know my colleagues gave him an excellent education. Not only the faculty, but also the support from staff and the stimulation provided by fellow students that really make this a very special place, and he’s taken advantage of being here. We’ve been privileged to witness the student experience at close hand, and are now excited as Andrew and his classmates embark on the next stage of their careers. QLR: What advice did Nick give Andrew about law school? Andrew: He’s a very practical guy so there was a lot of “work hard” and “always make your own course outlines,” but also “follow your heart,” which I have done, and I have been really glad for that. QLR: Andrew, what was it like having Canada’s leading family law scholar and a beloved professor for a dad? Andrew: It’s been great. I’ve learned that other people respect him very much, as I do. Not everyone gets that opportunity to be in a community where their parent is so highly regarded, so that’s been a
A special father-son moment after Nick hoods Andrew on the Grant Hall stage.
GREG BLACK
New grad Andrew Bala, Law’17, and his dad, Professor Nick Bala, Law’77, outside Grant Hall after the Convocation ceremony.
GREG BLACK
ns of Bala grads
privilege. I’ve learned that he’s best known for his work in family law, which surprised me at first. I had always thought of him as being interested in contracts, a first-year subject, because he often talks about how much he enjoys teaching first-year students. I also learned that he’s still in pretty good physical shape! There are always people playing soccer at noon on Tindall Field next to the law school, and we often found ourselves in the same pick-up game there. QLR: How would you each describe your law school experience? What are the differences and the similarities? Nick: There’s been a lot of change here in the 40 years since I graduated, but there is also a lot of continuity. Like Andrew, I really enjoyed my time here as a student. There were certainly times of stress and hard work, but the faculty were, as they are now, very focused on students and teaching, as well on research. The student body is still very supportive of each other. In the 1970s, we had Mary-Alice Murray (Law’60, the first Registrar of Law) doing a lot of hands-on work. While Andrew has been here, we’ve had my classmate JULY 2017 - 73