Students, administrators and proud family members gathered recently to celebrate the achievements of law students.

At the annual TRU Law awards reception on Nov. 17, eighteen students received 21 awards totalling $80,500 (the annual total, including awards handed out in spring, totals over $125,000).

TRU Law also announced its newest donor. The Fulton and Company LLP Law Entrance Award will provide $5,000 annually to a first-year student, from a recently established endowment.

Dennis Hori, QC, Partner, says he’s thrilled the Kamloops-based firm is able to give back to a law school in its community.

“We are so honoured to present this award, and we look forward to assisting students who will hopefully enter a long and satisfying career in the practice of law.” said Hori, adding he was pleasantly surprised to see that he knew the inaugural recipient of his firm’s prize.

“It turns out I’ve known Oliver (Verenca) since he was in elementary school,” he smiled.

Dean Brad Morse said the law school continues to fundraise to support student awards.

“Ultimately the goal is to be able to award up to a half million dollars in scholarships and bursaries,” he said.

Meanwhile, TRU President Alan Shaver, who welcomed the crowd at the event, said during his travels he is encountering more and more folks who are praising TRU Law.

“I’m starting to bump into more people who know of our young law school. Their feedback is that our law grads are really good and have a great attitude,” said Shaver.

The awards reception also recognized a further 42 students who took home non-monetary Dean’s Course Prizes (awarded to the top student in each course).

Below the award winners who attended the ceremony are pictured, with a full list of winners at bottom. Click on any of the photos to start a gallery show.

Law Foundation Entrance Award: Oliver Verenca and Stefanie Gladders with Dean Brad Morse (not pictured are the other three winners: James Mason, Samranjit Arora and Chase Blair).

George Lamperson Memorial Bursary: Breanna Morrow, pictured with Brian Ross, QC and Dean Brad Morse.

Second-year scholarship: Simon Meijers, pictured with Dean Brad Morse.

Fraser Valley Bar Association Prize: Zain Ali, pictured with Master Rob McDiarmid and Dean Brad Morse.

Roper Greyell LLP Employment Law Prize: Ania Konikowski, pictured with Paul Blair of CIBC and Dean Brad Morse.

Bull Housser & Tupper LLP Prize in Property Law: Esra Yacout, pictured with Judge Len Marchand and Dean Brad Morse.

Bull Housser & Tupper LLP Prize in Torts: Stephanie Benedict, pictured with Judge Len Marchand and Dean Brad Morse.

Bull Housser & Tupper LLP Prize in Contract Law: Kathy Tran, pictured with Judge Len Marchand and Dean Brad Morse.

Guild Yule LLP Outstanding First-year Moot Prize: Nickolas Bailey, pictured with Shaun Frost of Guild Yule and Dean Brad Morse.

Kamloops Bar Association Bursary: Breanna Morrow, pictured with Christine Stewart, a TRU Law Alum from the KBA Board of Directors, and Dean Brad Morse.

Canadian Bar Association BC Branch Award: Karen Perry, pictured with Denese, Espeut-Post of the CBA BC Branch and Dean Brad Morse.

Scotiabank Course Prize in Business Association: Alex Farkas, pictured with Terry Taylor of Scotiabank and Dean Brad Morse.

Norma Quinn Memorial Prize in Law: Sabrina Avery, pictured Lauren Chidzy, Norma Quinn’s granddaughter, and Dean Brad Morse.

Fulton and Company Law Entrance Award: Oliver Verenca, pictured Fulton and Co. Partners Rick Heney and Dennis Hori, QC, and Dean Brad Morse.

Other award winners not pictured:

Thorsteinssons LLP Prize in Corporate Tax Law: Jaysan Namasivayam

Guild Yule LLP Advocacy Prize: Jaclyn Vanstone

TRU Law Scholarship: Jaclyn Vanstone