George F. Curtis
Encyclopedia
George Fredrick Curtis was the founding dean
of the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law
.
, England, George F. Curtis, OC, OBC, QC came to Canada
in 1913. He attended Moose Jaw Collegiate and then earned his law degree at the University of Saskatchewan
in 1927, being awarded the Governor-General's Gold Medal on graduation. He then went on to study at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, where he earned his Bachelor in Arts in Jurisprudence
in 1930 and his BCL in 1931, both with first class honours.
Curtis was in private legal practice in Halifax
, Nova Scotia
, and taught at Dalhousie University
until he was appointed the founding Dean of the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law
in 1945. He arrived at a time when there was very little money, no facility to house classes, and no library. Undaunted by these challenges, Curtis took initiative and recruited judges and practitioners as voluntary lecturers, to supplement himself and one other professor. He served in this capacity until 1971. He was later named Dean Emeritus
by the university.
UBC’s Faculty of Law began its first classes in September 1945, operating from old army huts transplanted to UBC at the end of World War II. Founding Dean Curtis fought hard for proper facilities for B.C.’s first law school, and on September 4, 1952, the University officially opened the first purpose-built law school building in Canada. By the 1970s, the Faculty had outgrown its first building and embarked on a major renovation including the addition of a new multi-story concrete structure built in the Brutalist style fashionable at the time. The new Law building re-opened on September 17, 1976 as the “George F. Curtis Building.” Curtis kept an office in the building until 2005, when he died at the age of 99. In August 2011, UBC Law will move into a brand new building on the same site named Allard Hall. A significant space in the building will be named "The George F. Curtis Dean's and Student Government Suite" which will house deans and administrative offices as well as offices and meeting space for the Law Student's Society.
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law
University of British Columbia Faculty of Law
The University of British Columbia Faculty of Law is one of the largest English language legal programs in Canada, with over 600 law students. The school offers a three-year Juris Doctor program and the graduate degrees of Master of Laws , Master of Jurisprudence and doctorate degrees...
.
Early life and career
Born 1906 in StogumberStogumber
Stogumber is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, on the eastern flank of the Brendon Hills. Besides Stogumber village itself, the parish includes the hamlets of Ashbeer, Capton, Escott, Higher Vexford, Kingswood, Lower Vellow, Lower Vexford, Preston, and Vellow.-History:The name comes...
, England, George F. Curtis, OC, OBC, QC came to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1913. He attended Moose Jaw Collegiate and then earned his law degree at the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
in 1927, being awarded the Governor-General's Gold Medal on graduation. He then went on to study at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, where he earned his Bachelor in Arts in Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
in 1930 and his BCL in 1931, both with first class honours.
Curtis was in private legal practice in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, and taught at Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
until he was appointed the founding Dean of the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law
University of British Columbia Faculty of Law
The University of British Columbia Faculty of Law is one of the largest English language legal programs in Canada, with over 600 law students. The school offers a three-year Juris Doctor program and the graduate degrees of Master of Laws , Master of Jurisprudence and doctorate degrees...
in 1945. He arrived at a time when there was very little money, no facility to house classes, and no library. Undaunted by these challenges, Curtis took initiative and recruited judges and practitioners as voluntary lecturers, to supplement himself and one other professor. He served in this capacity until 1971. He was later named Dean Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
by the university.
UBC’s Faculty of Law began its first classes in September 1945, operating from old army huts transplanted to UBC at the end of World War II. Founding Dean Curtis fought hard for proper facilities for B.C.’s first law school, and on September 4, 1952, the University officially opened the first purpose-built law school building in Canada. By the 1970s, the Faculty had outgrown its first building and embarked on a major renovation including the addition of a new multi-story concrete structure built in the Brutalist style fashionable at the time. The new Law building re-opened on September 17, 1976 as the “George F. Curtis Building.” Curtis kept an office in the building until 2005, when he died at the age of 99. In August 2011, UBC Law will move into a brand new building on the same site named Allard Hall. A significant space in the building will be named "The George F. Curtis Dean's and Student Government Suite" which will house deans and administrative offices as well as offices and meeting space for the Law Student's Society.
Important dates
- 1957 - Named Queen's CounselQueen's CounselQueen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
- 1960s - Helped draft the BC University Act
- 1964 - Named a member of the Order of the CoifOrder of the CoifThe Order of the Coif is an honor society for United States law school graduates. A student at an American law school who earns a Juris Doctor degree and graduates in the top 10 percent of his or her class is eligible for membership if the student's law school has a chapter of the...
in 1964 - 1986 - First recipient of the Law Society Award
- 1995 - Named a member of the Order of British Columbia
- 1995 - Received the Canadian Bar AssociationCanadian Bar AssociationThe Canadian Bar Association represents over 37,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers, and law students from across Canada.-History:The Association's first Annual Meeting was held in Montreal in 1896. However, the CBA has been in continuous existence in its present form since 1914...
’s Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Law - 2003 - Received the Queen's Jubilee Gold Medal
- 2003 - Appointed an officer of The Order of Canada
External links
- George F. Curtis Building - UBC Law Building named after Curtis