UAlberta Law silver medallist expresses gratitude to professors for their dedication

For silver medallist Erin Bower, ‘20 JD, earning top marks throughout all three years of law school was no easy feat, but the passion of her professors made the long hours studying worth the hard work.

Bower is the 2020 recipient of the George Bligh O'Connor Silver Medal in Law, which is awarded to the graduating JD student who has achieved the second highest grade point average across all three years of their time at UAlberta Law.

“It was great to hear that I was awarded the silver medal, but it was a surprise,” she said.

“I have to thank the professors and the lawyers who went out of their way to make classes engaging and make themselves available to students both in and out of the classroom.”

On top of the support she received from her instructors, Bower’s fascination with the material she was learning in the classroom also lightened the load.

With both a father and a sister in the legal profession, Bower knew that the versatility of a degree in law would set her up for success wherever her career takes her..

“I was looking for a career path that would be challenging and give me a sense of agency.”

Representing UAlberta Law at the Laskin Moot was a memorable part of Bower’s time at law school as her team received second place for its factum. She valued the experiential learning opportunity to hone her oral and written advocacy skills while mooting.

During her second and third years of law school, Bower served as on the editorial board of the Alberta Law Review, where she enjoyed having a behind-the-scenes look at legal academic publishing.

Bower earned her bachelor of science in psychology at the University of Calgary and was the recipient of the Faculty of Arts Silver Medallion in Psychology when she graduated.

She has been awarded numerous recognitions for her academic performance while at UAlberta Law. She is the recipient of the Parlee Scholarship, the Blake Cassels & Graydon Second Year Scholarship, the Chief Justice S. Bruce Smith Prize, the Chief Judge Nelles V. Buchanan Memorial Prize in Litigation, and the Witten LLP Prize in Property Law.

After moving straight from her undergraduate studies to law school, Bower is looking forward to life outside the classroom now. She will be clerking with the Court of Appeal of Alberta before finishing her articles at a firm in Calgary.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time at University of Alberta. It has been a great three years,” said Bower. “I am excited about what lies ahead.”