Fall 2021, after my brief hiatus, I came back to law school. This time around, law school was slightly different than what I was accustomed to. Since I began law school in August 2019, I would commute to school, the old-fashioned, pre-pandemic way. I knew everyone in my classes since it was the same people in every class. Now, I just knew people by their Zoom names and occasionally when people turned on their cameras. This semester, I was doing a combination of JD and MBA courses since it is my third year in the program.
First semester I tried to take as much as I could to take advantage of the virtual environment since my MBA classes were held late, 7 pm to 9 pm. I knew that if it was in person classes, I wouldn’t want to be on campus that late three times a week when my days started as early as 8 am on Thursdays! My MBA courses were: BSUS 6500: Business Strategies for Sustainability MBAN 6200: Realizing Value from AI and Analytics in Organizations MGMT 6800: Innovation Through Technology and Design These courses helped me explore different fields of business and explore my creative side a lot more. Through BSUS 6500, I even landed a Research Assistant position relating to Sustainability Accounting, a field I was not aware of prior to attending that class. At Osgoode, I took Taxation Law and Indigenous Peoples and Canadian Law. In addition, at Osgoode, I’m a student Caseworker at the Investor Protection Clinic. At Schulich, I’m enrolled in the 601, which is the capstone project for the MBA. Both of these obligations are year-long. I may have gone a little overboard because I did tack on an extra credit at Schulich to fast-track because at the time I was gung-ho on going on exchange in my final year, thinking that COVID-19 will not be a barrier in 2022 to international travel. Now this is TBD :( What I wish I had considered: While at face value, it seems like I had everything under control. A big takeaway from concurrently doing the dual degree is to consider the timeline for evaluations. At Osgoode, the exam schedule is posted over the summer when course selection occurs, that way there are no surprises and we can plan which courses to take based on the proximity of exams. Since I did not think of that as much as I should have, I had Schulich classes in the same week as my Osgoode exams and 601 deliverables. These Schulich classes mainly had at least a project per class due in that final week, so that first week of December was a little bit of a challenge to say the least. As for fast-tracking, would I do it again? Probably, because now that I know I handled it last semester, if the opportunity presented itself I would do that again because that’s just me. However, the reality is that starting mid-October (after Thanksgiving) to the first week of December, there was a lot going on at school with different deliverables, team meetings, etc. It does become a little bit of a higher pressure schedule and little downtime so make sure you have your trusty agenda by your side to help you navigate that patch. But if I could do it, you could do it too! Just requires some fortitude and a lot of planning :) By: Karen Randhawa This time of year is the busiest. Apart from the holiday spirit, law students are currently writing high-stake final exams. For most of my courses at law school, my exams are worth 100% of my final grade. I made a TikTok to share how I am currently preparing for my Taxation Law exam. In addition to this video, I would highly recommend forming study groups with people in your classes! It's always nice to discuss tax policies with my peers, I know I can count on a few people in my class. Contact your professor for office hours for questions that you have. Do practice problems/ practice exams as well - since law exams are generally about applying principles, statutes and case law. Getting into these habits will help structure your studying! Good luck everyone! Group work is meant to prepare you for "the real world." With people going back-to-the-office, it was only a matter of time until I would need to return to campus. Did I imagine that being 20 months since I last stepped foot on campus? Perhaps. But what I didn't think would happen would be that I would be going to campus on a Sunday afternoon to meet with my group to discuss our next steps. All this to say, that not every Sunday is like this, but there have been more than one in this semester alone to get the team together across a table to figure out what course of action to take next in our Capstone project for the MBA. In order to enjoy reading week, I went on a short trip across the country to Vancouver with two of my law school besties. When planning this trip, we made sure to come back in time giving us the opportunity to using reading week to READ! However, this reading actually began on the flight back home to make sure that we were setting the right habits. This just goes to show that you can work hard and play hard! It all comes down to effective time management. Starting the TikTok series at Legally Brown with a Day in the Life video! I summarized my busiest day of the week this semester, Thursdays. Mind you, when I first found out that I had 8 hours of lectures (two at Osgoode and 1 at Schulich), 3 hours of work I was a little bit worried on how to optimize my day since it is easier to lose sight of what is important when you're in virtual school. But within the first three weeks, I was able to figure out a way to prioritize and gauge what I absolutely need to fulfill on Thursdays. As a dual degree student, seeing your peers who started law school at the same time as you undergo OCIs and other recruits and settle into their legal placement while your second summer. I was proud to see my friends doing fantastic things with their legal career early on - each person in my immediate friend group was thriving (quite literally all nine of them landed positions that were well suited for a 2L summer position, and have accepted articling positions at fantastic places and I can’t wait to see what their journeys have in store for them).
As a result, at the back of my mind I didn’t want my 1L summer to be a bust. I wanted to diversify my experiences and maximize output. I ensured that this summer I kept busy and tried to gain experience in different areas of the law. Was that the best use of my time? Absolutely. Another summer impacted by lockdowns, COVID-19 impacts, the emphasis was to continue to motivate myself to learn and grow as an individual. I worked four different jobs in the field of business law, securities litigation, employment law, and estate law! Of these experiences, I would like to reflect on my time at Epilogue Wills (“Epilogue”). First and foremost, it started on LinkedIn. LinkedIn has been an ally in learning more about what people do with a JD/MBA education. Alumni from my school have curated careers that range from strictly business-focused positions to a variety of law-based roles. This time I found lawyers who combined the two - working in estate law but not as lawyers, as tech entrepreneurs. It sounded like quite a different experience since it related to a legal tech based startup which simplifies the process of will-making for Canadians. Sidebar - If you’re reading this and are above the age of majority, you should definitely look into getting a will for your assets. If you’re a student and think you don’t need a will, think about your social media accounts - there is a will for that - the social media will! Back to my story, I applied via email and thought to myself that it would be really cool to work in an entrepreneurial environment where both co-founders are lawyers! The culture Culture is key. It can make or break your experience and drive. Being surrounded by individuals who treat you like a valued team member even if you’re the most junior person at the company/ firm can set the tone and vary the experience from if that was not the case. The best place to get a feel for culture is in the interview. The first impression of speaking with potential team member(s) and expectations is why I enjoy partaking in interviews to learn more about the goal of the company and people who work there. The interview was a conversation! I got to learn about both co-founders and the company, as they learned about me. When they extended me the offer - I accepted immediately! I was immersed in the company’s culture through meeting the rest of the team and being in constant dialogue with team members based on my tasks. The co-founders, as busy as they were expanding the business across Maritime provinces, were only a Slack message away when it came to meeting with me to provide me with feedback on the tasks I did. It really aligned with theories I learned in Organizational Behaviour about the ideal environment to work in! The co-founders always asked if I had the ability to enjoy the nice weather, partake in summer activities and make time for myself. They made sure I was not overburdened, which was greatly appreciated from the standpoint as a student who may not know if the work they are doing is ever enough and up to par with the standards. Even as a student, the co-founders asked for my take on the law after conducting research - I felt like a valued member and got comfortable with discussing the law outside of a classroom. What did my role look like? My role consisted of two major responsibilities: legal research and blog writing. The legal research component sounded daunting at first, since there was an end of term project associated with it. However, when I was assigned this topic - I would get subsumed with conducting research and comparative analysis that I wouldn’t even notice the time flying by. I worked with the co-founder to showcase my findings, discuss legal opinions and continue to contribute to my end of term project. Blog writing combined my interest in the law and writing - sound familiar? It differed slightly from my experience here at Legally Brown since the emphasis was on specific topics such as Notary publics and will making. I also improved my SEO writing, and received feedback and direction directly from the Director of Content. Whichever task I received, I never felt like I was abandoned or doing an ancillary piece - it felt like I had a voice and my opinion mattered. I enjoyed the level of autonomy as well and definitely had a positive experience. So for those individuals who have an opportunity to work at a start-up I say embark on it! You will learn a lot more than technical skills. My love for estate law I had an inclination towards corporate transactional work since undergrad - based on the mere specialization and my gravitation towards accounting and finance based courses. This carried through in the MBA. However, there is overlap between the aforementioned disciplines and estate law in Personal Finance. That course taught me the importance of wills and estate planning not for myself but the