It has become a cherished McGill Law custom for incoming students to be handed their copy of the Code civil du Québec by the Dean on their first day of law school. Twice delayed by the pandemic, the Civil Code ceremony held on March 7 was perhaps even more significant for the cohort that started their law studies with a year of remote instruction.
As is tradition, the class gathered in the Maxwell Cohen Moot Court. After a word about professionalism and the Civil Code of Québec, Dean Robert Leckey gave each student their hard copy of the code and a congratulatory fist-bump in lieu of a handshake, while their peers applauded. The books themselves bore a subtle mark of the times, sporting a white cover instead of their usual red, due to problems in the supply chain for ink.
“I really appreciated the Faculty’s effort in organizing the Civil Code Ceremony. The last two years have not been easy for my cohort so it was wonderful to finally be able to come together and have the ceremony in person. Not only was this a beautiful moment of student collegiality, I think it made us feel a bit more confident as law students and helped ward off the imposter syndrome we sometimes feel.”
– Sara Sanabria, 2L
“I had been looking forward to that moment since my admission to the faculty in 2020. That particular copy will remain on my bookshelf, no matter where I might be geographically or in my career.”
– Aria Khiabani, 2L
“J’ai été particulièrement émue par les applaudissements et les sourires qui inondaient la salle lorsque chacune d’entre nous était appelée à l’avant. À mes yeux, la cérémonie représentait avant tout le bourgeonnement de notre espoir de vivre une expérience étudiante complète.”
– Samar-Balkiss Benaskeur, 2L Class President
