We will miss you Neil!
On August 5, Neil Dennis left his role as the Faculty of Law’s Director of Career Development Programs within the Career Development Office (CDO) to take on the role of Director, Professional Development at Blaney McMurtry LLP. Neil graciously sat down with Ultra Vires to talk about his time with the CDO and offer inspirational last words to students.
Ultra Vires (UV): Prior to working in career development, you worked in securities litigation, government enforcement, and white-collar defense. What prompted you to switch fields?
Neil Dennis (ND): The practice wasn’t really speaking to me the same way that mentoring younger associates and students was speaking to me. It was a great experience, but working with student outreach programs was what I found to be truly exciting. The tell-tale sign came when I was looking to leave the second law firm in which I was practicing. I interviewed with various employers, including other firms, government agencies, and a career services position at Georgetown University Law Center. I remember I had a coach at the time, and while discussing these interviews, she said I became much more animated when talking about the career services position compared to the other jobs. That realization helped everything click into place.
UV: In your position at the CDO, what did you find to be the most rewarding and most difficult aspects of the job?
ND: The most rewarding aspect remained constant throughout my career in this field; it was getting messages from excited students, letting the CDO know that they got the job (especially when it came from those who had to battle the odds to get there). It sounds cheesy, but that’s the key motivator in these kinds of roles. For many of us, we could have been earning more if we remained on the traditional law firm path, so this satisfaction helps make it all worth it. Over these past two years, seeing students persevere through major challenges, such as COVID-19, was definitely one of the highlights during my time at U of T Law.
The most difficult aspect was running the CDO at a time when there was a lot of uncertainty, largely stemming from the pandemic. What was new for me was not having answers to students’ questions. That was so frustrating because if I’m counselling a student, I want to provide comfort and clarity, but often it was impossible to know if things were being delayed, cancelled, or moved from in-person to virtual. I always like to be transparent when communicating with students, and the most I could communicate was, “we don’t know yet.” But, I learned from this experience that sometimes that is the best and most honest answer available.
UV: During your time as a career counsellor with the CDO, you were also involved with the Black Future Lawyers (BFL) Initiative and were a member of the Faculty’s Gender, Accessibility and Diversity Committee. Is there anything you learned in those roles that you would like to share?
ND: It was an exciting time working on BFL from the ground level. The U.S. legal market is much more advanced in terms of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives. They have well-established programs that have been around for decades. To be honest, when I came back to Canada, I was disheartened by the lack of concern around these issues. However, I really did notice an evolution during my time at U of T Law on these matters, especially with BFL and the Black Student Application Process—and that was immensely satisfying.
The EDI committee experience was also very interesting. We looked at how the recruiting process affects equity-deserving communities and developed a feedback mechanism for any instances of harassment and discrimination that students might have experienced. I also recall reading [the Black Law Students Association’s (BLSA)] and other student groups’ open letter on anti-Black racism and white supremacy in the legal profession. The letter requested more CDO programming around EDI issues, and I took that very seriously. I was adamant that we work hard on these matters and took action to implement programs around the recruiting process from the perspective of BIPOC, first generation, and mature students. I was grateful to have had the opportunity to support our students in this way.
UV: You studied law in the U.S. and worked there both as a lawyer and in professional development. What prompted you to return north of the border?
ND: My wife and I had always planned to come back to Canada to raise our children. The 2016 election helped accelerate that decision. A part of me wishes I had done more during my time at Howard University, but the opportunity to work at U of T was incredible given the school’s location and reputation, so I had to jump at it. I also completed my undergraduate studies at U of T, and it felt right for me to take the journey back.
UV: Do you have any parting advice for students going through one of the various recruits, or getting ready to take them on?
ND: The biggest thing, and sometimes this message gets lost amidst the rumours and outside advice students receive, is that all of these formal Toronto recruits (2L OCI, Articling Recruit, 1L Recruit) are just one piece of the puzzle for your job search. They are just one opportunity. There are so many opportunities outside of these recruits, so many job postings, so many employers you can reach out to, and even other recruiting programs you can participate in. You are never left without options, but you need to be proactive. And it’s fine to give yourself some time and space to be disappointed and frustrated by all the lost effort, but don’t dwell too long at the expense of missing out on the many available opportunities that will appear. Also, keep in mind that you’re not alone, so don’t give up!
That’s actually a big reason why I chose to work at the firm I’m at now, Blaney McMurtry LLP. We are one of the great options that students can pursue outside of the recruit.
UV: Is there anything else that you want to say as parting words?
ND: My main approach to this role was always empowerment for students. You are in control of your career, whether in law or the many “non-traditional” pathways outside of the legal profession.
There are tons of pathways to get to where you want to be, and it is within your control how your career will be shaped. I always used these concepts of control and empowerment to guide how we serve U of T’s student community.
It was always challenging to find where improvements could be made at U of T. The caliber and success rate of U of T students were always high, so there wasn’t much room to move the needle there. But, I felt that ideas of empowerment and control could instill a greater sense of confidence in our students, which in turn could yield happier careers. I truly hope students feel that way!
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
