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Rebekah Smith | Ratcliff LLP

Rebekah Smith

Associate
604 988 5201

Legal Assistant:
Mia Kumata

Education

  • J.D./J.I.D., University of Victoria, 2023
  • B.A. (Honours), History and Philosophy, Queen’s University, 2017

Year Of Call

  • British Columbia, 2024

Awards

  • BMO/BLSA Canada Community Leadership Scholarship, 2023
  • Royal Society of Canada Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize, 2023
  • Harper Grey LLP Scholarship, 2022
  • Ann Roberts Humanitarian Award, 2022
  • Member of UVic’s Julius Alexander Isaac Moot Team, 2021-2022
  • Law Foundation of BC Public Interest Award, 2021
  • Betty & Gilbert Kennedy Scholarship in Law, 2020
  • Continuing Legal Education Society of BC Award in Criminal Law, 2020
  • UVic President’s Scholarship, 2020

Interview on CBC As It Happens about BC Court of Appeal decision on private medical records, April 2023 (at 47:30)

Rebekah is a dedicated legal professional with a commitment to advancing Indigenous rights, racial justice, and First Nations self-determination.

With a strong foundation in the humanities and a passion for social justice, Rebekah has demonstrated her commitment to honing her legal skills through a variety of roles, namely research assistant, teaching assistant, peer tutor, and summer law student.

In addition to her academic and professional accomplishments, Rebekah is active in the community. While at the University of Victoria, she acted as policy advisor for the Students of Colour Collective and planned the Faculty of Law’s Indigenous Perspectives Camp. Rebekah also served as president of UVic’s chapter of the Black Law Students’ Association, in which role she successfully advocated for pathways to increase black student enrolment at UVic. Rebekah currently serves on the board of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, BC Branch.

Rebekah’s father is British-Jamaican and her mother is Afro-Nova Scotian and Dutch. Outside of work, Rebekah enjoys cooking her granny’s recipes, baking bread and cakes, and playing trivia and board games.

  • Ratcliff News – “BC Law Reforms: First Nations Gain Direct Land Ownership Rights,” June 2024
  • Co-Author, “The Disappeared: Indigenous Peoples and the international crime of enforced disappearances,” with Catherine Morris, Slaw: Canada’s Online Legal Magazine, 20 March 2023, available online.
  • Co-Author, “Neurodiversity in legal education,” with Rachel Lewis, Law 360 Canada, 8 September 2022, available online.

In The Community

  • Board Member, Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, BC Branch, 2020-Present
  • President, UVic Black Law Students Association, 2020-2022
  • Events Coordinator, UVic Black Law Students Association, 2022-2023
  • Member, Racialized Law Students Association, 2019-2023
  • Policy Advisor, UVic Students of Colour Collective, 2020-2022
  • Member, UVic Indigenous Perspectives Camp Planning Committee, 2020-2022
  • Volunteer Disability Advocate, Together Against Poverty Society, 2020-2022
  • Volunteer Researcher, UVic Pro Bono Students Canada Chapter, 2020-2022

Rebekah is a dedicated legal professional with a commitment to advancing Indigenous rights, racial justice, and First Nations self-determination.

With a strong foundation in the humanities and a passion for social justice, Rebekah has demonstrated her commitment to honing her legal skills through a variety of roles, namely research assistant, teaching assistant, peer tutor, and summer law student.

In addition to her academic and professional accomplishments, Rebekah is active in the community. While at the University of Victoria, she acted as policy advisor for the Students of Colour Collective and planned the Faculty of Law’s Indigenous Perspectives Camp. Rebekah also served as president of UVic’s chapter of the Black Law Students’ Association, in which role she successfully advocated for pathways to increase black student enrolment at UVic. Rebekah currently serves on the board of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, BC Branch.

Rebekah’s father is British-Jamaican and her mother is Afro-Nova Scotian and Dutch. Outside of work, Rebekah enjoys cooking her granny’s recipes, baking bread and cakes, and playing trivia and board games.

  • Ratcliff News – “BC Law Reforms: First Nations Gain Direct Land Ownership Rights,” June 2024
  • Co-Author, “The Disappeared: Indigenous Peoples and the international crime of enforced disappearances,” with Catherine Morris, Slaw: Canada’s Online Legal Magazine, 20 March 2023, available online.
  • Co-Author, “Neurodiversity in legal education,” with Rachel Lewis, Law 360 Canada, 8 September 2022, available online.

Awards

  • BMO/BLSA Canada Community Leadership Scholarship, 2023
  • Royal Society of Canada Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize, 2023
  • Harper Grey LLP Scholarship, 2022
  • Ann Roberts Humanitarian Award, 2022
  • Member of UVic’s Julius Alexander Isaac Moot Team, 2021-2022
  • Law Foundation of BC Public Interest Award, 2021
  • Betty & Gilbert Kennedy Scholarship in Law, 2020
  • Continuing Legal Education Society of BC Award in Criminal Law, 2020
  • UVic President’s Scholarship, 2020

In The Community

  • Board Member, Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, BC Branch, 2020-Present
  • President, UVic Black Law Students Association, 2020-2022
  • Events Coordinator, UVic Black Law Students Association, 2022-2023
  • Member, Racialized Law Students Association, 2019-2023
  • Policy Advisor, UVic Students of Colour Collective, 2020-2022
  • Member, UVic Indigenous Perspectives Camp Planning Committee, 2020-2022
  • Volunteer Disability Advocate, Together Against Poverty Society, 2020-2022
  • Volunteer Researcher, UVic Pro Bono Students Canada Chapter, 2020-2022

Year Of Call

  • British Columbia, 2024

Education

  • J.D./J.I.D., University of Victoria, 2023
  • B.A. (Honours), History and Philosophy, Queen’s University, 2017