Scholarship for Graduate Legal Studies

The $20,000 Law Society Scholarship encourages and financially assists a law graduate to complete a full-time program of graduate legal studies that will benefit the student, the province and the legal profession in BC.

Graduating law students and law graduates of the University of British Columbia, University of Victoria or Thompson Rivers University are eligible to apply for the scholarship, as are other law school graduates who can show a real or substantial connection to BC. Applicants must demonstrate outstanding academic and other qualifications.

Selection criteria

The Benchers award the Law Society Scholarship, on recommendation of the Credentials Committee based on the following criteria:

academic standing;
positive social contributions, such as volunteer work;
intention to practise in British Columbia after completing graduate studies;
financial need; and
proposed graduate work in terms of its importance or significance.

How to apply

An eligible applicant may apply by submitting:

a letter of application setting out the details of your academic career to date and proposed plans for graduate study;
official transcripts of academic institutions attended; and
three letters of recommendation: one letter from the Dean of the law school from which the applicant graduated or is about to graduate and two letters from professors of that law school.

The application letter (including the applicant's email address and phone number) and accompanying materials should be mailed to:

Lesley Small
Senior Director, Credentials, Professional Development & Practice Support
Law Society of British Columbia
800 – 845 Cambie Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 4Z9

Terms

The scholarship may not be offered in a given year and will be awarded only if there is a highly qualified applicant.
The scholarship must be used in the year it is awarded. A recipient may accept other scholarships and awards up to an amount not exceeding the tuition of the graduate program in which he or she enrols, or such other amount as the Credentials Committee may determine.
A student who is awarded the scholarship must report on his or her use of the scholarship and provide a copy of the relevant work.

What is the deadline for submission?

All documents must be submitted to the Law Society no later than April 30 of any given year.

For more information, contact the Senior Director, Credentials, Professional Development & Practice Support.

2026 recipients

Chidimma Ike and Astitwa Thapa

Chidimma Ike (she/her) is a PhD candidate in Law at the University of Victoria. She was called to the Nigerian Bar and has over a decade of legal practice experience in Nigeria.

She has teaching experience at the Faculty of Law, Nnamdi Azikiwe University. At the University of Victoria, she has contributed to teaching and research as a Graduate Teaching Fellow, and Research Assistant, and has served in graduate student representative roles at both the Faculty of Law and university levels.

Chidimma recently received her Certificate of Qualification from the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada and is working toward admission to the British Columbia Bar. She hopes to build her legal career in the province and contribute to a more equitable and accessible justice system.

Astitwa Thapa (he/him) is a graduate of the University of British Columbia’s Peter A. Allard School of Law and is currently employed as Crown Counsel with the British Columbia Prosecution Service. Prior to pursuing law, he earned a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) from the University of Manitoba and worked with leading environmental non-governmental organizations, where he spearheaded several environmental sustainability initiatives.

Astitwa’s interest in law, particularly public safety and human rights, was shaped by witnessing political instability and injustice during the Nepalese Civil War. During law school, he focused on criminal law and human rights and volunteered with the Law Students’ Legal Advice Program, Prison Legal Services, and SWAN, supporting vulnerable and marginalized communities.

Since joining the British Columbia Prosecution Service, Astitwa has been involved in a range of professional and community initiatives. He serves as Coordinator of the First Generation Immigrant Hub and has volunteered with the Lawyer’s Assistance Program. He is also a member of the Hate Crimes Counsel and Animal Cruelty and Environmental Resource Counsel groups and has organized social and community events within the Prince George Crown Counsel Office.

Astitwa has been accepted to pursue graduate legal studies at both Harvard University and the University of Oxford. His graduate studies will focus on the intersection of criminal law and human rights, with a particular interest in the overincarceration of Indigenous peoples in Canadian prisons.

Following his graduate studies, Astitwa intends to return to British Columbia to continue his work with the British Columbia Prosecution Service. He hopes to contribute to systemic change through teaching other prosecutors and participating in law reform initiatives.