One of the most rewarding aspects of my professional life today is supporting internationally trained lawyers who are beginning their own requalification journeys. Through my involvement with Osgoode Professional Development and the broader internationally trained lawyer (ITL) community, I regularly speak with lawyers who are considering, or are in the midst of, the process of qualifying to practice in Canada.
Many of the questions I receive are remarkably similar to the ones I once asked myself. How do I build a network when I am new to the country? How do I gain Canadian experience? How do I explain my international legal experience to employers? How do I identify opportunities? How do I know whether I am on the right path? And perhaps most importantly, how do I stay motivated when the process feels uncertain or overwhelming?
The technical answers to many of these questions can be found online. Yet what many aspiring lawyers are truly seeking is not information, but perspective.
As a lawyer originally qualified in Tanzania, my path to practicing law in Ontario was not straightforward. My journey through Osgoode Hall Law School's Master of Canadian Common Law program, the Law Practice Program, and ultimately qualification in Ontario introduced me to an extraordinary community of students, professors, alumni, career advisors, and legal professionals.
As I navigated my own transition into the Canadian legal profession, I also looked beyond traditional mentorship for guidance. Books such as Networking for People Who Hate Networking, The Serendipity Mindset, Working Identity, The Portfolio Life, and The First 90 Days helped shape my thinking about relationships, transitions, and opportunities. Yet books helped me understand what to do, while mentors helped me understand how to do it.
In Tanzania, networking is not typically viewed as a strategic activity undertaken for personal gain. It is simply part of being a member of a community. People know one another's stories, aspirations, and challenges. Relationships are built naturally through community and shared experiences.
When I first began hearing discussions about networking in Canada, I expected it to feel very different. Instead, I found more similarities than differences. The strongest professional networks are not built through transactional interactions. They are built through curiosity, generosity, trust, and a sincere interest in other people.
Justice Jamal captured this perfectly at the Internationally Trained Lawyers Conference in April 2026 when he observed that internationally trained lawyers are not leaving one network behind in order to build another. Rather, we are building upon the networks, experiences, and relationships we already possess.
Recently, while listening to a conversation between Trevor Noah and Ian Bremmer, I was struck by Bremmer's observation that time is one of the few resources that does not distinguish between people. Regardless of our profession, title, status, or wealth, we all have the same twenty-four hours in a day. When someone takes the time to answer a phone call, meet for coffee, join a Zoom conversation, review a résumé, or make an introduction, they are giving something finite and irreplaceable. They are giving their time.
This broader understanding of mentorship was reinforced by Justice Jamal's reflections that law is fundamentally a relationship business; that lawyers should actively seek the advice of others; that failure should be embraced as part of growth; that meaningful opportunities often arise when we step outside our offices and engage with the profession; that we have a responsibility to give back; and that we should remember to enjoy what we do.
Looking back, I have come to realize that mentorship is not simply about helping someone secure a position or advance their career. It is about helping people build confidence, find community, and develop relationships that will support them throughout their professional lives.
The greatest gift many of my mentors gave me was not advice. It was their time.
Through mentorship, community involvement, and professional engagement, I hope to continue giving that same gift to others.
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