My incredible experience in the Certificate in Law program is what ultimately led me to taking the plunge in applying to law school. Now, as a 2L, I am grateful for the program’s influence and all it taught me as an undergraduate student.
I have always had an interest in going to law school. However, as an undergraduate student, I knew little to nothing about what law school entailed. Like many interested in the practice of law while in their undergraduate degree, I had limited exposure to the law in an academic capacity. The thought of investing a considerable amount of time, energy, and money into applying to law school was stifling when I realized I hardly knew what I would be getting myself in to.
As soon as I was an eligible student, I enrolled in Law 201: Introduction to Canadian Law. It was exciting to finally be learning about a subject I had long declared to be interested in.
After Law 201, I went on to take Aboriginal Law, Corporate Law, and Workplace Law. Each course exposed me to a different of the law that fed my interest, while leaving me with practical points I could apply to my life as a student, employee, Canadian, and general member of society. Beyond this, I was being exposed to a new way of thinking and reasoning that the law requires of its students.
Ultimately, completing these courses through the Certificate program confirmed my long-held suspicion that law school was the route for me. Beyond the classroom, my professors offered their time and guidance throughout my application process, sharing stories about their own law school experience along the way. After four years away from home, I was excited to move back to the west coast to attend the University of Victoria Faculty of Law, although leaving Queen’s and the supportive community I loved certainly wasn’t easy!
Within the first few weeks of my first year at law school, I felt fortunate that I had completed the Certificate program for the exposure it provided me. Law school is a unique beast. Particularly in the beginning, the subjects you learn are foreign and the legal jargon sounds like it’s a different language (well, it is Latin). The Certificate program taught me legal concepts as well as a general overview of different areas of the law. Overall, it provided me with a basis to further build my budding knowledge of the law.
After 1L, I was fortunate to gain hands-on experience through a Co-op work term with the Department of Justice. As I reflect on this work experience and my law school experience thus far, I am cognizant that my journey all began with Law 201: Introduction to Canadian Law. I am grateful for my time in the Certificate program, as it gave life to my suspected interest in the law and left me confident that law school was something I wanted to pursue.