impact and ease it would have for my loved ones. Besides that, everything substantive I learned was on the job - so by no means are the courses prerequisites. I had a crash course in wills and estate law taught by the co-founders in the beginning of my internship. Working at the Epilogue this summer showcased the dynamic nature of the law - the digitization of witnessing, the accessibility in creating wills from one’s home, and the impending changes in legislation globally. Conclusion My 1L summer was definitely a boom. A second summer of “non-traditional'' big law allowed me to choose my own adventure through different types of roles in the legal industry and apply the knowledge/ skills I obtained from my education thus far. I’m really excited to see what this school year has in store for me and where my journey takes me next summer. By: Karen Randhawa As someone who has spent almost a fourth of their academic experience (5 years of 20 years of schooling) at Schulich, I have had the opportunity to take courses in different realms (believe me, in business school, taking a course outside of your specialization is akin to entering an unknown universe).
I have just finished up my 1st full year of the MBA program, where 9 of my 10 courses were electives. To some this may seem like a breeze - spoiler alert it was not. Elective courses at the graduate level will require you to put in the effort (and lots of it). Top 5 Electives You Should Take as a JD/MBA My career aspirations have always been geared towards a career in corporate work, so take these recommendations with a grain of salt. I am also an individual who enjoys quantitative courses (feel free to message me about very technical Finance and Accounting courses if that’s something you’re interested in). For Finance specific courses, I would highly recommend Financial Management (FINE 6100) and Investments (FINE 6200) - but that’s a post for another time. These recommendations are more aligned with an overlap and utility as a career in corporate law based on the things we learned. Personal Finance (FINE 6050) This course is highly recommended for any student. Personal Finance literacy is absolutely crucial, we covered topics from credit cards to mortgages, from tax planning to wills. With respect to why I think it’s good for lawyers, Professor Jamie Golombek does a phenomenal job with bringing guest speakers to share their experience in the industry. Two topics that I found particularly relevant for future lawyers, whether you’d like to practice tax or family law, was the Wills & Estate lecture and tax planning. During these two lectures, I felt as if I was back at Osgoode - the lectures made many references to cases to drill in the importance of having a will and the tax implications of these decisions. Law school courses that would likely complement this course: Estates, Family Law, Taxation and Trusts Mergers and Acquisitions (SGMT 6050) Getting into this course was a challenge, the waitlist filled up within hours of the course being announced because it was being taught by Professor Graeme Deans. A seasoned expert in the consulting industry, being able to learn from him is a gift for a lack of better words. The course was structured based on the phases of an M&A deal (Structuring the Deal, Negotiating and Valuation, Day One, and Integration). For aspiring corporate lawyers, it is important to understand current deals and the role of all professionals and stakeholders involved in the process. In every class, course material was contextualized through case studies, providing us the opportunity to apply and critically analyze. Class engagement and discussion were also promoted through break out sessions which helped students bounce ideas off of each other. Provided that M&A is a large corporate group on Bay Street, this course is greatly recommended for anyone interested in this practice area as they will be equipped with knowledge about the work that goes into these deals and important considerations of thinking as a business professional to augment your legal skills in the future. Law school courses that would likely complement this course: Bankruptcy & Insolvency, Business Associations, Commercial Law, Contracts II, Intellectual Property Law, Labour and Employment Law, Legal Drafting, Securities Law, Taxation Law Venture Capital and Private Equity (ENTR 6910) Admittedly, I was hesitant to take a course in the Entrepreneurship department due to my lack of experience in the field and how daunting the course name seemed. However, looking back I am grateful that I took this course as it truly has opened a new door of possibilities with respect to the field of Venture Capital and Private Equity. My Instructor, Stuart Browne, and Course Administrator Amelia Dookhee are actively involved in the Venture Capital world in Canada through Pycap Venture Partners. This