Canada: Getting Involved As A Law Student

Law school is both challenging and fulfilling. Your performance matters, and there is a lot of pressure to achieve high grades. However, grades are not the only determining factor. They do not define you as a candidate and do not measure your success post-law school. Grades do not teach you about your interests, nor do they guide your perspective on what you want to do with your degree. They certainly do not provide for talking points in an interview. Whatever your post-graduate interests may be, your involvement as a law student will speak volumes to your story and will shape your experience in law school.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

Most law school graduates will admit that their interests change throughout their law school journey. Some start off interested in commercial law, and leave wanting to pursue criminal justice. Law school provides an incredible opportunity to challenge yourself and discover what empowers you before starting your career. To be a lawyer is to be an advocate, and advocacy is not singular.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET INVOLVED?

MOOTING

A moot court competition is a mock trial, where competitors simulate a court appearance. Working as a team, you and your partner present your hard-worked submissions to a panel of judges. This specialized art of advocacy teaches you to engage with your work and challenges you to learn advocacy, research, and writing.

CLINICS

Student legal clinics are university-run volunteer programs. Each clinic is unique in the service it provides to its community. Under supervision, students are exposed to hands-on legal experience in a variety of practice areas.

CLUBS

Student-organized clubs are often affiliated with the university. Each year executives are elected and are tasked with hosting events or initiatives.

INTRAMURAL SPORTS

Intramural programs are student-coordinated competitive and recreational leagues. Intramurals promote wellness, diversity, and friendships through the sport of competition.

OUTSIDE OF LAW SCHOOL

Your involvement as a law student is not limited to what your school provides. Outside involvement is an incredible way to get involved that speaks to who "you" are. If you play a sport, join a community team or host games with your friends. If you are a self-proclaimed foodie, try the restaurants of food bloggers and comment on their reviews. If you love to write or read, you may enjoy a book club, a blog, or frequent visits to the library. The time you make for yourself can give you some much-needed respite from law school and can speak to your personality in a way that can translate into making you a strong candidate, both in the classroom and to future employers.

WHAT CAN YOU LEARN?

Law school extracurriculars are important because many skills cannot be taught in a classroom. Mooting is an incredible way to build friendships and can teach you to be critical and engaging with a bench. You will learn what it means to be prepared and how to challenge yourself and your work. Clinics can open your experiences to areas of law that you never considered. Try unique disciplines, such as intellectual property or environmental law. Clinics are not determinative of your career choices, and can teach you to sharpen your skills and affirm your interests before you make any "final decisions". Clubs can bring a piece of home closer to you. You will find other students who have the same interests, and in some cases, similar experiences. Clubs are not always limited by year, which can introduce you to friendships in their first to last year of law school. The friendships formed can be everlasting and can carry over into your post-graduate life. Depending on the nature of the club, they can also be a space to unwind, reset, and make time for your wellbeing. Your life outside of law school is incredibly important. You are not just a "law student" – you are a reader, a movie enthusiast, or a dancer. Most importantly, you are allowed to have fun.