practice focusing
on refugee law and criminal law, although she is also drawn
to constitutional law issues, family law and legal reform.
Some have told her she should be a judge, but she shakes
her head. Her interests will likely keep her on the other
side of the bench -- a passionate advocate for justice.
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