Life lessons in perseverance

UVic law student Ben McConnell will be graduating with a JD (Juris Doctor) degree in June. And like many of his fellow classmates, McConnell worked hard to get to where he is today. The satisfaction of convocation day—the sense of achievement in the face of challenging coursework, long reading lists and intensive research that a law degree demands—is awesome for anyone. McConnell’s path, and his commitment to education, have been distinct and remarkable. In addition to having to contend with the everyday realities of being a law student, McConnell is totally blind—a result of early-onset glaucoma and another serious eye disease that afflicted him during childhood.

Ironically, McConnell says his disability is partly responsible for his decision to pursue a career in law. When he was just one year old, he had 30 operations done in Boston in order to try and save his eyesight. One of his surgeons declared, “I will pay this kid’s tuition to Harvard Law if he ever grows up and decides he wants to go to law school.”

The promise, although partly made in jest, had a lasting impact on McConnell.

“It was something my Dad emphasized while I was growing up,” says McConnell. “I always had this attraction towards law and towards legal education that stemmed from so early on in my life and it kind of kept remerging over the years.”

McConnell says technological advancements in the legal profession helped to cement his decision to go to law school. Assistive technologies such as screen readers and Braille output devices now make computers and the internet accessible to blind people.

McConnell also suffered from a series of physical setbacks while at UVic, including a broken femur, a fractured skull, a broken arm, severe respiratory illness and heart problems that landed him in the hospital for months at a time. For McConnell, the setbacks were only temporary, and during those challenging times, McConnell says he was comforted by the support of those within the UVic community. He says several professors stood out for their willingness to help make courses more accessible and adds, “the librarians at the law school would bend over backwards and do anything for you.”

Professor Glenn Gallins worked closely with McConnell during the semester he spent at the Law Centre, a full-time clinical program where students manage their own cases in a downtown legal office.

“Ben’s determination to succeed as a lawyer despite the enormous challenge of being blind is inspiring,” says Gallins. “I know that during his time at the Law Centre we were able to address many of the obstacles he faced working in a law office and appearing in court.” McConnell’s participation in such a hands-on learning experience is yet another example of his refusal to let his disability define him or hinder his professional development.

Now that law school is behind him, McConnell is setting his sights on achieving similar success in the working world. Starting in July, he will be doing composite articles with three different law firms in the greater Edmonton area—Birdsell Grant LLP, Gunn Law Group, and Wachowich & Company.

As for his plans for the more distant future, McConnell says he hopes to combine his legal education with his own personal experiences in order to advocate for people with disabilities and improve healthcare in Canada.

“I’ve always had a real interest in medical malpractice, primarily because I’ve had a very close relationship with the health care system and I know it inside and out,” says McConnell. “I have always wanted to improve the accountability of our system.”

No matter where his promising legal career takes him, one thing is obvious—that McConnell will approach any challenge he faces, personal or professional, with the same determination and ardent ambition for which he has become known throughout the Fraser building.

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More student stories from Spring convocation: http://ring.uvic.ca/news/congratulations-spring-2014-grads