Alumnus Peter Allard has donated $11.86 million to the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law.
The donation will be used to complete the new law school building, establish a prize for international integrity, and create an online historical archive.
It’s the single largest donation to UBC’s law faculty and one of the biggest donations ever given to a Canadian law school.
“Ever since my days at UBC, I have possessed a strong belief in the enduring and transformative power of a legal education, and I believe this profession provides for the long-term greater good of society,” said Allard Thursday.
Allard obtained his BA in history in 1968 and LLB in 1971. He founded his own law firm Allard & Co. and now runs investment firm Peterco Holdings Ltd. In 1993, he established the Highbury Foundation, which has lent support to medical communities in B.C. and Alberta. The foundation has also made donations to post-secondary institutions in Western Canada.
In honour of Allard’s donation, UBC will name its new law building Allard Hall. The total cost of the building will be $56 million with approximately $10 million coming from Allard, $25 million from private fundraising, and $21 million from the university.
A portion of Allard’s donation will also go towards setting up the annual Allard Prize for International Integrity, which will recognize those who fight for freedom, human rights, and against corruption.
“In looking back over my many years in law, there is no more important class in my mind than the first-year course in ethics,” said Allard. “Honesty, integrity, and the unofficial ‘smell test’ are the hallmarks of the rule of law, and with the rule of law comes justice.”
With Allard’s donation, UBC will also create an online archive of the faculty’s history.
