The BC Law 1L Survival Kit Tradition continued this school year, and based on turnout and student gratitude, there are no signs of it slowing down anytime soon. The annual event was started over 30 years ago by BC Law Professor Ingrid Hillinger, who wanted a tangible way of supporting new students preparing for their first law school exams. What started off as simple—homemade cookies and treats in brown paper bags—has ramped up to custom tote bags filled with swag and goodies from 50 different law firms.
One of the favorite items this year was a miniature squeezy football.
A group of 2Ls and 3Ls who work on BC Law’s Uniform Commercial Code Reporter-Digest have labored since August to solicit and gather donations for their younger counterparts. Their motivation is in some ways sentimental; they remember getting survival kits when they were 1Ls.
Even long-time alumni are touched by the tradition. One of this year’s organizers, Freeman Whitaker, said that when he was soliciting donations from law firms many partners fondly remembered packing bags for their own younger schoolmates.
On campus, thank you’s were plentiful as scores of grateful 1Ls swung the heavy bags over their shoulders and headed toward the upcoming weeks of their first law exams.
Photography by Vicki Sanders
