Professor Y.Y. Brandon Chen is a health and migration law scholar, currently teaching at uOttawa as part of the Common Law faculty. He has researched extensively on the intersection of healthcare, immigration and the law. His areas of interest include healthcare ethics regarding migrant workers and non-citizen populations. Considering that COVID has created a wealth of travel and healthcare inequities, we sit down with Professor Chen to examine how COVID has affected the healthcare landscape for migrant/immigrant populations and what can be done to ameliorate the situation moving forward.

Please note that this episode was recorded during 2022, and information presented on the COVID-19 Pandemic was up to date at the time of recording, but may have changed since. For updated information on COVID-19, you can consult the Government of Canada’s resources here: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html

On this episode of the Law School Show, host Nicholas Cheung sits down with Samantha Seabrook to discuss the ins and outs of running your own practice, including how to get started, growing your client base, and building a practice that aligns with your values. 

On this episode of The Law School Show, host Abbey Shields sits down with Charmaine Panko, collaborative lawyer, mediator, and founder of Panko Collaborative Law & Mediation. They discuss Charmaine’s path to practicing family law, her approach to collaborative law, and recent legislative changes in Saskatchewan mandating early family dispute resolution in certain family law proceedings.

Adam Dodek, Dean of the Common Law Section at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, joins us on the podcast to discuss his legal journey, from studying law in the United States, to working in the public service in Ontario, to joining the Faculty of Law and becoming the Dean. Listen now as Dean Dodek talks about the biggest challenges he’s faced during his legal career, discusses the differences between university governance and politics, and offers tips to current law students on how to become better lawyers and better people.

In this episode, we discuss leaving the legal profession (twice), working in big law in NYC, aboriginal law in Toronto, and how to turn a boring question into an interesting answer during job interviews. You can follow Nicole on Twitter @nicoleparoyan, and follow Chris on Instagram, LinkedIn, and online @tell_people or tellpeople.ca

In this episode, we feature Ninetta Caparelli, who is currently working as a criminal defence lawyer at Greenspon Granger Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. She began as a second-year law student and finished her articles with the firm in 2017. Ninetta has defended clients on a variety of charges, including impaired driving, assault, domestic assault, assault causing bodily harm, drug charges, criminal harassment, and driving related offences. In addition, she has assisted in defending an array of complex criminal matters, including large scale drug projects (possession, trafficking, production), gun trafficking, sexual assault, fraud over $5,000, attempted murder, and murder.  Ninetta Caparelli will introduce us to the world of criminal law, as well as the rewards and challenges of working as a criminal defence lawyer. 

In this episode of the On Health series we discuss mental fitness and the practice of meditation. Our subject matter expert, Judy Steed, is an award-winning journalist (Globe and Mail, Toronto Star) and author, the recipient of four National Newspaper Award citations for feature writing, the author of five books, and the recipient of the Atkinson Fellowship in Public Policy. For the Atkinson, she focused on Aging, did research in Copenhagen and Stockholm, and discovered back home in Toronto that here is one of the great Neuroscience centers of North America. Which led her into mindfulness and brain plasticity, inspired by Toronto doctor Norman Doidge's best-selling book, The Brain that Changes Itself. She has been leading a guided meditation practice for 10 years, and also teaching Pilates and other Fitness classes at the Central YMCA in Toronto. As well, she teaches courses at Ryerson, focused on brain plasticity and mindfulness.

 

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Mark Asfar joins us to discuss his journey from being a History student at Queen’s University to being a young lawyer at Momentum Business Law in Ottawa. Along the way, he reflects on the importance of following your interests, from choosing an undergraduate program that he enjoyed, to finding meaning (and balance) in extracurriculars, to joining a relatively new firm whose work perfectly matches his passions. We also discuss strategies for getting involved in law school and finding a job that will allow you to learn and grow.

Join Amos Vang and Ryan Pistorius as they interview Dr. Rebecca Jaremko Bromwich on her research, her work-life balance, and current issues surrounding the overall criminal justice system and the youth criminal justice system. 

Multi-talented, focused, and determined: this has been the story of Dr. Bromwich’s amazing career.  Dr. Bromwich holds a Bachelor of Social and Cultural Anthropology, an LL. B, an LL. M, a Ph. D. in Legal Studies, a Certificate from Harvard’s Program on Negotiation Master Class, and a Certificate in Mediation from Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation.  She has also co-authored and co-edited six books to date, including her most recent book, Mothers, Mothering and Sport: Experiences, Representations, Resistances.  Dr. Bromwich has taught at the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law, University of Cincinnati, Fanshawe College, Carleton University and the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, all while balancing four young kids. Dr. Bromwich has served as a criminal defence lawyer and is currently a per diem Crown Attorney for the Ministry of the Attorney General and Program Director for Carleton University’s Graduate Diploma in Conflict Resolution program.

You can check out Dr. Bromwich’s most recent book here:  http://demeterpress.org/books/mothers-mothering-and-sport-experiences-representations-resistances/

You can also check out Dr. Bromwich’s career here: https://carleton.ca/law/people/bromwich-rebecca/ 

In this episode of the On Health series we get tailored nutritional advice for law students from Melissa Piercell. Melissa talks about the healthiest foods to buy on a budget, the best foods for brain function and the importance of good nutrition in maximizing your performance. Jam packed. Healthy. And brought to you with love (on Valentines day) from the good people at the Law School Show and Lexis Nexis Canada Inc.

Kaitlin Baldwin has an Hons. B.A. in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour from McMaster University, a Graduate Certificate in Concurrent Disorders from Mohawk College, and is currently completing her M.A. in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University. She currently works as an Addictions Counsellor.   In this podcast, we discuss the interaction of substance abuse and addictions within the criminal context; including topics such as criminalization leading to stigmatization, and resulting recidivism due to these social structures. We also discuss vicarious trauma and the effect of substance abuse on not only clients, but on the stressful professional careers surrounding the criminal sphere.

Here’s to your health!

Staying healthy, vibrant and sharp is key to career development. This is the first instalment of the “On Health” series brought to you by the Law School Show and LexisNexis Canada. “On Health” is a three episode series covering physical fitness, nutrition and mental health. In this first episode, we get expert advice from Meredith Clinton on how law students can maintain physical fitness. Check out the FREE resources for law students from LexisNexis and the sample workout programs from Meredith Clinton below.

LexisNexis Canada Law Students Page

Lexis Practice Advisor Canada (free to law students)

Dr. Wolfgang Alschner is an empirical legal scholar specialized in international economic law and the computational analysis of law.  He is co-founder of the investment treaty analytics portal www.mappinginvestmenttreaties.com and his research focuses on using social and computer science methods in order to empirically investigate international law.

In this interview we discuss the emerging field of empirical legal analysis, what impacts computer technology can have on the study and interpretation of the law, and the implications of incorporating AI and machine learning into a legal career.

Lawyers help create, interpret, and apply the laws that govern our societies and daily lives. That is why, it is no surprise that so many lawyers find a calling to public service at some point in their careers. In this edition of the Law School show, our host Faaris Hussain sits down with Allan Rock, former Attorney General of Canada and current Professor/President Emeritus at the University of Ottawa - to speak about setting aside the life of traditional practice to pursue the responsibilities of public office. Professor Rock explains this career choice that lawyers make, its cost and benefits, the opportunities it provides, and how lawyers/law students can help inform a decision about whether this career choice is for them.

Dr. Julie Macfarlane is a distinguished Full Professor at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law. She is committed to Access to Justice research, and she is the Project Director of the National Self-Represented Litigants Project. Additionally, Professor Macfarlane has published extensively in the areas of conflict resolution, mediation, and legal practice, and she is named as one of Canada's 25 Most Influential Lawyers. If you are interested in developing a career in access to justice or in becoming a Law Professor someday, then this episode is for you!

 

If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more about Professor Macfarlane’s work on access to justice, be sure to also check out Professor Macfarlane’s podcast, Jumping Off the Ivory Tower, at https://representingyourselfcanada.com/podcast/.

Interested in working for a full-service business law firm? Check out this episode before jumping into it! Jim Robson summered and articled at Blakes (One of Canada's top business law firms) before joining the firm as an associate. Jim started with the Corporate group and found his way into the Competition, Antitrust & Foreign Investment Group. We talk about his law school experience at the University of Toronto, on-campus interviews, competition lawyer's interactions with the Competition Bureau, a recent merger that Jim worked on, and much more.

 

Here is a link to the article that Jim mentions in the interview: Bass Pro/Cabela's: a case study of competitive retail mergers" by O'Melveny partner Ted Hassi and counsel Lindsey Freeman https://globalcompetitionreview.com/article/usa/1144867/bass-pro-cabelas-a-case-study-of-competitive-retail-mergers Please note: There is a paywall to access the article.

Hugh Verrier is the Chairman of White & Case LLP. He manages the firm's strategy as well as its operations worldwide. In this episode, we follow his career path from a graduate of the University of Ottawa's law program to his current third term as chair of a major international law firm. Tune in to learn more about his challenges and advice!

In this episode with Susana Lee at Cassidy Levy Kent, we discuss the unique aspects of International Trade Law. Susana comes from a science background, and applies her financial skills from her MBA degree in her daily work as an international trade counsel. Susana also comments on the importance of time management and team communication in a law firm. Interested in working with numbers and international clients? This is the episode for you.  

Joel Miller has over forty years of family law experience. He was a partner and the family law chair of Ricketts Harris LLP. He still acts as counsel there but is also the lawyer behind the Family Law Coach. Over the years he noticed the significant growth of self-reps in family court who had good cases but lost 73% of the time when facing a lawyer on the other side. He helps to level the playing field by providing self-reps with cost-effective, accessible and transparent family law help in the form of legal coaching. ​

Gillian Akai is Chief Administrative Officer, Executive Vice President, and General Counsel at Postmedia Network Inc. Yes, all of those things at once! Obviously, Gillian is quite talented, but from experience I can tell you she is also honest and humble. I had the pleasure of talking with Gillian about the ins and outs of her current role, the path she took to get there, and who she is both as a person and a professional. This episode is chock-full of useful insights and tailored advice for the law student looking to shape a career that fits their skills and interests.

Anthony Daimsis has been teaching at the University of Ottawa since 2003. He is the current Director of the National Program, a program that leads to a dual JD/LL.L degree. He is also the Director of the common law's mooting program.

Prof. Daimsis teaches Contracts and Torts law, International Sales law, International Commercial Arbitration, ADR and legal writing. He also supervises the common law Jessup, Vis and FDI moot teams and serves as the faculty's moot program director.  He has advised South Asian countries in the area of Foreign investment and investment treaties. Prof. Daimsis is called to the Ontario Bar (Barrister and Solicitor). He has recently joined Littleton Chambers (London, England) as an associate door tenant. He works with the National Judicial Institute, a not-for-profit institution committed to building better justice through leadership in the education of judges in Canada and internationally.

Before teaching at the university, he worked at an international law firm located in Austria, as an associate. His work focused on foreign investment disputes, telecommunications and underground resources, in addition to a number of international commercial contract and construction disputes resolved under the auspices of the World Bank (ICSID) and various international commercial arbitration institutions.

As a leading authority in his field, Prof. Daimsis is frequently approached to serve as an arbitrator in domestic and international commercial disputes and is a sought after speaker on the topics of international arbitration and international sales law, most recently travelling to Myanmar to advise its government entities on investment into Myanmar.  He is on the ICDR panel of international arbitrators.

He is co-authoring the forthcoming International Commercial Arbitration and NAFTA Ch 11 Disputes from a Canadian Perspective. He is a contributing author for Dispute Resolution: Readings and Case Studies, 4th Edition, as well as International Business Transactions: Standard Forms and Documents and has edited a number of Business Law books used in business schools and MBA programs throughout North America.

In 2008 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Association of Fellows and Legal Scholars of the Center for International Legal Studies for his contributions to its scholarly activities and publications and in 2011 was awarded the National Capital Award for teaching.

Prof. Daimsis is the lead instructor for the Professional Certificate in International Arbitration. This certificate aims to introduce senior lawyers to the world of International Arbitration, by covering the process from start to finish. For more information on the Professional Certificate, please follow:http://www.continue.uottawa.ca/program_EN.cfm?courseID=495&groupID=19&catID=4

Prof. Daimsis has recently delivered keynote addresses and lectures in cities, including London, New York, Naypyidaw, Stockholm, Tehran, to name only a few.

Adolfo Morais is an immigration lawyer living in Ottawa. He has a unique background as a foreign trained lawyer and also a Canadian lawyer. He came to Canada from Brazil with is family in 2008; as a newcomer, he had to face many challenges in life. Adolfo decided to continue pursuing the path as a legal professional. He spent five years in law schools and obtained two law degrees in Quebec and Ontario. He worked extremely hard to self-study French. Adolfo also took good care of his two young daughters during the education. Thanks to his positive attitude and efforts, Adolfo has become a successful immigration lawyer after he graduated from uOttawa in 2012. His story is inspiring for all law students.

Based in Ottawa, Stephen Dam is a sole practitioner in the areas of Real Estate, Estate Planning, Civil Litigation, and Family Law. In this interview, Stephen shares with us his experience from being a law student to starting his own practice. He also talks about the pros and cons of being a sole practitioner. If you are interested in becoming a sole practitioner, this episode is for you!

Marco sits down with litigator and arts & entertainment professional Roselyn Kelada-Sedra to discuss her web-series in development, Fail Better. They explore the fear of failure that's part and parcel with striving for perfection in imperfect professional environments; ones where racism and misogyny still rear their ugly heads.

Learn more about: - Fail Better, the series (failbetterseries.com) - Roselyn the actor (roselyn.ca) - Roselyn the lawyer (sabsaylaw.com)  

Join Amos Vang on this special episode as he interviews The Honourable Marshall Rothstein, former Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada!

            It is commonly known that being a Supreme Court justice is difficult.  However, what is not commonly known is one’s life and path towards becoming a Supreme Court justice.  Justice Rothstein reminisces about his journey from working extremely long hours as a waiter and a pantryman on a dining car, to law school, to his early legal practice, and to his experiences as a Supreme Court justice.  Justice Rothstein also discusses the importance of civility and the art of civil disagreement, which are important skills in judging, in the legal practice, and in daily life.

            This episode is also available to view on our YouTube channel.  You do not want to miss this episode.

Intro and Outro music by: Scott Buckley – Race the Sun

https://www.scottbuckley.com.au

Precedent Magazine and its student offshoot Precedent JD are the brainchild of Melissa Kluger, a graduate of the University of Toronto's Faculty of Law. Melissa started out articling at Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP, spent two months on a secondment at the criminal law office of Edward L. Greenspan, and after being called to the bar practiced media law in Toronto. During her time as a lawyer, she saw a need for a publication that spoke to the lifestyle of the young lawyer, and the idea for Precedent was born. Today, every single law firm in Toronto gets an issue of Precedent magazine. Listen in to this interview to hear her story, to learn more about Precedent, and to hear Melissa's thoughts on the state of law today. And stay tuned for Part II, coming out soon!

In this episode, we interview two senior lawyers at a legal aid clinic, and discuss the role poverty plays in exacerbating individuals legal problems and opportunities for students to get involved in legal aid work.

Mike Laliberte

Mike is a senior staff lawyer at Neighbourhood Legal Services (London & Middlesex) and has worked at the clinic for over 25 years.  He concentrates his work on social assistance issues and has engaged in many law reform efforts and enjoys participating in community development. Mike has chaired the OW & ODSP Advocates Group since 1995.

Although born and raised in the lovely town of Sarnia, Mike attended undergraduate studies at King’s College in London and completed his law degree at the University of Western Ontario Law School.  He also has a teaching degree.  Mike articled at a large law firm in London but much prefers practicing law at a legal clinic.

In 2017, Mike received a Canada 150 medal recognizing him for his contributions to our nation in all his years of service!

Kristie Pagniello

Kristie Pagniello has worked as a staff lawyer at Neighbourhood Legal Services (London & Middlesex) since 2001, having previously articled and practiced at Seabrook Epstein St. Marie & Miller in London. She has a Masters Degree in Sociology, with a Specialization in Criminology, and a Law Degree from the University of Windsor.

Kristie works on the social assistance side of NLSLM representing clients before administrative tribunals regarding Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program, Canada Pension Plan Disability, and Criminal Injuries Compensation. She has a particular interest in student development work and as such coordinates and supervises the student placements from King’s College School of Social Work, Fanshawe Paralegal Studies, and Ryerson’s Law Practice Program. Kristie is also a part-time professor at Fanshawe College in the Post Graduate Paralegal Studies program, teaching Tribunal Practice and Procedure.

 

Lucrezia Spagnolo is the founder and CEO of Vesta Social Innovation Technology. An online platform and app that allows victims of sexual assault and harassment to document their experience in real time. It was developed in consultation with survivors of sexual assault, lawyers, judges, law enforcement, clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists to create a responsive, effective and user-friendly interface. So when victims are ready to report it can be used as evidence for criminal sexual assault and harassment cases.

Danielle Waechter, a lawyer at Forget Smith, practices mainly in the area of insurance defence litigation including bodily injury, accident benefits, and motor vehicle accidents. She completed her JD at the University of Ottawa. In this episode, Danielle shares with us her journey to where she is today, including a transition from a different area of law. Danielle also provides tips on how to make the most out of law school. Don't miss this episode! 

Alison Babbitt is a UK- and Ontario-qualified project finance lawyer at Norton Rose Fulbright's Ottawa office. In this episode, Ms. Babbitt talks about her international experience from a law student in Scotland and UK to an experienced project finance lawyer in Canada. She also gives current law students tips and advice on how to develop practical skills in law, which include the ability to pay attention to detail and to work collaboratively in a team. Finally, Ms. Babbitt talks about renewable energy as an emerging area of law. If you are interested in project finance law or are curious about how it is like to work at a global law firm environment, this is the episode for you!

Looking to start your own family practice? Check out this episode before you take that leap! Meagan LePage and Stephanie Smith decided to establish Court Coach LLP three years ago, a practice focused in family law, child protection services, and legal coaching. We talk about how they got started, the highs and lows of running their own business, and advice for anyone who is interested in exploring this path.

Whether or not you’ve considered opening your own firm – this is the podcast for you. Mike

Hook, lawyer, entrepreneur, and founder of Intrepid Law in Toronto, talks about the skills that

all lawyers should hone, regardless of entrepreneurial intentions. Hook talks about what

pushed him to start his own practice, and offers enlightening advice on how to tell whether

practicing in a big firm is for you or not. In addition to advising law students to make the most

of all challenges and opportunities presented to them throughout law school, Hook encourages

budding lawyers to believe in their own talents and skills. For those interested in taking a

professional risk, Hook speaks to the support of the legal community and trusting oneself, and

could make even the entirely risk-averse consider taking an entrepreneurial leap of faith.

Understanding that many students are currently going through the Toronto recruitment process, we are re-launching a few relevant episodes to help student prepare for their interviews.

Josh Smith and Karen Cheung sat down with two UOttawa students who were successful in the 2016 Toronto Summer Recruitment process. The four of them share their insights, reflect on the experience, and talk about methods to keep you sane throughout it all.

Understanding that many students are currently going through the Toronto recruitment process, we are re-launching a few relevant episodes to help student prepare for their interviews.

In this episode we give you two checklists: one to go through a day before your OCI & In Firm Interviews and a second to keep in mind during your OCI & In Firm Interviews.

Understanding that many students are currently going through the Toronto recruitment process, we will be re-launching a few relevant episodes within the next few days to help student prepare for the interviews.

In this episode, Susan Pak, Director of Student Programs and Human Resources at Stikeman Elliott Toronto shares what Bay Street interviewers are looking for in candidates during summer and articling recruitment. In addition, she discusses how the interviewers make hiring decisions. Listen in to learn how you can make yourself stand out in the interview process.

