Law student’s commitment to community is commended by the Royal Society of Canada

Michael Christ, ‘24 JD, was recently awarded the The Royal Society of Canada’s Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize, which is presented to a graduating student who is most likely to positively influence equity and social justice in Canada or globally upon graduation.

“I was completely surprised when I found out,” says Michael Christ, ‘24 JD. “I’m immeasurably grateful for this recognition by both the Royal Society of Canada and the University of Alberta Faculty of Law.”

During his time in law school Christ was heavily involved with the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL) University of Alberta and Western chapters. He collaborated with other students from the University of Calgary, the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Manitoba to implement new initiatives that would positively influence law school communities, including mentorship dinners in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon and Winnipeg in which law students chatted and networked with Asian lawyers in their respective communities over dinner in a more relaxed environment.

With FACL, Christ oversaw the grant and funding application, the logistics of the networking dinners and the execution of events. This project was rewarding — and given the overwhelmingly positive feedback from both the students and the lawyers, it was very successful too.

"Being named this year's Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize Winner recognizes the considerable amount of time Michael has spent both mentoring children and youth in Edmonton, as well as collaborating to provide mentorship opportunities for student members of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers,” says Fiona Kelly, dean of the Faculty of Law. “His community building helped make U of A Law a welcoming law school for everyone."

Christ says he’s grateful for the opportunity to have positively influenced various law school communities in Canada over the past three years, and hopes to continue to make a difference in the community. However, he says, he couldn’t have done it alone.

“I share this award with my friends, family and mentors who have supported and inspired me, guided me through difficult periods, and uplifted me time and time again. And I share this award with my law school peers with whom I have had the absolute pleasure of working in various community-based initiatives seeking to reduce systemic inequalities.”

Christ recently rejoined the team at McMillan in Vancouver, where he was a summer student in 2023. Prior to that, he took some time to relax after graduation, spending time with friends and family and travelling, noting that one of the highlights of his summer was visiting Spain for the first time. Christ values work-life balance, spending time with loved ones trying new restaurants, enjoying patio season or getting together to play games.

For Christ, community is vital. Getting through law school can be quite challenging at times, and during those difficult moments it was the friends he made who helped him get through. “Find your people,” Christ says. “Find friends whose company you genuinely enjoy and who will have your back through thick and thin because law school — and beyond — is so much more enjoyable when you get to go through it with friends.”