But no such change was as dramatic as the closing of the house in 2004. Unfortunately all good things have their costs, and as the years went by Domus was forced to change with the times in order to stay open. Domus holds an important place in the hearts of everyone who has passed through its doors, and many of those people have gone on to play significant roles in the development of Canadian law. As any Dal alumni will tell you, Domus remains as important to them as it does to students today. And just as they each left their marks on the house, Domus left its mark upon them all. Even some current faculty members were Domus members in days of yore, including Professor John Yogis and the new director of the Law and Technology Institute, Robert Currie.Įach of these members and guests signed their name to a part of the house, joining in a tradition followed by hundreds of Dal Law students. Former Justice of the Supreme Court John Sopinka was a huge Domus supporter, and participated in numerous fundraisers on behalf of the society. Former Supreme Court Justices Louise Arbour and Frank Iacobucci, as well as current Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin all came to the Dome. As Tom Khattar (‘78) put it, Domus has always been “a desirable social atmosphere … in which a meaningful dialogue might occur between students and practising lawyers.” Just so, the Dome hosted countless legal practitioners from around the country, as well as many other illustrious figures in Canadian legal history. Suffice to say the house was the scene of many good times, some remembered, some not, some legendary.īut Domus was so much more than just a party setting: it was an active force in the development of Canada’s legal culture. There are many stories about the Dome from all across its nearly 40 year tenure, and many of the people involved would now much rather remain anonymous. Whether on Fridays for “Weepers”, a weekly meeting for students to drown their work-related sorrows, or at one of the society’s famed theme nights, the Dome was the place to be for the Halifax legal community. The Dome housed a licensed bar, and the law students and local lawyers made sure to put it to good use. The home-base for this affable enterprise was located at 1255 Seymour Street, affectionately nicknamed “the Dome.” Here law students, faculty, and alumni could come together to enjoy one another’s’ company, engage in lively debate, share their (often musical) talents, and escape the stresses of life. Promote good fellowship among congenial students at the Faculty of Law of Dalhousie University to encourage a high standard of professional work and to assist by every honourable means the advancement of its members. So when the class size was increased in the early ‘60s many worried that a greater number of students would ruin the intimate atmosphere at Dalhousie’s “Little Law School.”.įounded in 1965, the Domus Legis Society was envisioned as way to preserve the collegial sentiment at Dal Law. This quality endures to this day and has always been regarded as one of our best features. The school’s class size played a large role in establishing its trademark tight-knit community. ![]() Dal Law is Canada’s oldest university-affiliated law school and for a long time it was also the smallest.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |