What happens when you put law students in a room with young lawyers specializing in international criminal and human rights law, social justice and litigation? Students get lots of useful ideas on how to navigate legal studies while preparing for a variety of careers in the profession. 

Sharing their advice on February 24 at the Five Years Out panel discussion and coffee chats with students were three Law’14 grads: 

• Melissa McKay, a staff lawyer with Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP in Toronto, who will rejoin the Office of the International Co-Prosecutor at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in April;
• Sheru Abdulhusein, an investigator with the College of Nurses of Ontario in Toronto who also organizes with the Law Union of Ontario, a collective of progressive legal workers and law students committed to advancing social justice; and
• Ted Brook, a litigator with Norton Rose Fulbright in Toronto, focussing on class actions, environmental litigation, commercial litigation and regulatory disputes. 

“Don’t be afraid to take a different path than what you initially planned and figure out a coping strategy for setbacks,” said McKay, whose work centres on the integration of feminist legal theory and international law to better address sexual and gender-based violence in conflict and transitioning societies. In addition to Blakes and the ECCC, this globe-trotting grad has also worked with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague and on issues of constitutional law and gender equality in Nepal, Rwanda and the Philippines. 

“You aren’t going to get an offer, or even an interview, for every job you apply to, especially early on in your career,” she continued. “That is totally normal and okay. Keep your overarching goals in mind, be flexible and look for opportunities that allow you to build relevant skills, even if it may not seem like the most direct route to your dream job. Most importantly, seek out work that you genuinely enjoy!” 

Abdulhusein is committed to using feminist and community-centred advocacy to combat all forms of oppression and is passionate about addressing mental health issues within the profession. “As you’re navigating all the ups and downs, and twists and turns of law school, try to keep things in perspective,” she emphasized. “Remember that you have a life outside of law school. Take as much time and effort as you can to maintain it.”

In her first five years since articling, Abdulhusein has worked in government, clinic, and regulatory settings, as a freelance litigator, and at a non-governmental organization in Nairobi, Kenya. She has gained experience in family, administrative, refugee, human rights, constitutional, privacy and sexual violence law. 

Brook, who started his career clerking with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto, talked about how his interest in legal theory evolved into a passion for litigation and advocacy during his clerkship at the largest trial court in Canada. “The mentorship and advice that I received from my judges during that time has been pivotal to my career path,” he said. “And they still give me advice today.” 

He also spoke about making the career transition from a boutique law firm to a global law firm. “Both have pros and cons,” he went on to explain. “Working at a small law firm was great for mentorship and training. It taught me the hard skills of litigation. And practising at a global law firm has broadened my exposure to clients, industries and strategies for dispute resolution. I honestly never thought that I would be prosecuting environmental claims or helping public companies navigate complex class actions when I graduated from Queen’s Law.” 

As Abdulhusein put it, “At the end of the day, everything that happens in law school is either an opportunity or a lesson or both.” 

By Lisa Graham