Reflections of a Summer Student – An Eye Opening Opportunity

In a world filled with numerous professions and educational degrees, it is not uncommon for prospective students in university or college to be uncertain about what it is they want to pursue. When prompted, the question of “what do you want to be when you grow up?” as a kid it is something that tends to linger around your mind as you construct images of the common doctor or astronaut in your head. Growing up, I wanted to be in the NFL, NBA and maybe a doctor on the side because at such a young age, the possibilities seemed endless. Having a virtually limitless amount of possible career paths can be intimidating at times and can lead to a form of option paralysis. This in turn, can make it very difficult to zone in and commit to a specific career. Growing up I had no real grasp on what I wanted to pursue as a career until the final years of my high school tenure when I was exposed to the legal aspect of the world via my Mock Trial team. This helped steer me in the direction of a profession that currently peaks my interest; being a Lawyer.

Although I had narrowed my focus towards the law, my initial understanding of what a lawyer really does, consisted of reading books like The Defense Never Rest by F. Lee Bailey and watching shows like Suits or Law & Order. In short, I had no realistic idea about how a law firm conducted itself nor any idea of what a lawyers actual daily life consisted of. That was until I was able to partake in this amazing opportunity with Jasmine Daya & Co as a summer student. Throughout my time at the firm, everyone in the workplace has really helped me comprehend what a firm should look, feel and sound like. A collaborative workspace filled with intelligent and dedicated advocates both in administrative and lawyer positions. It’s hard to not enjoy my time in the office! Being able to work closely with some of the best in the Personal Injury field, the team at JD & Co. has helped open my eyes into the world of advocacy and justice that lawyers live in. Seeing firsthand how our actions as a firm can make such a positive impact on someone’s life who is in need is one of the many rewards associated with being a lawyer. Although I have a long journey ahead of me before attaining my J.D or L.L.B, I feel that I have a much better understanding about the amount of hard work and passion that is instilled into every new client after we are officially retained.

In terms of the specifics, I’ve seem to be put into this mold of a Swiss Army knife of some sort, of which is analogous to my various jobs and tasks that I perform on a weekly basis. Of course this is only possible as a result of the ease in transition attributed to great pedagogy which was generously provided to me by the kind individuals throughout the firm. From serving Summons to Witness directly to clinical professionals, drafting Affidavit of Documents to scanning case files in a very eco-friendly attempt to digitalize the heavy paperwork, there is never a dull moment throughout my day. There are days where I have to analyze and help translate decoded OHIP summaries which make me feel like a paramedic of sorts like my father and other days where I am organizing invoices for disbursements which make me feel like a chartered accountant like my mother. There is more to being in a law firm than what my media filled preconceived notions led me to believe, I have learned priceless life and work lessons thus far and I am continuously grateful for this eye opening opportunity.