Hubert Lai, K.C.

University Counsel

Phone: (604) 822-0687
E-mail: hubert.lai@ubc.ca

Hubert obtained his law degree from Queen’s University. He articled in Vancouver with the intellectual property law firm of Barrigar & Oyen (now known as Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala LLP), and practised law with the national firm of Fraser & Beatty (now known as Dentons Canada LLP).

Hubert was appointed as University Counsel at the University of British Columbia in 2001. At the time, he was the youngest person to have ever served in such a capacity at a major Canadian university. As well, from 2006 to 2007, he simultaneously served as the University’s Associate Vice President, Government Relations. Since 2007, he has served as a member of the University Executive. In 2012, he was appointed as Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. In 2022, he was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada by Canadian Lawyer Magazine.

Hubert has been involved in a number of organizations, both related and unrelated to the University. He currently serves as a director and as a member of the Management Committee of the Hong Kong Foundation for UBC Ltd., as a director of Asia Pacific Regional Office Ltd and as a founding director of the National GC Network. He co-chaired the national conference of the Canadian Association of University Solicitors in 2019 and co-chaired the inaugural conference of the National GC Network in 2022.

Previously, Hubert has served as a member of the British Columbia Advisory Council, convened to advise the federal Secretary of State for Western Economic Diversification, as a director and a member of the LIST Foundation, as a founding officer of Webnames.ca Inc., as a founding director and officer of Paragon Testing Enterprises Inc., as an officer of the Cedar Lodge Society, as the President of the Vancouver Branch of the Queen’s University Alumni Association, as a founding director of entrepeneurship@UBC Management Inc. and entrepreneurship@UBC Ventures (VCC) Inc., and as a director and officer of UBC Research Enterprises Inc.