Borden Ladner Gervais

This donor profile is from the Fall/Winter 2011 issue of Nexus.

BLG wants to be a part of the future of the law school, says partner Victoria Prince, LLB 1984, and it’s about so much more than a new building.  “As a law firm, we want to ensure an ongoing future for an institution such as the U of T law school, so that it continues to have top-notch graduates—and facilities to match for a better learning environment.”

The physical space is an important aspect of law school life, says Prince, given the intense three years required for a JD.

“Speaking as someone who has a sibling who’s an academic, and who seems to live at his university, I have to believe that facilities matter. It’s important that faculty and students are comfortable with their physical learning space. And today, it’s incumbent upon us to ensure these structures are environmentally sensitive, energy efficient and adapted to how people sit and study in today’s world. Even 10 years ago, people spent a lot more time looking at books, rather than conducting electronic research. But nowadays, you really need to have state-of the art technology.”

Prince says alumni at her firm wanted to help the Faculty of Law solidify its position as a leader in legal education and scholarship, as it moves forward in a very competitive and technology-driven environment.

“Our clients are looking for law practitioners to be much more efficient in terms of how we can deliver services to them. It’s critical students are prepared to face this new environment.”