Nicolas Dubois Dominic Beck (1926–1927)
Nicolas Dubois Dominic Beck was born on May 4, 1857 in Cobourg, Ontario, to Reverend J.W.R. and Georgina (Boulton) Beck. Beck worked as an attorney in Peterborough, Ontario from 1879 to 1883 while earning his law degree from the University of Toronto, which he received in 1881. From 1883 to 1889, he worked as an attorney in Manitoba. He was the editor of the Northwest Catholic Review and the Territorial and Alberta Law Reports.
In 1889, Beck moved to Calgary where he began work in the law firm of Lougheed, McCarthy, and Beck. He served as Crown Prosecutor in the District of Edmonton from 1891 to 1892, before being appointed to the Queen's Counsel of Alberta in 1893 and beginning work as a solicitor in Edmonton. In 1905, Beck was a legal consultant on the Alberta and Saskatchewan Autonomy Bills. He was also president of the Alberta Law Society.
From 1907 through 1921, Beck served as both Puisne Justice and Member of the Supreme Court of Alberta. He then served as Justice, Appellate Division, of the Supreme Court of Alberta from 1921 to 1928.
Beck became the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Alberta in 1908; he held this position until 1926 when he became the second Chancellor. Beck was also a member of the Senate (1908–1928) and Board of Governors (1926–1927).
Beck was the father of four children. Nicolas Dubois Dominic Beck passed away on May 15, 1928 in Seattle, Washington.