It’s crazy to believe that we've made it halfway through the fall semester. It feels like it was just yesterday that we were writing about going back to school and planning for Zoom University. I thought I’d be great to give you a review of the first half of online school. When I heard that school would be online, I was a little excited that I would not have to face my two-hour commute. It didn’t take me long to realize that I actually miss in-person classes. Don’t get me wrong, I love being in my sweatpants all day, but I really miss being able to talk with my friends and interacting with my classmates. Our professors have done a great job at moving their syllabus online and trying to make the classes as engaging as possible. But nothing beats the dynamics of an in person class. Here’s how I’ve been keeping up with online school:
Hi, my name is Gurkirat, and I am a 2L student at University of Windsor, Faculty of Law. Why did you choose the school you went to? Windsor Law is known for its strong commitment to Social Justice and Access to Justice. Before law school, I worked with the Government for a few years and spent a lot of time with marginalized groups who had been left behind by the system. Naturally, I gravitated towards a school that has a strong history of fighting for fairness and equity. I wanted to attend Windsor Law, as it incorporated topics such as Access to Justice in every single course offered. Also, Windsor is a border city. Through its partnership with the University of Detroit Mercy, there are cross-border opportunities unique to Windsor Law. Our Dual JD Students had the opportunity to work in American Courts/Judges as part of their externship program. Single JD students can take courses at Detroit Mercy, and both universities hosted Speaker Series events attracting legal scholars and experts from both sides of the border. The Detroit Pistons held a conference for students interested in Sports Law, which was open to Windsor Law students. Such opportunities are unique to Windsor Law and nudged to me to choose Windsor Law. What do you like about your school? Windsor Law is known for the cordial atmosphere, and we call it the “Windsor Community Advantage.” We are a close-knit community, and we do our best to help and support our colleagues. The Upper students were very helpful in preparing us for exams, formal recruits and, in general, guiding us through the rigours of Law School. This powerful sense of community and the willingness to assist others took a lot of pressure off and made my first year of law school a great overall experience. Starting Law School can be intimidating; however, the faculty staff and professors made that transition seamless. The Professors have an open-door policy, and we were very accommodating and generous with their time. I cannot express how thankful I am for that, as that was key to my success as a 1L. Thus, the people, the positive attitude and the accepting culture are my favourite things about Windsor Law. What’s it like to live there? Windsor is a great place to live. The winters in Windsor tend to be milder compared to the rest of the province, and we get a longer fall season. Windsor is a border town, and there are added benefits that come with that. Downtown Detroit is a 5-minute drive from the Faculty of Law building and has a lot to offer in terms of arts, culture and the food scene. I am a big NFL and NBA fam, and Detroit is home to professional teams in both leagues. I have lived in the GTA for most of my life, and coming to a city that is a bit quieter has been a nice change. Favourite law school related activity? Currently, I am a Research Assistant for my Constitutional Professor from 1L. I have really enjoyed researching Jurisprudence, as it has been a great learning experience. Favourite Class so far? I have enjoyed all my classes so far in Law School. I was fortunate to be taught by some great professors who were very passionate about the subjects they taught during my first year. If I had to pick one class, I’d say Contracts Law was my favourite class by far as I found it to be very logical and most applicable to real life. As a 2L, I find Civil Procedure to be the most intriguing class. As an outsider previously, the Court system and its intricacies seemed very daunting and confusing. Therefore, I have really enjoyed learning how civil disputes are resolved via the Civil Procedure. If people have more questions about your program, how can they contact you? Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or via email at [email protected] Why did you choose the school you went to? Ryerson Law was the only law school for me. Period. Point blank. No questions asked. Ultimately, I chose Ryerson Law because it screamed: “DOING LAW DIFFERENTLY!” which intrigued me. With the experience I gained working at the Legal Innovation Zone I knew that I cared about legal innovation, legal tech, and access to justice - all pillars of Ryerson Law. The practicality of Ryerson Law’s program was also a huge selling point. I’m someone who has always learned by doing rather than by studying theory, and I truly believe that theory alone is not enough to prepare someone for a profession in law. It’s wonderful to learn about theories of contract but...When I’m approached by a client, what’s going to help me more? All of the hours that I spent learning about the formula of a contract? Or the physical practice that I had with learning how to review, negotiate, and draft clients based on real life client scenarios? I’m guessing the latter. I have a strong passion for access to justice and firmly believe there is a significant opportunity for a new generation of lawyers to create change. I chose Ryerson Law because I believe their program will leave us well equipped to directly funnel that change into the industry as soon as we graduate with all of our practical skills learned over the course of these three years. What do you like about your school? My favourite thing about Ryerson Law is the emphasis on practical education via a co-teaching model. Each of our courses has two elements: (1) we learn the theory and academic aspect of that area of law with our professor followed by; (2) a tutorial with a practitioner (many who are currently practising lawyers) where we engage in actual application-based activities. On the first day of one of my tutorials, our instructor told us “I’m going to be treating you all as if you are articling students, or young associates at a law firm. We won’t be discussing theory here. You’ll be learning how to do, because that’s the best way to learn”. Hearing that had me ecstatic! What’s it like to live there? Living in Toronto feels normal to me, probably because I’ve been here since undergrad. The only thing that is different now is the circumstances due to the pandemic. I really just stay in my apartment and only leave to get groceries (I know, city life is so interesting). But really, I love living in Toronto. It’s exciting to be here during this time in my life and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to be living here during law school. The best part is that everything is walking distance. When you’re living student life, it really helps to have things open late that are only a few minutes away! Favourite law school related activity? Does watching Suits for the umpteenth time count as a law school related activity? (Just kidding, as if law students have time to do anything other than read.) This is my first semester of law school so I’m still learning how to create a balance. I’m looking forward to integrating fitness into my routine and I always enjoy working on things related to my blog! Favourite Class so far? I don’t think I really have a favourite class. I look most forward to my Contracts tutorial because it’s so fun and practical and I learn so much. In terms of readings, I enjoy Property Law the most because I find the content so interesting that it doesn’t really feel like homework. I am genuinely so in awe at all of my courses and everything that we learn so it’s hard to pick one favourite course! Legal goals? Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to making the law more accessible. As cliche as it sounds for all law students to say that they decided to become a lawyer because they want to help people... It’s true. I hope to eventually be in a place where I can blend all elements of my interests and values. Perhaps my own firm that will integrate technologies to contribute to access to law. I never like to box myself into anything, so I’m open to all opportunities that are aligned with my interests and values. If people have more questions about your program, how can they contact you? I have a blog and a Youtube channel where you can keep up to date with my law school journey. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn! About Me Hi! My name is Rabia Siva and I am currently in my final year at the University of Kent Law School in England. I graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in criminology and sociology in 2019 and decided to join the two-year Senior Status LLB program in England. If you had asked me at the beginning of my undergraduate studies if I were interested in going into law, my answer would have been quite different from the one I have now. Initially, I entered UofT thinking I wanted to play some role in business but after finding my first year in the management program dull, I decided that business wasn’t for me. I wanted something that made me feel passionate and excited, even on days that felt like it was a lot of work, and the only subject that sparked that in me was the elective course I had chosen in my first year: sociology. From then on, I had made my decision that I wanted to continue along the path of sociology and criminology into the field of law. Specifically, I am interested in becoming a criminal lawyer. Favourite Courses Personally, my favourite course was criminal law. It may be my background in criminology, but something about learning about every aspect of criminal law excited me and I found myself not only looking forward to seminars and lectures but even enjoyed doing my assessments and examinations – as ridiculous as that may sound. I also enjoyed tort and property law greatly. I am someone who truly believes in doing what you love and are passionate about, and for me that was criminal law, but for others it can be tort, land, or any other course. Why Study in England? As a Canadian student, the question that I probably get asked the most – after “where are you from? You don’t sound like you’re from around here” – is why did you choose to study law in England instead of Canada? After attending a seminar held by a UK university about law held by UofT in my third year, the thought of going to university in England was exciting to me, especially given that I had never lived independently away from my family before since I commuted to UofT for classes. I wanted a new experience, and the fact that I could finish my law degree in two years rather than three was another bonus in my eyes. Studying in England allowed me to meet people from all over the word – especially since my university has a large international student population – which opened my eyes to new perspectives. I wanted to step outside of my bubble and encounter a different part of the world, and I feel that studying in England gave me just that. Not only have I had the honour of meeting great new people and learning from them, but I have also been able to discover more of myself and gain a stronger sense of independence. What you should know before studying in England Studying in a different country, whilst fun, can also be stressful so I wanted to give a few tips and pieces of advice to those considering hopping across the pond to learn! Firstly, it is extremely vital that you do your own research when it comes to choosing a university. I chose to attend the University of Kent because the law school runs its own law clinic which students can volunteer in and gain experience, something which I was lucky to be able to do last year. Another factor to consider is the difference in teaching and grading. Depending on what courses you took for your undergraduate studies in Canada, or if you are thinking of applying straight from high school, the marking set-up is quite different. In Canada, we are typically used to having mid-terms and multiple assessments throughout the year whereas in the UK typically there is only one or two assessments and then a final exam, meaning that the weighting of each mark is much heavier. Additionally, the grading scheme differs greatly. Moving to a new country and starting a new school can be intimidating, but don’t be hesitant to get as involved as you can. Getting involved in your school, especially in regards to extra-curricular societies will not only help you get to know more people but can also improve your learning. Participating in extra-curriculars will allow you feel less lonely and create a sense of community and can be even great for networking later on in life. Last year I was able to join multiple law societies, including one specifically for Canadian students, which is where I made a lot of new friends in addition to my flatmates. It is also one of the reasons that three of my friends and I created our passion project, the Empowering Womxn in Law Society, which we created as society to address and discuss intersectional feminism and the inequalities within the law – not just as law students and potential future lawyers, but also as subjects of the law. Where do I practice? Lastly, it is important to think of the future. This is definitely something that is easier said than done but it is still necessary to consider. Before my first year in law, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to stay in England and become a lawyer or move back to Canada. However, during first year I became absolutely sure that moving back to Canada and becoming a lawyer there was what I wanted to do. It may seem like a trivial decision at first, but this simple decision impacts your future pathway. Heading back to Canada to become a lawyer means that you either need to take National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) Tests or fulfil a Master’s program (LLM) that supplements that. From there, just like any other Canadian law student, you must complete your articling position and then write and pass the Bar examination. If you choose to study in England, the pathway is completely different – potentially heading off to bar school or choosing to specialize in a specific genre of law. It is notable that if you are interested in coming back to Canada to be a lawyer, having Canadian experience in law firms is strongly considered. However, that shouldn’t make you shy away from attending university abroad. What is most essential is making the effort to apply to internships and job positions – some may find this step difficult, but positions are out there! I was fortunate to be able to get an internship placement at a law firm in Canada this summer, but it did not come easily. I made many applications, phone calls and emails and was consistent in my efforts. Make sure to be persistent and take advantage of resources that can help your career such as law fairs, and CV and interview workshops! Parting Words I wish all those interested in applying to law school, whether it is Canada or abroad, the best of luck in their endeavours and I will leave you with a quote from one of my favourite inspirational figures, Angela Davis; “you have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time”. |
Legally BrownThree Osgoode Hall Law students sharing their lived experiences and providing *unsolicited* advice. Archives
December 2021
Categories
All
|