In this episode hosted by Bianca Morello, we speak with two second-year law students. We touch on OCIs, as all three of us had very different paths and OCI outcomes. We also talk about our study habits, the importance of grades, the importance of friendships, and the difficulties of online school.

In this episode, Polly shares her experience transitioning from science into law. Reflecting on her 1L experience, she discusses some ways to tackle law school exams, prepare for classes, and balance school work with extra-curricular activities. She also talks about her experience with the Ottawa IP recruitment as a 1L and the type of interview questions that came up at the recruitment. If you are curious about the 1L IP recruitment, or just want to learn about how to survive 1L in general, tune in to give it a listen!

In this episode, David shares his articling job hunting experience, both the failures and the successes. He talks about strategies he used to look for articling after being unsuccessful in the formal recruits. He also talks about the challenges that come with being a 3L and not having an articling position. This is a worthwhile listen for those who are still seeking an articling position.

 

P.S. Don’t forget to also consider asking professors to help in your articling search!

 

Some of the resources mentioned in the episode

• Lawjobexchange
• Law School career centre
• Job Bank
• LSUC Articling Registry
• CBA/OBA Job postings website
• FACL Job Board (you need to be a FACL member)

 

David also talks about his bar exam experience.

In the 10-Minute Series, Rishi and Chris answer the 9 most common questions they’ve received since starting The Law School Show. One question per episode. Short and sweet and helpful. In this seventh installment the question is: What are the top 5 things to know about the bar exam? Enjoy!

If you’re interested in litigation, especially in the area of IP, then this episode is for you! Andy Shaughnessy, a partner in Torys' Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice, focuses mostly on IP litigation and dispute resolution. He has advocated in front of numerous courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada and the Federal Court of Appeal. In this episode, he shares his most daunting experiences, the challenges he faces as a litigator, and more! Tune into this fascinating episode!

 

Darcy is a Senior Associate at McMillan LLP (Ottawa) advising on all aspects of corporate and commercial transactions, general contract law, financial institution regulation and insurance matters. Darcy also has experience in the area of payments, having spent 3 months working with the team responsible for Canada’s essential payments systems on a secondment basis. Darcy is an alumni of the University of Ottawa where she obtained her LL.B. in 2010. She then went on to practice out of McMillan’s Toronto office for 5 years before returning to the nation’s capital. When not in the office, you might find Darcy hiking around Gatineau Park or otherwise relaxing at one of her favourite brunch spots.

In this episode, we have a candid conversation with Darcy. She tells us more about financial services, her transition from Toronto to Ottawa, and her experiences in law school. 

In this episode, Chris sits down with Michelle Moldofsky (for the second time on the LSS) of the Moldofsky Professional Corporation. At the Moldofsky Professional Corporation Michelle provides legal advice in health law and corporate commercial law affecting not-for-profit health organizations. Prior to founding this company, Michelle was General Counsel at St. Michael's Hospital. Stay tuned to hear Michelle discuss her approach to making a successful career transition and the difficulties and opportunities she experienced along the way.

To learn more about Michelle visit:

Moldofsky Professional Corporation

Corporate Advisory Counsel, Law Practice Program

LinkedIn Profile

LSS Ep 20: Michelle Moldofsky, General Counsel at St. Michael's Hospital

Sam Witherspoon is the Founder and CEO of MiraLaw - a legal tech start up based in Ottawa. Focused on leveraging technology to address access to justice issues, MiraLaw has created a product, Thistoo, that is intended to help mitigate the A2J issues faced by parties in Family Law.

In this varied conversation, we talk about Sam's journey from law school to founding MiraLaw, the idea behind Thistoo and Miralaw's other product Compass, the future effect of technology on the practice of law, and the challenges of founding your own legal tech start up.

Sam recommends the book The Hard Things by Hard Things by Ben Horowitz. You can also find more info on MiraLaw here.

What resources are available for first generation students who are studying law? In this episode Brooke Longhurst and Dianna Robinson will be talking to us about the First Generation Network and why this network was created.

