Getting Rid of Expectations to Achieve Success: My Road to Presidency at UTPLS
This past year with the University of Toronto Pre-Law Society was unlike any other.
My experience with the Pre-Law Society began during my freshman year at the University where I joined UTPLS and competed in just one mooting competition which I didn't place in. Despite this, I fell in love with mooting and wanted to continue competing because I loved it, not because I wanted to place as a distinguished advocate or in the quarter finals on. So, I kept going and over the next two years, every moot I have participated in, I had been successful - an unexpected surprise. This, however, isn't only my experience, but the experience of the many mooters at UTPLS. We are guided by passion, not expectation. We do what we do because we love it and see a future for ourselves in law.
My passion for law at the undergraduate level did not stop at mooting. Born out of a quick conversation back home from the McGill Moot in 2017, Madeleine Freedman and I decided to introduce U of T and other interested universities to Mock Trials. So, we had started U of T's first Mock Trial Competition which hosted over 80 students and legal professionals who were advocating and judging the infamous case of British Columbia's serial killer, Robert Pickton. To top off this amazing competition, Marie Henein, a renowned criminal defence lawyer, had joined us as the keynote speaker (after reaching out to Ms. Henein, we were shocked to hear back a few weeks later with her acceptance, we were not expecting this!). Our passion for law extends beyond our personal aspirations but to sharing this passion to all interested students and those not yet decided.
After the success of Mock Trials, I was not thinking of running for President. I was more than happy to polish Mock Trials for its next competition, but, my expectations for the next school year were broken with encouraging words from my family and friends and my desire to do more for the UTPLS community and for the legal community in Toronto. I didn't run for President because I was expecting to win but because I was passionate about expanding the mandates of UTPLS and fostering more robust relationships between the UTPLS community and the legal community at large.
Fast forward a few weeks and we have a phenomenal executive with whom I am excited to work with:
Co-Vice Presidents: Madeleine Freedman and Anna Nabutovsky
Finance Director: Maria Hutt
Communications Directors: Arina Dmitrenko, Chad Melbourne
Mooting Directors: Ema Ibrakovic, Stefan Rus
Mock Trial Directors: Annie Hu, Maryam Aziz
If you are a law firm, legal professional, law student, or interested U of T student, let's break the expectations of the legal field (competition, only working with articling or law students, barriers to accessibility, etc.) and work together and help one another succeed in professional development! If you, a lawyer or law firm, are interested, or know somebody who would be, please reach out to me via LinkedIn messaging or send these interested individuals my way and we can establish a new relationship and expand our opportunities!