UVic Law Alum Competes in the London Paralympic Games
UVic Law alumnus Jessica Vliegenthart ('11) recently competed in her first Paralympic Games in London. Vliegenthart, whom classmates may remember as Jessica Des Mazes, started her Law degree in 2008 while continuing to play for a national wheelchair basketball team. Her involvement in sports did not prevent her from being involved in student life and she became one of the founding members of the LawAbility Club, a supportive group for students and an active voice for accessibility and diversity in the Law school.
Having been injured in 2004 in an accident while spending a summer working as a forest fire fighter, Jessica has used her experiences to raise awareness about workplace safety in addition to her involvement in sports. Now that the Paralympics in London are over, Jessica and her husband are moving to Kamloops. Jessica has accepted an offer to article with Fulton and Co. Her story and accomplishments are highlighted in a recent story in the Kamloops Daily News.
The Canadian women's wheelchair basketball team finished in 6th place at the London Paralympic Games.