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bers had already studied. Feedback has also come from local lawyers, even
if they graduated well before TRU’s law school was established; they call her
to provide their input and views.
Daleen notes there are universal themes in the practice of law despite
particular differences that may be found, from country to country, in qualifications,
policy and certain substantive concepts. No matter where they
practise, lawyers need to be properly qualified, to be of fit and proper character,
and to represent clients to the best of their ability, helping clients vindicate
their rights and improve their lives. As she saw when interacting over
the years with members of the International Insurance Association, across
the world lawyers also experience common frustrations, including when for
one reason or another even their best work does not lead to a sought-after
result.
This said, mindful of the differences that exist between jurisdictions,
Daleen also particularly appreciated the chance after joining TRU Law to
step in for a colleague (who was on leave) to teach Torts to first-year students.
This was a means not only of continuing her teaching interests, but
also of seeing firsthand both how Canadian students (who, unlike in South
Africa, usually come to law school after one or two prior university degrees)
approach matters, and how legal reasoning and outcomes may diverge
despite shared terminology. As between British Columbia and South Africa,
there are different policy contexts as well as different sources of law—for
example, South Africa’s constitution also applies to private law and can be
invoked by a plaintiff for whom a good solution is not otherwise available.
Daleen hopes to have further opportunities to teach; she loves to work with
students, and she notes that limited chances to do so are one drawback of
serving in an administrative capacity.
Daleen was pleased to join in the effort to update TRU Law’s curriculum
(originally modelled on an earlier version of the University of Calgary’s). A
volunteer task force looked into developments in legal education, what it
can reasonably achieve, potential changes to the first-year curriculum and
potential incorporation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission (“TRC”) into a mandatory second-year course. She notes
that TRU students had already greatly appreciated the learning opportunities
provided to them, including through land-based learning on “TRC
Days”, when they could sit at the feet of elders and get a different perspective
on what law is and should be, but this was a further step. Daleen notes
that it was a great moment when the university senate approved the new
curriculum and it was rolled out to first-year students in September 2021.
More generally, Daleen believes passionately that law schools must take