A fresh batch of Zoom Law grads coming soon to a firm near you!
The world looked a lot different in the fall of 2019 when the JD Class of 2023 applied to law school. Fast-forward to August 2020, we showed up on the law school’s back lawn for our first day of Legal Methods, masks in hand and hopeful for a distanced but otherwise “normal” classroom experience. Spoiler alert: that didn’t pan out. Mere weeks later, the entire class was transferred to the Zoom University School of Law for the remainder of our 1L year. That’s not all! Zoom University: The Sequel made its triumphant debut in January of 2L. At least we got to see Goodmans LLP Café reopen before our final days in Jackman Hall, right?
Every year, Ultra Vires asks the graduating class to reflect on their law school journey and where it all started: their applications. Students submit excerpts from their personal statements and compare them with their post-graduation plans.
I think it’s safe to say that when we logged on to OLSAS and submitted our applications, not a single one of us could have anticipated the law school experience that we ended up having. A pandemic, a faculty scandal, and three (or more) years later, have these unprecedented and head-spinning events left our graduating class unscathed?
The following have been edited for brevity and clarity.
The grassroots gunner
“A legal education, from my understanding, is very theoretically robust, which lends itself well to a student like myself who values and appreciates academic pursuits… I see myself using my law degree to work with grassroots organizations and the issues relevant to them, either in a local or international context, to support their mandate and rights. Examples of this might be immigration law, such as supporting refugees, or land rights, such as supporting Indigenous communities against major corporations.”
This student will article at a full-service Bay Street firm. They found humour in contrasting the areas of law they wished to pursue and their articling firm’s practice areas. While this student believes there was truth to their personal statement, they admit that when they applied to law school, they had a feeling their aspirations would not materialize because of the school’s financial burden. While they aren’t surprised they ended up on Bay Street, they remain hopeful that one day, their practice will align better with their personal statement.
The true crime aficionado
“When I was around 10 years old, I would curl up with my dad on Friday nights to watch crime documentaries. At this early age, I was amazed by the resilience and strength of victims who experienced immense trauma. While the injustice they faced was unfathomable, interwoven into these victims’ stories was a narrative of hope for answers and restitution. I was intrigued by lawyers who would listen to these stories, recognize the pain in their community, and advocate for those affected—the victims and those accused of the crimes. While I intended to just be entertained those Friday nights, I realized that these fact-finders, storytellers, and justice seekers are what I aspired to be. I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in law so that I could help those facing adversity achieve justice.”
This student will article at the Ministry of the Attorney General: Crown Attorney’s Office. Despite U of T Law’s entanglement with Bay Street, this student resisted the corporate conveyor belt. Although this student applied and interviewed with Bay Street firms, they couldn’t deny their genuine excitement for criminal law—the same excitement they shared in their youth. While in law school, this student was able to pursue their passion for criminal law by working at Downtown Legal Services. This student wishes everyone could follow their true excitement but understands that the debt load of law school can be a barrier to doing so.
The storytelling Scorpio
“My unique combination of fields of study allows me to learn about all the things I’m most interested in and passionate about. The best thing is that they all involve story-telling, through different media and through different lenses. I get to learn about the world from different perspectives. Be it through analyzing current legal cases, or reading Montaigne’s essays from the Renaissance, or analyzing graphs about evolution and genetics, I’m exposed to all sorts of stories. That’s what I’m most passionate about—telling stories, through both written and oral communication, about all sorts of topics, in all sorts of formats. I have an unbridled curiosity for the world, and being a typical Scorpio, am very investigative. This is why I want to study law. I love finding patterns, applying principles to cases, thinking of the right questions to ask, approaching issues from different perspectives, and helping people through telling stories.”
This student is headed to a corporate firm in New York. They found humour in their personal statement, especially in how litigation-oriented it sounds—in law school, they quickly realized that litigation was not their passion and that they would be better suited for transactional work. They also noted that they seemingly left out of their personal statement the fact that they mainly wanted to go to law school to be able to work in a fancy office and buy nice things.
The IP purist
“I wish to pursue studies in intellectual property law. I am interested in the patents of new chemicals, the copyrights of literary masterpieces, and the trademarks of designer logos. Pursuing legal studies gives me the freedom to learn and be amazed by the innovations of different disciplines without feeling restricted to committing to just one. With my experiences in chemical research and publishing, combined with my graduate studies, I have a deep understanding of the commodification, ownership, and protection of information […]. My childhood dream has evolved from being an inventor to helping the world’s inventors share and protect their creations. I am confident that I have not only the technical background but also the mindset required for success in this field.”
