Parents establish law school scholarship to honour daughter’s courage

From a hospital room at the Foothills Medical Centre, lawyer Christina Lam managed to command authority. Wearing a wig and sporting a blazer with hospital pants, she argued her final case via video conference.

Being a palliative-care cancer patient — court-case principals and even co-workers had been unaware of her dire condition — Christina, BSc’10, JD’13, quietly took pain medication off-screen. But, on behalf of The City of Calgary, she made a convincing presentation before a judge of the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench on June 7, 2022. Only at the conclusion of the session — five gruelling hours — did she request a leave of absence.

She died 12 days later, on Father’s Day.

The ruling rendered Sept. 14 — the day before what would have been Christina’s 34th birthday — was in favour of Christina and the City, a victory over a multinational retail giant.

“It’s sad that she never knew she won the case,” says Dr. Russ Lam, BSc’06, MD’08, who is Christina’s older brother. “For her, it didn’t matter. The real win was, ‘I finished this.’”

Christina’s heroic display is a matter of public record. Noted in the published judgment by Justice Glenda A. Campbell: “Shortly after the parties appeared before this Court … (we) were notified by the City of the untimely, tragic passing of Ms. Lam, counsel for the City. I offer my sincere and heartfelt condolences to Ms. Lam’s family, friends and City colleagues.”

Christina’s efforts should not be forgotten, says her mother, Dora Lam, KC, JD’85.

“I want her act of courage and dedication to be known,” Dora says. “I want fellow lawyers to emulate her actions — what she did elevated the high esteem of the legal profession.”

Christina’s father, Dr. Richard Lam, MD’85, applauds his daughter’s unwavering loyalty and commitment. “She could’ve collapsed right in front of the judge,” he says. “She was weak, she was pale, she was very frail.”

Honouring Christina’s story 

Determined to share their daughter’s memory, Dora and Richard established a tribute at UCalgary — the Christina I. Lam Memorial Scholarship in Law. The award goes to a student entering the Faculty of Law, with a preference given to those with at least five years of work experience between their undergraduate degree and law school. 

“The average age of first-year law students in English Canada is 23 — here, it’s 26,” says Dr. Ian Holloway, KC, PhD, a UCalgary Law professor and former dean. “Which means a significant proportion of our students have worked a bit before coming to law school. We want people who want to weave into their legal journey their previous experience in life.”

The scholarship was handed out for the first time this fall. “The thrust of this award aligns perfectly with our philosophy,” says Holloway, who, while teaching a legislation course in a small-class setting, got to know Christina personally. “The potential impact is huge.”

Christina’s parents are certainly familiar with the challenges of a professional pivot. Richard taught at Red Deer Community College before becoming a doctor. And, prior to her own law career, Dora had been a school teacher.

Christina’s experience, too, shaped the award. While working at the City, she encouraged a colleague to set aside full-time employment to pursue his dream of becoming a lawyer. In a heartfelt letter to the Lam family, he detailed Christina’s inspiring presence.

“In Christina’s short life, she touched many lives. She made an impact," says Richard. "Now, through the scholarship, there will be others who benefit from her good will.” 

Selfless and well-rounded

In addition to being an accomplished athlete — swimming, running, powerlifting, playing volleyball — she was generous. When Dora asked her daughter if she wanted to be buried in her barrister robes, Christina said she preferred that the gown go to a lawyer who needed it — then arranged to pay for dry cleaning. “That’s just her,” says Dora.

Christina volunteered for the Alberta Kids Cancer Care Foundation, the Glenbow Museum's Family Fun Classroom, and Youth Central. She joined professors on a mission to China, providing assistance to rural villages through the Light Up the World Foundation. Then, amid a demanding career as a practising lawyer, Christina dedicated time to the Calgary Seniors' Resource Society and the LINKages Society of Alberta. During the COVID-19 lockdown, she purchased and delivered groceries to seniors every week.

An extension of her selflessness was a commitment to environmentalism. Family members recall Christina bringing Tupperware to restaurants to avoid single-use containers for leftovers, and dragging compostables to her parents’ house because their bin setup was more efficient than hers.

“She wanted to make a place better when she left it,” says Russ. 

That mindset determined her professional path. With an undergrad degree in biological science, Christina could have followed her dad and brother into medicine. Like her mom, she chose law.

“She felt that she could make a bigger contribution to the world through policy change,” says Russ. “I don’t think she was attracted to the suit(-wearing) side of law. She was attracted to giving a voice to people who had no voice.”

Adds Richard: “She was so full of love. She loved her family, her friends, the environment, the world.”