UBC Law Women’s Suit Drive – Thank You

In mid-February I helped to organize a suit drive at Allard Law to support female law students. The event was a massive success.

Thanks to donations from numerous members of the bar, members of the public, and people as far away as Brandon, Manitoba, we were able to provide suits to dozens of female law students to try to offset the costs of entering the profession. We also received numerous cash donations, which I matched with a personal donation to give away $800 in gift cards to help purchase suits and work clothing.

In addition to donations of suits, we also received donations of pantyhose (which I had to explain to men is often a single-use item with a high cost…), blouses, dress pants and dress skirts, shoes, and business casual separates. We received donations in all shapes and sizes to accommodate as many women as possible, as well as donations suitable for gender-fluid and non-conforming individuals. The kindness of everyone who contributed was overwhelming and I was blown away by the generosity of strangers.

I just wanted to write this quick note to thank everyone who participated by donating time, money, or items to the students. I also want to thank Lee Schmidt, the UBC Centre for Feminist Legal Studies, and the UBC Indigenous Legal Studies program who took care of all the organization on-campus, including the women who provided cookies, valentines, a safe space for women to try on suits, and support during the event.

Lastly, thank you to the various media organizations who covered the suit drive, including CityNews, News 1130, the Ubyssey, and dozens of reporters who tweeted out the story from their personal accounts. You all helped to raise awareness and make this event as successful as it is.

I hope to continue to support students in this way in the future, and plan to bring the event to other law schools in British Columbia as well. Our office is now accepting donations of suits or cash donations throughout the year to make this happen