Ioana Dragalin continued her studies at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Law, after completing a HBSc (High Distinction) in Human Biology and Ethics, Society & Law at U of T. Ioana will be clerking at the Brampton Superior Court of Justice and hopes to pursue a career in criminal law as a Crown prosecutor.
Why did you choose to study law?
During high school, I stumbled across the analytical reasoning section of the LSAT and found it exciting and fun to work on. Since then, I have realized that I love the study of law because it forces you to continue learning new things, since it is constantly being amended or having its interpretation evolve through court decisions.
What inspired you to choose U of T Law?
I chose to study at U of T Law because I wanted to work in Toronto after graduating, and I wanted to become a part of a long-lasting community of students with varied backgrounds and interests.
What are some of the extra- or co-curriculars you were involved in at the Law school?
During my degree, I worked as a research assistant for a variety of professors. My assignments ranged from finding South African constitutional cases about religious land claims to advising a professor on how feminist postcolonialism could further her students’ understanding of violence against Indigenous women. I also worked as an editor for the University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review, the Critical Analysis of Law Journal, and Ultra Vires, the Faculty of Law student newspaper.
In second-year, I competed in the 2019 Honourable Frank W. Callaghan Memorial Moot, winning Top Oralist and Best Appellant Factum. The moot dealt with arbitrary detention and exclusion of evidence under the Charter in the context of low-income neighbourhood policing.
In my final year, I organized Orientation Week for the incoming first year students, served as a representative for the Students Law Society, and volunteered with the Peer Mental Health Mentorship Program. I was also heavily involved in organizing and acting in Law Follies 2020, the student-run law school comedy revue.
What will you remember most about your time at U of T Law?
It sounds cheesy, but the people I’ve met while at U of T Law have become some of my closest friends. I’m thankful that I was able to spend this time with such a friendly and supportive cohort. I can’t imagine what law school would’ve been like without the amazing support system that the students provided one another. I am also very glad that the legal community is close-knit, because it means that I’ll have the opportunity to work alongside U of T Law alumni throughout my career.
