From Vancouver Island to the Maritimes to Washington DC, alumni of Selkirk College’s Law & Justice Studies Program are using their two-year diploma as a pathway to launch careers and academic ambitions across the continent.
Delivered within the college’s School of University Arts & Sciences on the Castlegar Campus, the program provides learners with the foundation to explore a wide variety of career and academic pathways in the legal field, from law enforcement and corrections to paralegal work and advocacy. Students develop practical skills and real-world experience through exposure to a broad range of industry guest speakers and varied coursework.
“Most people are not aware of the vast scope of local opportunities within the legal industry,” says Jamie Bliss, program coordinator and instructor. “While some graduates choose to pursue advanced education toward becoming lawyers, others discover fulfilling roles in areas such as law enforcement, policy and advocacy that are available to them upon graduation from Selkirk College. The program ensures they’re ready to succeed in whatever path they choose.”
Students credit the program’s small class sizes, personalized instruction and opportunities to engage directly with legal professionals for helping them achieve their goals.
“The skills I developed in legal research, critical thinking and navigating legal documents are ones I use every day,” says Chris Pedersen, a graduate who currently serves as a police officer in Calgary. “The program’s practical focus developed my confidence in applying these skills to real-world policing challenges.”
Abby Comeau left her home in Salmo to study at Selkirk College, finish a BA in political science and undertake a paralegal diploma. With positions in Kelowna and Vancouver, she has spent time assisting self-represented litigants in navigating the legal system.
“The guest speakers and class content helped deepen my limited understanding of the legal field, putting me on a path outside of what I had originally pictured for myself,” says Comeau.
Wide Variety of Outcomes for Alumni
The program also emphasizes the importance of Indigenous perspectives, inspiring students to address systemic challenges and barriers in rural and Indigenous communities. Catriona Tweed, a Métis woman from Castlegar, is currently completing her political science degree at UBC Okanagan and volunteering as a researcher for urban Indigenous youth wellness programs.
“I hope to advocate for justice and the preservation of Indigenous rights, culture and traditions to be able to contribute to meaningful change and reconciliation,” says Tweed, who is focused on entering law school.
Kianna Richardson, a Haida woman who attended the program from Trail, hopes to attend the University of Victoria’s Indigenous Law Program. She credits Selkirk College with crystallizing her academic pathway.
“Growing up as an Indigenous person, I learned how colonial systems have deeply harmed my people,” she says. “The program gave me the foundation to pursue a career in Indigenous law, where I can advocate for justice and contribute to meaningful reconciliation. Selkirk College helped me see that rural law plays a critical role in reducing barriers to justice.”
Samson Boyer left a small rural community in the East Kootenay to attend Selkirk College. After finishing a political science degree at the University of Prince Edward Island, Boyer obtained work in Washington DC with an environmental consulting firm.
“My work focuses on reducing consumer’s energy usage and transitioning them away from fossil fuels,” he says. “While it is a few steps removed from the law briefings and research papers that I worked on at Selkirk College, my role does involve analyzing and implementing state and federal energy policy and regulations, for which I'm happy to say that I am drawing on skills I gained in the program.”
Prior to moving to Nelson in 2003, Bliss served a judicial clerkship at the British Columbia Court of Appeal. He practiced law in both Vancouver and London, England. The program’s primary instructor is not surprised by the diversity of the career and academic pathways graduates undertake.
“There really isn’t another program like this anywhere in Canada,” says Bliss. “Most post-secondary legal education steers students toward a specific credential, whereas Selkirk College exposes them to the whole gamut of possible pathways and readies them for whatever pathway they choose.”
Selkirk College is currently accepting applicants for the two-year Law & Justice Studies Program for Fall 2025.
Learn more about the Law & Justice Studies Program.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.