Articles 2023

Though no stranger to relocating and adapting, I found it challenging as a newcomer to Canada and as a law student because I knew absolutely nothing about Canadian society or Canadian law. Fast forward three years, and I am an articling student with the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General. So, what helped me land on my feet in Canada? If I was to offer one answer, it would be the conscious effort to build contextual intelligence.

Allow me to reintroduce you to Samantha Peters (she/her/they/them) – no stranger to the spotlight. Samantha, who proudly identifies as a black queer femme, was called to the bars of Alberta and Ontario in 2020. In that short time, she has made a palpable impact on the legal profession because of her innovative and rebellious approach to the practice of law and the seemingly fearless way in which she navigates the margins that contemporary Canadian society imposes on her intersecting identities.

The author, criminal defence lawyer Hamna Anwar, makes a request to senior counsel: When you are giving advice to junior lawyers who look up to you, please be mindful of the power of your words. Please do not provide advice that teaches young, racialized women to minimize themselves or play it small.

Welcome to 2021, the year we all hoped would be different and exciting and most importantly rid of the COVID-19. As we trudge along, now almost 1/3 of the way done, we can truly see how difficult this year has been, not for one, some, or many, but every single one of us. Here's a look at my personal experience.

The purpose of this article is to provide other international students who want to practice law in Canada with some of the valuable information I have gained through networking, attending online events, and panels throughout my first year. Here's my story.

Yes, it has been a long road through licensing in Ontario. It has been eight years and counting in my quest to obtain an Ontario license to practice law. I took a longer route than the typical internationally trained lawyer (ITL). Here's my story.

Coming from South Africa, a country that had openly practiced direct and indirect exclusionary practices previously against its citizens and inhabitants, I offer my real-life observations and thoughts on the current practices in organizations and recommendations that can possibly assist with furthering diversity practices.

For those of us with children, we all have assessed the losses for them over this pandemic year and struggled to help them cope with the absence  of social get-togethers, driver’s education, sports, and being at school with their classmates and teachers.