Meet Ackah Law Articling Student Heather Barber-Hardy:
Heather Barber-Hardy attended law school at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom where she achieved a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours). Upon returning to Canada, she completed a Masters of Law, Common Law degree from the University of British Columbia. During her time at UBC, Heather volunteered at the Law Students’ Legal Advice Program at their Immigration Clinic where she was able to work on a variety of immigration cases. She also volunteered with a nonprofit organization, Amici Curiae, where she assisted Temporary Foreign Workers with obtaining uncontested divorces at the BC Supreme Court. Heather also worked as a Research Assistant to the Dean of Peter A. Allard School of Law, Catherine Dauvergne on researching Article 1(F) Exclusion of refugee women in Canada and gendering of Islamophobia and the impact on women refugees.
She was offered a full-time articling position with Ackah Business Immigration Law and will be called to the Alberta Bar in September 2018.
Q&A with Heather Barber-Hardy, Ackah Law Articling Student
1. Why did you decide to practice immigration law?
Immigration law is constantly changing and evolving, which makes it very engaging to practice as you need to stay up to date on all of the new changes. I also enjoy making a difference in the lives of my clients and knowing that I am able to assist them with achieving their goals.
2. Why does someone need to hire an immigration lawyer?
Immigration law is one of the most complex and heavily regulated areas of law. While there may be quite a lot of information online about the immigration process, it requires someone with the expertise and understanding of all the rules and regulations to properly navigate the system and ensure a successful outcome.
3. What do you see as the future of immigration law?
I believe that embracing immigration is the key to success of Canada as an economic and social world power. As a result, immigration law is going to become increasingly important in our society as Canada looks to bring in more skilled immigrants.
Heather Barber-Hardy's Key Professional Accomplishments
- Masters of Law Common Law degree from the University of British Columbia 2017
- LL.B (Honours with Distinction) from the University of Leicester, England 2016
- Awarded “Judge of the Year” as a volunteer for internal mooting competition
- B.A. in History from the University of Calgary 2014