Brooke is a second year JD student at the University of Toronto. Before law school, Brooke completed her Master of Philosophy the University of Cambridge. She is the founder of the First Generation Network, and President of the organization’s UofT Law chapter.

Dianna Robinson is a third-year JD/MBA student at Osgoode Hall Law School and Schulich School of Business. She is the president of a group established to provide support to students who are the first in their families to attend post-secondary education; the Osgoode First Generation Network.

The First Generation Network was created at Osgoode Hall Law School in December 2015 with the aim of reducing the professional, social and financial barriers to law school faced by students who are the first in their family to attend post-secondary education. The Network expanded to University of Toronto Faculty of Law in September 2016. The Network has a strong focus on activities that involve members of the legal community who were also the first in their family to attend post-secondary education.

If you want to start a chapter at your own law school, email: UTLFGN@gmail.com

Check out the First Generation Network at your school: Toronto, Osgoode, Western, Ottawa, Windsor, and Lakehead.

Ever wonder what it is like to work at TD Bank Group? Jeff Smolkin, a Managing Counsel, leads and manages TD Bank's online and mobile service offerings, innovation and mobile payment initiatives and strategy, such as UGO Wallet and TD Labs, as well as TD Bank's FinTech. He shares how he transitioned to IP law and some tips to succeess like being open to trying new areas of law. Tune into this episode to learn more!

Sari de la Motte advises attorneys, corporations, and government organizations in the United States about non-verbal communication. In this informative episode, Sari gives tips on non-verbal communication for litigators in the courtroom and applicants at the job interview.

FORTE’s free voir dire guide: https://nonverbalforte.com/voirdireguide 

You can find more about FORTE here: https://nonverbalforte.com/

 

In this episode, Nick Kruiper sits down with Dustin Moores, a lawyer at Nnovation LLP. Nnovation is an Ontario law firm that is completely virtual. Nick and Dustin discuss Nnovation’s unique business model, as well as Canada’s shift toward a virtual legal world. They also discuss the Law and Technology Option for uOttawa students. As a graduate of the law program, Dustin completed the Law and Tech Option at uOttawa. Dustin shares his experience with the Option, and his advice for future students that are considering it.

To learn more, check out Nnovation's website: https://nnovation.com/ 

Are you curious to learn what a career as a trademark attorney entail? In this episode, we sit down with Ms. Andrea Pitts, a trademark attorney from Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, and discuss how trademark prosecution is a niche, rewarding profession. Listen-in to gain advice and perspective from this accomplished in-house practitioner.

In this exciting interview, we sit down with one of the founders of Legal Cafe, a startup looking to enhance the communication between legal professionals. 

Co-founded by Shaunt Tokmakjian and Ari Comert, LegalCafe, as the name suggests, is a warm and inviting place for lawyers to connect and support each other quickly and easily, at home or on their smartphones. What makes this idea unique is that it fosters the creation of an online legal community through technological innovation, cost-effectiveness and profit sharing.

LegalCafe aims to solve the following three problems: (1) Poor support networks: Without strong networking, or large firm support, lawyers, especially new lawyers, are often left without a proper support network. This has the potential of impacting quality of service for clients. (2) Redundant Research and Cost: Often times lawyers are looking for answers hundreds of other lawyers have already researched. (3) Community: Memberships to the various legal bar associations can be cost prohibitive especially for new lawyers. In addition to the annual fees which range in the hundreds of dollars, members are often expected to pay for the various events they attend. The goal of LegalCafe is to leverage technological innovation to create an online and effective community with low cost to members.

If you want to learn more about LegalCafe, check out www.legalcafe.ca.

Aaron Wenner is a father, a graduate of Harvard, a graduate of McGill Law, a coder and an entrepreneur. In this episode, Aaron tells us about the product he created, aptly called CiteRight. CiteRight is an intelligent legal assistant that formats citations, assembles books of authority, and notes-up precedents. It saves lawyers’ time and clients’ money, and makes drafting litigation documents smarter, faster, cheaper. Aaron tells us about why he decided not to work in a traditional legal job and the process he has lived in getting CiteRight to market.