Celebrating the University of Victoria Faculty of Law Graduating Class
It was such an honour to serve as the Alumni Representative and have the opportunity to congratulate this year’s graduates of the University of Victoria Faculty of Law as they celebrated an incredible milestone and prepared to begin the next chapter of their lives and legal careers.
Graduating from law school is a tremendous accomplishment. It represents years of hard work, long hours, challenging exams, meaningful friendships, and, hopefully, some fun along the way. The Class of 2026 has so much to celebrate!🎉⚖️
Twenty Years Since My Own UVic Law Graduation
This year’s graduation was particularly meaningful for me because it has been 20 years since I graduated from UVic Law.
Twenty years ago, I was sitting where these graduates are today—finishing law school and having absolutely no idea where my legal career would take me.
And what an adventure it has been!
My career has taken me from working on major family law reform in British Columbia, to building my own legal practice, practising fertility and family law, working across British Columbia and Canada’s North, and creating a practice that allows me to work remotely and take my legal career on the road.
Very little of my career has followed a straight or predictable path—and I am grateful for that.
There Is No Single Path to a Successful Legal Career
One of the most exciting things about a career in law is that there is no single path and no single definition of success.
A law degree can take you into private practice, government, the judiciary, public interest work, academia, business, policy, mediation, law reform, or somewhere entirely unexpected.
My message to the UVic Law Class of 2026 is to stay curious, take some chances, follow the opportunities that excite you, and find your own way to use your legal skills to make a difference.
Some of the opportunities ahead of you may be part of the plan you have carefully created. Others may surprise you completely.
One of the most exciting things about a career in law is that there is no single path and no single definition of success.
A law degree can take you into private practice, government, the judiciary, public interest work, academia, business, policy, mediation, law reform, or somewhere entirely unexpected.
My message to the UVic Law Class of 2026 is to stay curious, take some chances, follow the opportunities that excite you, and find your own way to use your legal skills to make a difference.
Some of the opportunities ahead of you may be part of the plan you have carefully created. Others may surprise you completely.
Welcome to the UVic Law Alumni Community
A huge congratulations to the University of Victoria Faculty of Law Class of 2026! 🎉⚖️
I hope every graduate takes some time to celebrate everything they have accomplished, the friendships and connections they have made, and all of the work that brought them to this moment.
It was a privilege to welcome you to the UVic Law alumni community.
I can’t wait to see where you go from here!
Learn more about the University of Victoria Faculty of Law:
UVic Faculty of Law
Connect with the UVic alumni community:
UVic Alumni
Learn more about my legal practice:
Michelle Kinney Law
