A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE
A life-changing diagnosis didn’t stop Kelly Serbu from excelling on the ice or in the courtroom BY ELEANOR BRAMAH
One might think that a lawyer who played competitive junior hockey would see things in black and white—you either win or lose on the ice and in court. But that’s not how Kelly Serbu (’96) sees the world. His perspective is entirely unique. At the age of 18, Serbu was diagnosed with Stargardt, an incurable genetic disease where the centre of the retinas degrade over time, eventually leading to blindness. “At the time of my diagnosis, I didn’t even know what legally blind meant. But I knew it’d change everything for me.” Suddenly, Serbu couldn’t be the teammate others could rely on for drives to and from practice. He lost his license. He could no longer see the board during his first university classes. But what might have stalled someone else, only fuelled his drive. Determined not to be perceived as different, he kept playing hockey and kept pursuing an added passion: Law. NAVIGATING A NEW WORLD When considering his professional path, Serbu was initially attracted to the law because it spoke to his fiercely independent spirit. “I thought about being a teacher, but for me, the big reason I picked Dalhousie and law over education was the ability to work for myself. I could be more independent and open my own business.” The law was a sphere where he could drive his own success. Today, when he’s working with young players as a part of his association with Canadian Blind Hockey, they always ask him incredulously, “Wasn’t law school a lot of reading?” “I never thought about it,” he says, laughing, “I just did it.” Throughout his time at law school, Serbu says his professors and fellow students were incredibly supportive, making accommodations when needed or sharing notes. After a pause, he adds, “The team at the print shop made a real difference for me. They went above and beyond, always making sure I had enlarged notes and class materials.”
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H E A R S AY
Serbu’s experience as a part of Dalhousie Legal Aid in his final years of university helped reinforce the sense of community at the school, and provided important on-the-ground experience until his graduation. “It was amazing to have real client work and cases through things like Dalhousie Legal Aid,” he remembers. “In university and outside it, I think my experience was different from visually impaired people who were diagnosed earlier than I was,” Serbu says. “I had a sense of self-sufficiency, driving my friends around, playing on sports teams.” So where others may have seen challenges, he simply kept moving forward, never letting his diagnosis stop him. Even now, he says many clients often have no idea that he’s visually impaired when they first meet and work with him. “I used to be more guarded about it than I am today,” Serbu says. He’d gloss over reading things when clients were in his office and make sure to know the case and relevant documents before they arrived. “I didn’t want people to think I couldn’t represent them because I’m blind.” JUSTICE FOR ALL Serbu’s sense of justice has helped shape his career for decades, even while he was in criminal court as a defense attorney. “The law isn’t about stats,” he says. “I don’t ‘win’ or ‘lose’ in court, which is the way some people see it.” Serbu sees his job as providing the relevant information the court needs to make a decision. If the court sees the information he presented in a different way, he doesn’t believe that’s a loss. “It just means the court interpreted it differently. And it’s important for everyone to have representation so our legal system operates efficiently.” Justice and championing the causes of others became an even greater theme in his career as it evolved. From 2009 to 2019, he was part of the Indian Residential Schools Adjudication Secretariat, traveling to Indigenous communities across Canada and helping to tell the stories of survivors.