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With the closing of a particularly challenging year that brought several changes for all of us, 2021 has reinforced the idea of remote working on a global level.  Many hoped for the return of some normality at the announcement of the vaccines, however the reality of this has been delayed. To ensure that you are fully equipped to maintain your overall wellbeing, we recommend the following wellness tips.

Right now, my journey is far from over. I am now preparing for the upcoming March 2021 Barrister and Solicitor exams while actively applying for student positions at firms and companies. While most firms are extremely vocal about supporting and training international lawyers, some don’t even consider you as a potential summer student at their firm.

When I began writing this piece, I was still waiting for the results of two NCA exams. I had taken them in August 2020, amidst all the chaos that the pandemic brought and continues to bring into our lives. Like most people who wrote the exams with me, the wait was accompanied with increasing anxiety. While there was hope that this story would end well, precedent dictated that I move onward and forward regardless of the outcome.

Young lawyers have plenty of opportunities to volunteer in non-legal, or what I call “law-adjacent,” capacities. In fact, I would suggest volunteering “outside the law” in conjunction with taking on some pro bono work or legal volunteering, or just volunteering in a non-legal capacity. Let me explain why...

Selina Mamo and Kate Julien are Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively, of the Ontario Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division Central. In August 2019, they each welcomed their first baby and began a 12-month maternity leave. Selina and Kate sat down for a fireside Zoom chat to compare experiences and discuss advice for other young lawyers considering taking parental leave.