This student will clerk. While writing their personal statement, this student admits they didn’t exactly know what IP lawyers do, but figured it would be better than pipetting in a cold, dark lab for the rest of their life. Although U of T may be lean on IP offerings, this student has taken advantage of other law schools’ IP opportunities. While they aren’t entirely sure where they’ll end up career-wise, they are absolutely certain that IP work beats lab work.
The MD/JD hopeful
“This led me to the conclusion that I want to advocate for better health for my community members at the institutional level by addressing health-centred policy as a legal practitioner, while also providing direct care at the personal level as a physician, using a consecutive legal and medical education. It would be fair of you to ask why a dual medical-legal education would be so important, and what makes me equipped to handle such a rigorous career. For this, I turn to the words of President John F. Kennedy in his 1962 Apollo program address when he said: ‘We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard… because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills…’”
This student will article at a full-service Bay Street firm. They admit there is more to law than they realized before entering law school. In the end, they found their passion in litigation and contract law, rather than health law.
The climate change champion
“After all of this learning, studying law is what I want to do next; I am looking for a way to develop legal solutions to the complex sustainability challenges I have identified in my first degree, where business and science solutions fall short. Difficult problems like climate change require rigorous education, great thought, and an academic community that can accommodate people who think strongly between disciplines.”
This student will article at a non-profit environmental law organization. In sticking to their personal statement, this student realizes that they are likely in the minority amongst their peers. However, this student believes that the pressure to be swayed into corporate law actually drove them to dig their heels in, stick to their guns, and follow their true passions—even if that was only done to spite fate.
The global mind
“As the world becomes progressively more open, the problems we face cannot be solved on a national scale. Economies have become too dependent on imports and exports of goods and business ideas, as well as on migration of people. Issues of pollution and climate change are no longer up to a single country to solve. As a result, there is a growing need for lawyers who can work in these international contexts and I believe that this is where I fit.”
This student will article at a full-service Bay Street firm. The biggest draw for this student to enroll in corporate courses was exam-based grading, which they believe was a better fit for their learning style and would better prepare their transcript for future job applications. After landing a job in the recruit, this student wanted to diversify their law school education but struggled to do so with limited and overlapping course offerings.
The space cowboy lawyer
“As of right now, there are two possible avenues that I would like to pursue with a legal education. First, as I mentioned in my personal statement, I am keen to explore the legal protections of organizations in high-risk situations. With a JD, I would like to provide legal safeguards to the people on the ground and ensure the safety of their humanitarian work. My second area of interest is international environmental law in the planet’s final frontier: outer space. In planetary bodies, there is a significant amount of untapped mineral resources. Officially, this environment has been designated the common heritage of humankind and its resources are thus owned by humanity. I would like to use my JD to expand the international environmental laws governing outer space to ensure a legal system is created that benefits all of humanity.”
This student will article at a union-side labour firm. The IHRP scandal and subsequent censure had a major impact on this student, leaving them unable to explore the international law opportunities they were interested in before law school. Throughout law school, this student’s belief and trust in the law to enact real, tangible gains eroded. In reflecting on the law now, they believe it is a mechanism of oppressive capitalism. From this experience, this student’s career goals have shifted toward supporting organized collective action.
The SCC starstruck
“At the University of Toronto, the professional networking opportunities would allow me to meet even more inspiring people like Justice Abella. Also, experiential courses like ‘The Supreme Court: The Search for Justice’ would equip me to create the political change I seek.”
This student will article at a full-service Bay Street firm. Quite the poet, this student believes their personal statement was filled with artistic flare, and was “somewhat surprised that U of T read it and said, ‘yes, let this one in.’” This student admits that their career aspirations have changed significantly since writing their statement—unless anyone in the political scene is looking for an entertainment law expert. However, having achieved their dream of meeting Justice Abella, this student can confirm Rosie is a “boss.”
The U of T enthusiast
“For me, the University of Toronto is more than just a school. It is my value system, my ethic, and my family. The phrase ‘velut arbor aevo’ continues to remind me of my obligations to myself, my community, and the field of law. Over the past few years, I have strived to cultivate these virtues, and am now applying with a renewed desire to give back to the Faculty’s unparalleled national and global legacy. I wish to do this in the realms of academic research, legal innovation, and community work… Based on my academic and work experiences, I am confident that I have gained the skills to maximise my opportunities at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, and give back to the school that has made me the person I am today. I look forward to coming back home.”
This student will article at the Public Prosecution Service of Canada. Although this student began their law school journey with corporate law in mind, they found their calling in criminal law after summering with the Crown. While they look forward to practising for a few years, their long-term career goal is in academia and they’ve been grateful to explore various academic scholarship opportunities while in law school.
