As Veena and Luci prepare for 2L, with Veena’s role as a Division Leader for CLASP, Luci’s upcoming placement in the winter semester and discussing strategies about recruitment, I took a slight “detour.” For those who know me, they know I genuinely enjoy being in school. Prior to beginning law school, I was contemplating a Master’s degree, the Master’s of Accounting (MAcc) at Schulich. However, with the way life worked out, I ended up going to law school instead. But in the back of my mind, I felt like I was missing something and that having a Master’s degree in another discipline would enhance my knowledge and experience. I really did enjoy 1L, the transition wasn’t as tough as I had anticipated it to be. But I felt like I needed to go back to business school to learn a bit more about the business world. My undergrad was in accounting and international business so I didn’t have the opportunity to take all the courses that truly interested me. Through the MBA, I hope to build on my pre-existing knowledge not only through academics but through extra-curricular activities such as case competitions and working with individuals who have experience in the field. COVID showed me that life doesn’t go as planned and to take the road less travelled to ensure that I have a fulfilling educational experience. By: Karen Randhawa I am the first child born on foreign soil in my entire family. By the age of 10, I had the best written and oral English skills, leading me to become my extended family and broader community’s unofficial and unlicensed lawyer. From sponsorship applications to resumes, I was their go to girl. Even though I was definitely in over my head, I enjoyed being able to help and I dreamed of becoming a lawyer. This ambition of mine was only reaffirmed once I learned more about my background - the history, experiences and anguish that my parents sheltered me from until they believed that I was ready to know. My family comes from the northern region of what the world knows as Sri Lanka. But we have another name for it - one that is not tied to colonialism, oppression or ethnic cleansing. We call it Tamil Eelam, the land of the Tamils. After growing up in a liberal democracy, it was perplexing to me that the government could weaponize the rule of law to systematically discriminate and eradicate minorities. Being a daughter of Eelam is why I want to be a lawyer. I hope to use my law degree to attain the justice that my people deserve. I can’t say that law was something I always wanted to pursue. Coming out of high school, I was incredibly inspired by the world of economics. In particular, as an immigrant from Mauritius, I was interested in learning more about international relations and understanding “underdevelopment.”
It didn’t take me long to realize that the theories and models I was learning did not reflect the realities of many underdeveloped countries. What stood out most to me was persistent and blatant disregard for human rights across the global south. While completing a co-op term during one of my summers in undergrad, I met a colleague who had conducted extensive research on the mining industry. I got to learn a lot from him. I went on to do more research and found that legal institutions were at the core of the problem. That is when I decided that law school is the right path for my ambitions. I know it may seem like lawyers don’t change the system, but I’d like to believe that with the right mindset and passion, lawyers have the power to transform the lives of so many. In my undergrad accounting courses, my peers were perplexed as to why I was taking CPA-path courses when I knew I wanted to pursue law. It was because I enjoyed accounting, yes you read that right; accounting is fun. Although I loved business school, the courses were challenging, combining qualitative and quantitative factors; I had another motivator that led me to law school, besides the fact that I wanted to continue on this path of enrichment which we call university. I was first introduced to the legal career through stories of my late grandfather. I never had the opportunity to meet him, but his legacy lives on through the clients he’s represented, and the stories he has left behind for his family. I admired the respect associated with his name, his intellect, and the person he was. Not all heroes wear capes, mine wore a black robe (Randhawa ne kala coat aiwi ni paya - #IYKYK). I wanted to be like him, which motivated me to be involved in my community, school, and keep up with academics. |
Legally BrownThree Osgoode Hall Law students sharing their lived experiences and providing *unsolicited* advice. Archives
December 2021
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