course emphasized the role of lawyers in practice through Term Sheets and provided me with a solid foundation of Venture Capital & Private Equity funds - from their structure, strategy and trends in the industry. Learning about different exit strategies, new methods of equity crowdfunding and beta testing a product ensured the relevance and updated nature of the industry. A class that was my particular favorite was hearing Dragon Vincenzo Guzzo share his experience as an Angel investor. Law school courses that would likely complement this course: Business Associations, Contracts II, Legal Drafting, Securities Law, and Taxation Law Power and Politics in Organizations (ORGS 6400) The title is what attracted me to take this course, I wanted to know more about how organizations function. My professor was the Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Ena Chadha. Learning from a lawyer in business school has its own perks as they are aptly placed to analyze issues from business and legal lenses simultaneously. This course was very attuned to social issues and how to address them as a future business leader. From role playing exercises to class discussions, it was always interesting to hear everyone’s experience in various organizations. The readings were very relevant and with the times. This course taught conflict resolution strategies, equity sensitivity and developing oneself as a leader in today’s diverse work environments. I would highly encourage any student to take this course to challenge the status quo and learn more about your political skills to augment your career trajectory. Law school courses that would likely complement this course: Civil Liberties, Indigenous Peoples and Canadian Law, Indigenous Perspectives and Realities, Individual Employment Relationship, International Human Rights Law, Labour Arbitration, Labour & Employment Law, Legal Ethics, Meditation Clinic, and Transnational Corporations & Human Rights Negotiations (ORGS 6560) Prior to taking this course, from what I could recall from the Moot I took part in last year, I thought negotiations were adversarial. Negotiations was a challenging course because it necessitates self reflection in order to change our natural inclination to turn adversarial and instead adopt a new way of approaching problems. Dr. Cheryl Rivers was always happy to share her experience, assisting students if they had any questions on dealing with specific behaviours that stopped them from negotiating the optimal solution. The applications of this course have already paid dividends with respect to Negotiating competitions early this year, which without this course I would not have frankly considered participating in. Law school courses that would likely complement this course: Lawyer as a Negotiator, and Trial Advocacy Differences between Law School and Business School Law school is generally more exam focused, with higher stake exams (anywhere from 50% to 100% weighted finals). Not many group or partner projects during my 1L year (I think I may have had two partner projects), although this was before Zoom Law School and accordingly, this may have changed in upper years. In business school, course work and mark allocation can differ greatly, whether it be specialization specific or dependent on the professor teaching the course. There is a lot more emphasis on group work, so be ready to have Zoom meetings before and after class to delegate tasks, perform check-ins and collaborate for the final product. Most of my courses had a participation component to the grade distribution. This meant more than turning on your camera, it meant using the raise hands function to share your thoughts, demonstrate knowledge and speak about the topics at hand. I liked this component, not because I participate avidly in terms of speaking, but I learned how to actively listen to my classmates. Being on the less experienced side of the class, I liked hearing about how my peers have seen these theories in practice, what worked, what didn’t and where they felt further research should be allocated to improve the function of organizations. It was also a way of expanding my network, meeting people virtually through these open format discussions and various breakout rooms. I found that my colleagues in the MBA came from very diverse backgrounds, from geographic regions to career trajectories and identity - which truly made it seem like we were in a global classroom in a way. If you’re enrolled in the MBA program and you would like to ask questions about course selection, feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected] or send me a message on LinkedIn. I’m happy to help! By: Karen Randhawa |
Legally BrownThree Osgoode Hall Law students sharing their lived experiences and providing *unsolicited* advice. Archives
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