The Internationally Trained Lawyers Program (ITLP) at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law recently hosted an inspiring and well-attended “fireside chat” to hear from a notable group of legal professionals and academics who were trained outside of Canada.
“Success and Serendipity: the Journeys of ITL Role Models” had a distinguished panel which included Peter Hogg, scholar in residence, from the Toronto Office of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP; Rebecca Huang, a litigation associate with Bennett Jones LLP; Allan Hutchinson, Distinguished Research Professor from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University; Archana Medhekar, a sole practitioner working primarily in the area of Family Law; Prakash Narayanan, an associate with the Business and International Trade & India Practice Groups at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP; and Obiora Chinedu Okafor, a professor of international law at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University.
Following a warm welcome from Dean Mayo Moran and Gina Alexandris, director of the ITLP, members of the audience listened to the experiences and personal journeys of the speakers, about the various stages of their professional journeys to becoming licensed in Canada.
They shared their varied reasons for choosing Canada as their new home, individual challenges they faced upon arrival as newcomers and several useful strategies to overcome these challenges, career highlights and the role of mentors, and examples of both planning and serendipity in the pursuit of their professional goals.
While the experience of each panelist is unique, a number of common themes and “golden nuggets” of advice certainly came from the discussion. All panelists spoke of the value of networking and reaching out to people to learn more about both Canadian culture and the legal profession. As well, most panelists spoke of the impact of particular individual mentors on their professional development, which usually arose in unexpected situations. Many acknowledged the challenges, hard work and time that it can and does take to accomplish individual aspirations ... and encouraged each person to work hard. Finally, each speaker agreed that while everybody should make detailed career plans, expect that chance encounters and experiences - serendipity - will play an equally important role.
After the panel discussion, audience members had the tremendous opportunity to meet with the panelists informally during a reception in the Faculty Lounge, where they could continue the conversations.
Watch a webcast of the discussion.
Photos by Lisa Lu Anne
