RRU student Brian Lawless wins Governor General’s Silver Medal

Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies. 

A lifelong resident of greater Victoria, BC, Brian Lawless recently completed his Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies at Royal Roads University and was awarded a Governor General’s Silver Medal. The award is presented each year to the student who has achieved the highest academic standing upon graduating from a bachelor’s degree program. 

Lawless is grateful for the Governor General’s Silver Medal, saying, “I don't think I've ever had any kind of formal recognition that I can point to and feel like there is an external validation for academic accomplishments. So, it is very meaningful to me. And now that I have this, it is incredibly validating to the effort that I put in.” 

There’s a practical aspect to the honour, too: Lawless was able add the award to his law school applications, which he was finalizing on the day he was told he’d won. 

How he achieved that accomplishment took a personal and educational journey — and some help and understanding from RRU. 

Seeing lawyers at worked drew him in 

In 2018, when he was 21, Lawless was attending college but “spinning my wheels,” unsure what path to pursue, when his mother, Cynthia Lawless,  was diagnosed with cancer. He dropped out to help with her primary care and was at her side until she passed. 

Working through his grief, he didn’t go back to school but, exercising his interests in political science, law and justice, started a job as a junior legal assistant in BC’s Ministry of Attorney General. He dealt with letters and other paperwork, and frequently observed lawyers at work. Their labours didn’t carry the flash and glamour of television legal dramas but drew him in nonetheless. 

“I found it to be still very enjoyable, but in a way that was not ritzy and beautiful,” Lawless says. “Instead, it’s just seeing the impact on people's lives. And, so, I decided that I wanted to be a lawyer.” 

Inclusive admission leads to opportunity 

But he encountered an obstacle he hadn’t considered when he left college to care for his mother. Dropping out had left him with a transcript marked with Fs, which limited his options for the undergrad education he needed to get into law school. Most of the options required Lawless to restart his studies and would have taken years to complete. 

In the hopes of keeping his studies on time and on track, he applied to RRU through its inclusive admissions program. Lawless wrote in his application about why he would be an asset to the university and made the case that his college transcript wasn’t an accurate predictor of his academic potential. 

“It presented me the opportunity to show, in an academic sense, that I believed in myself, which was that I actually can be successful,” he says.  

Royal Roads agreed, offering him a spot in its intensive 12-month, full-time BA in Justice Studies. Lawless completed the program in August and will convocate this November.  

Recognition for academic accomplishments 

During his studies, Lawless was again able to exercise his interests — he’s passionate about people experiencing homelessness and the legal challenges they face. He is also a keen supporter of  people living with disabilities. 

His capstone applied research project – a key feature of his BA in Justice Studies program -  is a duo-ethnography featuring Lawless’ research intertwined with, and complemented by, his own reflections and those of his older brother, Pat Lawless, who lives with a disability. 

In nominating Lawless for the Governor General’s award, Program Head and Assistant Professor Alfiya Battalova commended Lawless’ project, saying he “beautifully weaved in the personal and the systemic” and lauded his “intellectual curiosity and a genuine openness to diverse perspectives.” 

Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies.