Off The Tracks

In the finale of Off the Tracks, we talk about what led us to start this project and the reasons we are concluding it now. We also discuss our word of the year, the episodes that deeply resonated with us, and what working together on the podcast taught us about friendship. 

Off the Tracks Podcast was designed to explore what it looks like to do law differently. If you’re ever looking to gain insight into off the tracks legal careers and conversations, we encourage you to stream an episode to help guide you to the answers you’re looking for in your own life. 

Whether this is the first time or seventy-second time you’ve listened to an episode, thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

If you’re looking to get in touch with us in the future, you can find Erin at Erin O’Rourke Law (erin@erinorourkelaw.ca) and Piper at Ontario Bar Exam Coach (piper@ontariobarexamcoach.com). 

– Erin & Piper – 

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In the third season finale of Off the Tracks, we are joined by Joshua Lenon, the Lawyer in Residence at Clio, an intuitive cloud-based legal practice management solution.

This episode dives deep into the intersections of law, technology, and innovation! Joshua shares about launching his own immigration law firm – while commuting weekly between Canada and the USA and working his day job – early in his career. This experience introduced him to Clio, a cloud based legal software company, which allowed him to be in 2 places at once. Years later, Joshua is a member of the Clio team, and he breaks down what working as Clio’s Lawyer in Residence entails. We also chat about Joshua’s sand volleyball hobby and a wild fact about Saskatchewan’s trust accounting rules!

Follow Joshua on Twitter

Read Clio’s 2023 Legal Trends Report here

Learn more about the Clio Cloud Conference here

Curious about starting your own law firm? Get Clio’s free guide here

Follow us on Instagram ⁠@offthetrackspodcast⁠, check out our website ⁠offthetrackspodcast.com⁠, or connect with us by emailing ⁠podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com⁠.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? ⁠Click here⁠ to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we are joined by Gina Alexandris. Gina is the Founder and Chief Enthusiasm Officer of her own Coaching and Consulting Company. She is an ever-evolving career champion of current and emerging professionals, and creator of innovative and inspiring programs, especially for those who are underserved. Gina is a life-long learner and in addition to her law degree from Osgoode Hall, she also holds a Masters of Education degree in Adult Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, and a Certificate of Completion for the Art and Practice of Leadership Development Program at the Harvard Kennedy School. Gina is also a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, having completed the Coaching program from the Co-Active Training Institute and holds an Associate Certified Coach credential from the International Coaching Federation. 

Throughout her career, Gina has consistently built programs from the ground up. She talks us through how many of these programs came to be and have evolved, including Toronto Metropolitan University’s Law Practice Program. Further, Gina shares an important perspective about why she consciously does not use the word “alternative” to describe different career paths in the legal profession and beyond. Gina also tells us about her most recent project, the Career Conversations Book Club, and what drove her to create this free resource for leadership development. 

Work with Gina through her coaching practice

Learn from Gina on LinkedIn

Follow Gina on Instagram

Register for the Career Conversations Book Club 

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we are joined by Catie Fenn. She is a lawyer turned life coach for young professionals, helping them to find more purpose, passion, and personal alignment in their lives. Catie began her career in litigation and practiced for 6 years. For 5 of those 6 years, she also built a coaching, retreat and digital course personal development business. 

Catie shares how and why she started her business, and why she’s returned to simultaneously practicing law after stepping away for 5 years. Catie is an expert at helping people find their next right step and she teaches us how to cultivate a strong sense of self trust. The three of us also dive into breakup stories and our experiences reframing failure.

Work with Catie

Follow Catie on Instagram

Follow Catie on TikTok

Learn from Catie on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with LawyersInHouse.com, a law firm composed of former in-house counsel. To see how they can provide insightful, pragmatic, and solutions-focused legal services to you and your legal department, visit ⁠LawyersInHouse.com⁠.

In this episode, we are joined by Cheyenne Arnold-Cunningham. Cheyenne Arnold-Cunningham was born and raised in Ontario and currently lives and works as a visitor on the traditional territory of the Ts’uubaa-asatx, Ditidaht, and Quw’utsun peoples in British Columbia. She is Métis with mixed European ancestry and is a member of the Métis Nation of BC with Métis roots and ancestry in St. Albert and Lac Ste. Anne Alberta and the historic Red River Métis community in Manitoba. 

Cheyenne works as in-house counsel at the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), largely working to support the acknowledgement, protection and exercise of First Nations' title and rights while also assisting to support the UBCIC and the First Nations Leadership Council in their legislative reform work to align provincial and federal law with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. She also works as a researcher at the Indigenous Law Research Unit at the University of Victoria and is the founder and owner of Dakota Law and Consulting. 

In this conversation, Cheyenne discusses the broad experience she has gained working in-house, including representing the UBCIC alongside co-counsel at the Public Order Emergency Commission Inquiry. Cheyenne shares about her law school experience and the importance of staying grounded in your truth of how you want to craft your career. We also discuss the importance of teaching Indigenous Legal Orders in law schools and how this coursework positively enriches a legal education. And, Cheyenne shares important networking tips for anyone seeking their first job post-articling! 

Learn from Cheyenne on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram ⁠@offthetrackspodcast⁠, check out our website ⁠offthetrackspodcast.com⁠, or connect with us by emailing ⁠podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com⁠.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? ⁠Click here⁠ to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with LawyersInHouse.com, a law firm composed of former in-house counsel. To see how they can provide insightful, pragmatic, and solutions-focused legal services to you and your legal department, visit ⁠LawyersInHouse.com⁠.

Please note: this episode has some unexpected technical glitches we were unable to clear in the editing process. 

In this episode, we are joined by Bindu Dhaliwal. Bindu is a seasoned professional with more than 15 years of experience in sustainability and environmental, social, and governance. A lawyer by training, Bindu began her career in the litigation department of a major Canadian law firm and clerked at the Ontario Court of Appeal. Currently, she is CIBC’s Senior Vice-President, ESG & Corporate Governance, responsible for its ESG strategy, disclosure, governance and engagement activities. In her role, Bindu also oversees CIBC’s Corporate Secretary function, Whistleblower Program, and Client Complaints Appeals Office.  

In this conversation, Bindu gives us a behind the curtain look at environmental, social, and governance legal roles. We also dive deep into advice about how to course correct career decisions and how speaking up for what you want can help you achieve your career goals. 

Learn from Bindu on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram ⁠@offthetrackspodcast⁠, check out our website ⁠offthetrackspodcast.com⁠, or connect with us by emailing ⁠podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com⁠.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? ⁠Click here⁠ to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with LawyersInHouse.com, a law firm composed of former in-house counsel. To see how they can provide insightful, pragmatic, and solutions-focused legal services to you and your legal department, visit LawyersInHouse.com.

In this episode, we are joined by Avi Weiss. Avi is the Founder of Counselwell, a community that supports the professional and personal development of in-house lawyers. He also works as  Senior Legal Counsel at Coinsquare, an IIROC-regulated cryptocurrency trading platform operating in Canada.

In this conversation, Avi takes us through the two big setbacks he experienced throughout his career. He also discusses what in-house life is all about and how Counselwell helps advance the careers of in-house lawyers, through community and tailored programming.

Learn from Avi on LinkedIn

Learn more and join Counselwell

Attend the Counselwell Summit 2023

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 
Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with LawyersInHouse.com, a law firm composed of former in-house counsel. To see how they can provide insightful, pragmatic, and solutions-focused legal services to you and your legal department, visit LawyersInHouse.com.

In this episode, we are joined by Sacha Fraser. Sacha earned her law degree from Queen’s University. Her non-linear career path has gone through many phases, including 6 years off the tracks in three different business roles before returning to law and General Counsel positions at Xerox and now, IBM. Sacha is an avid tennis player, photographer, mixologist and playlist curator. 

In this conversation, Sacha shares about how working in-house can provide meaningful opportunities to become immersed in the business of the organization. Sacha explains how a big risk – taking a business role at Xerox – ended up being a great reward! She also gives fantastic tips about email hygiene and reclaiming time in your workday. And, we learn the sweetest reason why Sacha’s children grew up loving Wednesdays! 

Sacha is a mixologist and in an Off the Tracks first, we’re sharing a cocktail recipe with you today! Here’s Sacha “The Justice” recipe:

• A little less than one ounce of St Germaine

• A little more than one ounce of fresh lime juice

• Simple syrup

• Pour it over ice 

• Top with prosecco 

• To make it a mocktail, use an elderflower drink instead of St Germaine

Learn from Sacha on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with LawyersInHouse.com, a law firm composed of former in-house counsel. To see how they can provide insightful, pragmatic, and solutions-focused legal services to you and your legal department, visit LawyersInHouse.com.

In this episode, we are joined by Deepak Iyer. He currently works as Legal Counsel, Technology at First Canadian Title Company Limited. 

In this conversation, Deepak shares about what he’s learned from making 4 job changes early in his career. We also speak about how Deepak’s experience beginning his career in mid-sized cities helped him gain hands-on exposure to complicated files and thorough mentorship. Deepak debunks the myth that you need to wait to go in-house until you have “enough” private practice experience under your belt! And finally, Deepak shares insightful ideas into how law schools can innovate new programming to help graduates be more practice-ready.

Learn from Deepak on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with LawyersInHouse.com, a law firm composed of former in-house counsel. To see how they can provide insightful, pragmatic, and solutions-focused legal services to you and your legal department, visit LawyersInHouse.com.

In this episode, we are joined by Jaclyn Leong. She is the Senior Director, Legal at Aritzia where she leads the employment law team supporting all workplace and immigration matters across Canada, USA, and abroad. She provides strategic guidance to Aritzia’s leadership team and internal departments as Aritzia expands into new markets and grows its eCommerce business. Jaclyn previously practiced at Farris LLP in downtown Vancouver as part of their labour and employment and litigation groups and in-house at TELUS as part of their Litigation Team.

In this conversation, Jaclyn takes us through her career trajectory from summer articles with the Department of Justice, to working in private practice, and recently, to her in-house roles in large organizations. Jaclyn tells the story of how not meeting her billable targets in private practice helped redirect her career onto a new path more suited to her ambitions. We learn about Jaclyn’s current experience working at Aritzia – a company focused on expansion and growth. Jaclyn shares about each element of her role at Aritzia and how working in-house has afforded her the opportunity to contribute to business strategy and development. Jaclyn also provides an important reminder and insightful tips about how to be as mindful about building our personal lives as we are about building our careers. 

Learn from Jaclyn on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with LawyersInHouse.com, a law firm composed of former in-house counsel. To see how they can provide insightful, pragmatic, and solutions-focused legal services to you and your legal department, visit LawyersInHouse.com.

In this episode, we are joined by Vivian Ntiri. Vivian is an in-house lawyer, part-time cake artist, runner, and avid reader. She completed the dual JD program at the University of Windsor and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. She began her career in private practice at a large Bay Street firm and currently works as in-house counsel at Moneris. She loves Afrobeats, Gospel music, TV, and movies.

In this conversation, we learn about how Vivian found her way to law school and why she chose the cross-border dual JD program. She shares how she transitioned out of private practice and what she loves most about working in-house. Vivian’s story is a great reminder that it’s never too early in your career to begin working in-house. 

Learn from Vivian on LinkedIn

Learn more about the JD Bridges Foundation

Learn more about Avenue: Black Undergraduate Law Internship Program

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with LawyersInHouse.com, a law firm composed of former in-house counsel. To see how they can provide insightful, pragmatic, and solutions-focused legal services to you and your legal department, visit LawyersInHouse.com.

In this episode, we are joined by Christine Holmes. Christine is the Founder and CEO of LawyersInHouse.com. With diverse legal and business experience, Christine founded LawyersInHouse.com on the principle of making legal services more accessible and the legal industry more diverse and inclusive. Her specialties include general commercial law, IT, privacy, advertising, employment, leasing and working within regulatory environments. She has provided legal services to a broad range of clients, from senior executives and in-house counsel of large national and multinational corporations to small businesses and startups. Christine is passionate about changing the legal industry for the better for both her clients and her team.

In this conversation, we learn about Christine’s entrepreneurship journey and why she created LawyersInHouse.com. Christine emphasizes how each in-house work environment is different, and shares insights about her experiences working in-house at both Cineplex and Pepsi. We also dive into why Christine has built a remote-first company and how she fosters community within her remote team. 

Work with Christine through Lawyers in House

Learn from Christine on LinkedIn

Follow LawyersInHouse.com on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

Today we are joined by Aladdin Tingling Diakun. Aladdin is a Certified Executive Coach for new planet professionals, a corporate lawyer for small and mid-size enterprises, and a circular economy board chair with nearly 2 decades of experience in climate and sustainability. 

In this episode, Aladdin takes us through the story arc of how he came to attend law school as a mature student, how he emerged from articling a shell of his former self, and now, how he centres wellness at the forefront of his career. We also get curious about Aladdin’s climate advocacy and sustainability work and we learn how everyone can get involved at their own pace. Aladdin also expands our minds by explaining how climate change impacts every area of the law – even areas you would never initially expect! As a coach, Aladdin is highly skilled at asking insightful questions, including the one he leaves us with in this episode: what does it mean to find wellness in the context of such rapid change and discontinuity?

Learn more about Impact Zero

Learn more about Lawyers for Climate Justice

Learn from Aladdin on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

Today we are joined by Paula Price. Paula began her career as a lawyer and now runs her own executive coaching business for lawyers. She coaches lawyers at all levels to help them create greater career satisfaction, whether that means developing practice skills to thrive in the job they're in or making a career transition. Paula is also a podcaster and produces a weekly podcast called The Joyful Practice for Women Lawyers where she shares resources, strategies and interviews to help lawyers thrive in practice.

Paula’s legal career has taken many forms. She has worked extensively in private practice as a litigator, spent time as a contract research lawyer, built her own on-going lawyer coaching business, and designed and delivered public legal education programs for a non-profit organization. We dive into what motivated Paula to leave private practice – and what drew her to coaching – and how to find career and life experiences that feel aligned with your core values and goals. Paula also takes us through why it is important for lawyers to think about legacy building early in their careers and how a coach can help you craft a career trajectory that reduces burnout.

Work with Paula through Uplevel Lawyer Coaching

Listen and subscribe to Paula’s podcast, The Joyful Practice for Women Lawyers

Learn from Paula on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we are joined by Kenya-Jade Pinto. Kenya-Jade is an Indo-Kenyan-Canadian documentary photographer, filmmaker, and lawyer. She grew up chasing crabs on the Kenyan coast, before moving to Alberta’s foothills as a teen. Her hyphenated worldview informs her work where she focuses on non-fiction and narrative projects that navigate themes of displacement, belonging, and access to justice. 

When Kenya-Jade began law school, she didn’t see the archetype of the career she wanted reflected anywhere. So, she went out and carved her own creative path. We discuss how to build a sustainable unique career path, taking calculated risks, and we learn what a film producer actually does. Kenya-Jade also gives us an exclusive behind the scenes look at her new photo exhibit, “Storytelling, Migration Journeys, and Technology,” which premiers today (March 28) at the Berkman Klein Institute for Internet & Society at Harvard University. 

Work with Kenya-Jade by clicking here

Follow along with Kenya-Jade’s work on Instagram and Twitter

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 
Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we are joined by Shaun Bernstein. Shaun Bernstein is the owner and Chief Storyteller of The Write Stuff Agency, a content writing business based just outside Toronto. A journalist turned lawyer turned storyteller, he helps professionals and businesses better tell their stories through all forms of online content and copywriting. 

Before starting his own business, Shaun held many roles throughout his legal career including: practicing as a lawyer, full-time document review and marketing at a Bay Street law firm. He shares what he has learned throughout his experience transitioning from practicing to non-practicing status, and back again. We dive deep into the current state of mental health in the legal profession and Shaun also talks us through the “3 week rule” to help lawyers figure out the difference between needing to take time off from practice or needing to step away from the profession altogether. 

Work with Shaun through The Write Stuff Agency

Learn from Shaun on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper – 
Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we are joined by Erin Zipes. Erin has been a lawyer for eighteen years and has spent half of those years working in tech. She previously spent over seven years at Shopify, serving in a variety of roles including Vice President Assistant General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Erin is currently the Chief Legal Officer at 1Password, a password management security software company. Outside of work, Erin also is a Founding Partner of Backbone Angels, a collective of angel investors who invest in women and non-binary founders with a focus on investments in Black, Indigenous, and Women of Colour-led companies.

Erin shares with us the many turning points throughout her career and how she ended up working in tech. By the time Erin left Shopify, she was managing 75 people and we discuss the reality of lawyers as managers. Erin describes her “failure to launch” after articling and how that setback impacted her career outlook. Erin also gives us a behind the scenes look at angel investing and shares how and why Backbone Angels focuses on entrepreneurs who might otherwise not get the funding they need.

Connect with Erin on LinkedIn

Follow Erin on Twitter

Learn more about Backbone Angels

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we are joined by Chevin Commock, who also goes by Sebastian. Chevin is the Manager of Legal Initiatives at The 519, a Toronto based organization committed to the health, happiness, and full participation of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. In this role, Chevin is responsible for managing the administration of The 519’s existing legal clinics and services, legal education work, and other access to justice initiatives. Chevin is a Jamaican native who relocated to Canada in 2015 as a refugee claimant. Chevin is a Leo, and lover of nature and the outdoors.

Chevin has seen and experienced the law in-action from many vantage points including as a newcomer to Canada, a paralegal, and through his work at The 519. Chevin shares how he first interacted with The 519 by accessing newcomer services and how his involvement with the organization has evolved. Chevin talks us through the scope of The 519’s important initiatives including the Trans ID Clinic, Refugee Mock Hearing, and Case Support Programs. We also discuss the importance of chosen family and Chevin’s exciting future in the legal profession.

Live in Toronto? Volunteer at The 519!

Follow The 519 on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter

Connect with Chevin on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we are joined by Amy Matychuk. Amy is the Founder and Principal Lawyer at Prison and Police Law, a law practice dedicated to advocacy on behalf of those experiencing mistreatment while detained or imprisoned. She previously clerked at the Provincial Court of Alberta and the Nunavut Court of Justice. In her spare time, Amy enjoys powerlifting.

Immediately following her two clerkships, Amy niched down and began her solo practice. As the only lawyer in Alberta who practices in the niche of prison and police misconduct, Amy takes us through how and why she niched down, and the unique challenges of her practice. Amy shares her brilliant strategies for setting boundaries with clients and strategically protecting her time and work flow. We also learn about Amy’s experience living in Nunavut and her favourite candle hack.

Work with Amy through Prison and Police Law

Follow Amy on Twitter

Follow Prison and Police Law on Instagram 

Learn more about the Alberta Police Misconduct Database. Amy is on the board for the Alberta Police Misconduct Database Association, which is spearheading an important effort to collect documents related to police misconduct in Alberta all in one searchable place.

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we are joined by Jenn Varzari. Jenn is a litigator, fitness business co-owner, wife to a CFO/rapper, and mom to two feisty yet fantastic young boys. After law school, Jenn spent almost 12 years working for a large corporate law firm doing energy litigation. In 2016, when promised a legal role that would permit her “a rich personal life,” she departed big law to join Aviva Trial Lawyers as their first in-house litigation counsel in Calgary. This role change indeed provided her with time to revisit her passion for physical movement, music, and connection via training for and working as a group fitness instructor and eventually co-creating kin+fit, a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive fitness community that continues to stay true to its philanthropic roots.

Jenn shares about her experience realizing she didn’t want to become a partner at a law firm and how she made her transition out of Big Law. Jenn began auditioning to be a fitness instructor at 40 years old and she talks us through how this process and the communities she found and built have changed her life for the better. Jenn also shares her advice for junior lawyers and her peers, and reminds us that it’s never too late to change your mind, or take a big leap of faith.

Join the kin+fit community in Calgary

Follow kin+fit on Instagram

Connect with Jenn on LinkedIn

Connect with Jenn on Instagram

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

Connect with Krista on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we are joined by Lucas Kilravey. Lucas is an established and enthusiastic advocate for access to justice and equity, diversity, and inclusion in the legal profession. He began his commercial real estate practice in the Toronto office of Borden Ladner Gervais LPP (BLG), and now practices at Weil, Gotshal and Manges LLP in their New York office.

During his time with BLG, Lucas served as Chair of BLG’s national 2SLGBTQ+ employee resource group and, among other initiatives, founded 2SLGBTQ+ Firm Hop recruitment initiatives by partnering with 40 law firms across Canada and 2SLGBTQ+ mentorship programs within BLG and with partner firms across the country. Most recently, Lucas co-founded and chaired the planning committee for the PRISME law conference and co-founded and oversaw the incorporation and formation of the Canadian Association of LGBTQ2S+ Lawyers (CALL). Lucas currently serves as the inaugural President and Chair of CALL and is an active member of WeilPride.

Lucas participates in and spearheads so many important community initiatives, sometimes it’s easy to forget he also practices law on top of everything else! Lucas shares about his experience starting law school in his thirties, how he more than doubled the size of Osgoode’s Pro Bono Students Canada chapter, and how he got his articling role in big law through the formal Toronto articling recruit. Lucas also gets real about New York lawyer salaries and what drove him to help create CALL.

Connect with Lucas on LinkedIn

Connect with the PRISME Conference on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we are joined by Erika Misasi. Erika is the Founder and Principal Lawyer of Misasi Legal. Through Misasi Legal, Erika provides legal services and strategic advice to businesses, artists and creatives, and athletes and sports organizations. Erika is an enthusiast of the arts and entertainment, and sports and technology. And, Erika happens to be one of our former law school classmates!

Erika shares the moment she realized she could go out on her own and open her own firm – and how she subsequently quit her job the very same day. She also discusses her path to licensing, including the innovative education and hands-on training she received in the Law Practice Program at Toronto Metropolitan University. Erika presents tangible advice for any law student or new call looking to get started in sports or entertainment law. And best of all? Erika reminds us about the importance of being your own biggest fan.

Work with Erika through Misasi Legal

Follow Erika and Misasi Legal on Instagram

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we are joined by Monica Chohan. Monica completed her joint law and Masters of Public Administration degree at Queen’s University. She began her legal career in the federal public service, and then moved to in-house roles as a regulatory lawyer in “Corporate Canada.” After leaving in-house practice, Monica launched Chohan Law and Wilbrod House Consulting. From 2017-2020, Monica also worked part-time alongside the founder of an organization focused on the well-being of girls called Dandelion Dance. Today, Monica continues to run her own legal practice through Chohan Law, where she provides governance training and related advisory services to not-for-profit boards. She also conducts workplace investigations and is in the process of developing a related meditation practice. Alongside her work at Chohan Law, Monica also provides strategic advisory and facilitation services through her business, Wilbrod House Consulting.

In true Off the Tracks fashion, Monica loves doing things differently. Monica shares stories with us about a rebellious stage in her youth – as in how she rebelled by almost going to medical school. We also speak at length about how being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult can lead to many “aha” moments. Monica shares the beauty and heartache behind her work with the now defunct Dandelion Dance program in Ottawa, and how it had nothing to do with dance and everything to do with building safer creative communities for girl-identifying children and youth.

Work with Monica through Chohan Law

Work with Monica through Wilbrod House Consulting

Learn from Monica on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

We’re back! After a longer-than-planned hiatus, we are so happy to be launching Season 3 of Off the Tracks. This episode begins with brief life updates from us before diving into our conversation with Stephanie C. Mitchell. 

Stephanie is a keynote speaker who focuses on clear communication and believes in the power of words to both connect us and pull us apart. She has a journalism degree and law degree. Stephanie has extensive experience working with lawyers, judges, engineers, and other professionals. She believes that everyone has their own unique voice and should sound like themselves. Stephanie has lived all over the country and currently resides in Courtenay, British Columbia.

After attending law school, Stephanie immediately paved her own off the tracks route by not seeking articles or getting called to the bar. Instead, Stephanie pursued many fulfilling paths including broadcast journalism, legal career advising, and now, entrepreneurship as a Speaker and Coach. In this conversation, Stephanie shares some of her favourite writing and speaking tips for lawyers, including the importance of bringing more silence back into communication.

Work with Stephanie

Learn from Stephanie on LinkedIn

Follow Stephanie on Twitter

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with Lawbrokr, legal’s first customer experience platform powered by lawyers. To learn more, visit lawbrokr.com and see how you can join the movement to become a modern lawyer.

In the season finale of Off the Tracks we are joined by Daniel Steinberg. Daniel is the Co-Founder and CEO of Lawbrokr, a platform helping connect consumers with lawyers for everyday legal needs. Armed with a professional background in sales and partnerships, and an academic background in business and accounting, Daniel first became immersed in the world of legal tech while working at Clio.

All of Daniel’s insights share a common theme: the power of confident sales skills and perseverance. In this episode, Daniel shares with us why he was driven to become a Founder, how and why Lawbrokr introduced “Curiosity Days” for the entire team, and how to reframe setbacks as opportunities. Daniel also poses an important question: what exactly do lawyers sell? This episode is for anyone looking to up their sales confidence in any industry, especially the legal profession.

Connect with Daniel on Linkedin

Follow Lawbrokr on Instagram

Follow Daniel on Twitter

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with Lawbrokr, legal’s first customer experience platform powered by lawyers. To learn more, visit lawbrokr.com and see how you can join the movement to become a modern lawyer.

In this episode we are joined by Amanda Doucette. Amanda is a problem solver who loves showcasing the human side of professional careers. By day, she is a lawyer, helping her clients navigate the complex world of tax and assisting business owners with wealth transition. By night, Amanda creates educating content about tax and estate planning issues through The Tax Chick Blog and The Tax Chick Podcast. Amanda has been selected by peers as a leading practitioner in the 2021 and 2022 edition of The

Canadian Legal Lexpert (Estate and Personal Tax Planning) and was the winner of The Lawyers Monthly Women in Law 2021 Award in recognition of her outstanding legal expertise and contribution to the area of tax litigation.

In this conversation, Amanda shares how she fell into tax law – with no background in math, tax, or business – and how she approaches tax law differently than most in her field. We learn why Amanda created The Tax Chick Blog and The Tax Chick Podcast. (Check out The Tax Chick Roadmap to find a Tax Chick Podcast episode that will be most helpful for you!) Amanda also shares about her experience going back to school for her Masters of Law in Tax, and she raises an important question about who we get an education for. Also, if you live in Ontario and own the license plate “TXCHICK,” Amanda wants to hear from you!

Connect with Amanda:

Send her an email, thetaxchickpodcast@gmail.com

Follow The Tax Chick on Instagram

Read The Tax Chick Blog

Listen to The Tax Chick Podcast by clicking here, or find it on all major streaming platforms

Learn from Amanda on LinkedIn

Subscribe to Amanda’s newsletter, “Musings of a Tax Chick”

Find helpful tax and estate planning resources: https://linktr.ee/thetaxchick

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with Lawbrokr, legal’s first customer experience platform powered by lawyers. To learn more, visit lawbrokr.com and see how you can join the movement to become a modern lawyer.

In this episode we are joined by Sandra Shime. Sandra began her career in New York City as a litigation associate before spending five years as an Assistant District Attorney in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She has worked as the Alternate Chair and Vice-Chair at the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal for 13 years. She was recently named co-chair for the Toronto chapter of the Women in Leadership Foundation and is a lifelong volunteer who has consistently dedicated her time to improving the lives of women and girls throughout the legal profession and beyond.

In this conversation, Sandra illuminates the important difference between mentorship and sponsorship, and explains the small but meaningful steps individuals can take to sponsor others to help them reach new heights in their careers. She also shares about her experience moving from the U.S. to Canada and subsequently taking time away from practice at a midpoint in her career. Sandra’s story reminds us about the long term positive ripple effects of helping others.

Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn

Learn about Sandra’s volunteer work

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with Lawbrokr, legal’s first customer experience platform powered by lawyers. To learn more, visit lawbrokr.com and see how you can join the movement to become a modern lawyer.

In this episode we are joined by Laura Comfort. Known to some as “the most interesting woman in the world,” Laura holds four degrees from the University of Calgary. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Laura completed her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Kinesiology and then went on to earn her Bachelor of Nursing. As a nurse, Laura worked with Alberta Health Services in the areas of general medicine and community and mental health. Now, Laura practices law with Cuming & Gillespie, a boutique personal injury law firm in Calgary. Laura’s practice focuses primarily on serious personal injury and medical negligence claims. Outside of her academic and professional achievements, Laura has represented Canada internationally on the Canadian National Wrestling Team and has recently competed in some local fitness competitions.

In this conversation, Laura shares how her non-linear journey to the legal profession helped her leave behind feelings of doubt and uncertainty to find her place in the world. Laura thoughtfully explains how to navigate the reality that most of her clients are not calling or coming to her on their best day by managing and maintaining clear client expectations right from the very first client intake session and through the life of a file. Laura shares sage advice about how to check-in with yourself, and re-check-in to ensure you are living a life that fulfills your current dreams and goals.

Learn from Laura on LinkedIn

Follow Laura on Twitter

Follow Laura on Instagram

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with Lawbrokr, legal’s first customer experience platform powered by lawyers. To learn more, visit lawbrokr.com and see how you can join the movement to become a modern lawyer.

In this episode we are joined by Pauline Chan. Pauline has over a decade of legal experience in a national firm, as in-house counsel, and as a solo practitioner helping businesses of all sizes, from sole-proprietors to multinational corporations. She recently joined the legal tech platform Goodlawyer as a Lawyer in Residence because she is passionate about expanding access to legal help for small businesses and on the other side, improving the future of the law for historically marginalized lawyers. Pauline also has experience owning and running a barre fitness studio, giving her first-hand experience of what it takes to help small and mid-sized enterprises succeed.

In a previous life, Pauline worked as an energy economist and later had a career in marketing and co-owned an insurance agency. In this conversation, Pauline tells us about the life event that led her to pursue a legal career. She also shares about her experiences teaching barre fitness classes and owning a fitness studio, how a discovery call with Goodlawyer changed the trajectory of her career, and we discuss the gap in knowledge about how trauma impacts an individual’s ability to perform in the workplace. Pauline also reminds us that it’s okay to never fully settle into one single career.

Learn from Pauline on LinkedIn

Follow Pauline on Instagram

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with Lawbrokr, legal’s first customer experience platform powered by lawyers. To learn more, visit lawbrokr.com and see how you can join the movement to become a modern lawyer.

It’s our birthday…tomorrow! In this episode, we talk through and reflect upon all that we’ve learned over the past year. Erin talks about the difference between doing things she wants to do versus things she should do, Piper reflects on the realization that nobody has everything all figured out, and we discuss how rejection is just redirection.

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with Lawbrokr, legal’s first customer experience platform powered by lawyers. To learn more, visit lawbrokr.com and see how you can join the movement to become a modern lawyer.

In this episode we are joined by Leena Yousefi. Leena is a multi-award winning family lawyer, accredited mediator, and the founder of YLaw, the fastest growing female-led law firm in Western Canada. She has been named as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada, one of Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 under 40, and voted as the #1 top-rated Vancouver Divorce Lawyer in British Columbia. Leena has won over 90% of her family law cases since 2013. In 202, she was named by Lexpert as the only family lawyer in Canada to become the Rising Star of the legal profession. In 2022, she was chosen as one of the Top 50 Change Makers in Canada by the Globe and Mail and had YLaw rank in the Top 10 Innovators’ List of Canada.

Leena, a self-described outsider, gives us an inside look at many professional failures which have led her to this point in her life. This conversation also takes a deep dive into the holistic ways Leena approaches law and business. We learn how Leena positions her colleagues to do work they love, why and how YLaw transitioned to a 4-day work week and what impact this has had on the firm as business, and why she took her entire team (and their families!) on an all expenses paid one-week vacation.

Learn more about legal coaching at YLaw

Learn from Leena on LinkedIn

Follow YLaw on Twitter

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with Lawbrokr, legal’s first customer experience platform powered by lawyers. To learn more, visit lawbrokr.com and see how you can join the movement to become a modern lawyer.

In this episode we are joined by Pam Hrick. She is the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF). Pam provides leadership, support, and direction to LEAF’s work to advance gender equality through litigation, law reform, and public education. Before joining LEAF, Pam practiced law at Stockwoods LLP. She clerked for the Hon. Justice Thomas Cromwell at the Supreme Court of Canada and the Hon. Justice David Stratas at the Federal Court of Appeal. Pam currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s Administrative Law Section. Pam has been a longtime advocate for women and for 2SLGBTQ+ communities. She is the Chair of the Board of Management of The 519, a city organization that advocates for the inclusion of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. She has been recognized as a Leader to Be Proud Of, by Start Proud, a Precedent Setter by Precedent Magazine, and a Douglas Miller Rising Star by the Canadian Bar Association.

In this conversation, Pam shares with us the common thread she’s woven throughout her time in politics, private practice, academia, and now at LEAF. We also discuss the combined role of Executive Director and General Counsel, what’s lost when a leadership table isn’t represented by diverse perspectives, and how crucial trans inclusivity is within feminist advocacy. Pam also fills us in on how many Broadway shows she’s seen (spoiler: it’s a lot!) and what she’s looking forward to this baseball season.

Get involved with LEAF today!

This conversation zeroes in on legal technology and the importance of building deliberate relationships to make your career soar. Aaron shares with us the biggest challenge with legal tech today (it’s not what you think!), how he has created the training he wishes he’d had access to in the early stages of his career, and the importance of creating cohesive and effective systems.

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

This episode was produced in partnership with Lawbrokr, legal’s first customer experience platform powered by lawyers. To learn more, visit lawbrokr.com and see how you can join the movement to become a modern lawyer.

In this episode we are joined by Aaron Baer. Aaron previously summered, articled, and practiced on Bay Street where he became an equity partner at the age of 29. Needless to say, Aaron’s career started off as anything but “off the tracks.” Nowadays, Aaron is the Co-Founder of 4L Academy, a modern legal training program for law students and lawyers, and the Co-Founder of Build Your Book, which teaches lawyers modern business development and sales skills. He is also a Partner at Renno & Co, a boutique law firm dubbed “Canada’s digital law firm.’ This conversation zeroes in on legal technology and the importance of building deliberate relationships to make your career soar. Aaron shares with us the biggest challenge with legal tech today (it’s not what you think!), how he has created the training he wishes he’d had access to in the early stages of his career, and the importance of creating cohesive and effective systems.

Follow Aaron on LinkedIn

Learn from Aaron through 4L Academy

Grow your practice with Build Your Book

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

Work with Flex Legal Network

Follow Flex Legal Network / Erin on Twitter

Follow Flex Legal Network on Instagram

Connect with Erin on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

Learn more about Beyond Yoga for Lawyers and join the private Facebook group

Follow Beyond Yoga for Lawyers on Instagram

Connect with Aman on LinkedIn

This Saturday, April 16 from 8-9am Mountain Time, Aman is teaching a free yoga class for lawyers and law students. To get the Zoom link, join her email list by clicking here. 

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

– Erin & Piper –

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this final episode of Off the Tracks’ Going Solo series, we are joined by Faren Bogach. At the time of recording, Faren’s firm, Construct Legal, had only been open 6 weeks and this episode explores her perspectives as a new founder.

Faren is an innovator; she is the Founder of Pay Prompt, a legal tech software that provides people with construction law legal information without the need to contact a lawyer, and as the Founder of Construct Legal she has implemented a maximum billable hour policy.

In this conversation, Faren shares how she prepared to go solo after 11 years in Big Law, how fear has played a role in her career, and the importance of having good people around you in legal practice and in life. Listen to the end to hear Faren discuss the perks of working from home, including her newfound Pokemon battle skills.

Learn from Faren: LinkedIn / Twitter

Work with Faren: Construct Legal / Pay Prompt

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we sit down with Kaye Booth as part of a continuation of Off the Tracks’ series, Going Solo. After starting her family law practice at a large firm, Kaye opened her own firm, Empathy and Advocacy Family Lawyers in 2021. Empathy and Advocacy Family Lawyers operates solely with accessible, flat rate pricing for family law clients. Since first opening her solo practice, Kaye has now brought on an Associate and together they work to provide counsel for individuals who cannot afford an hourly lawyer, but also do not qualify for legal aid. In this conversation, Kaye shares how she harnesses her kindness and uses it as a superpower, the importance of recognizing the humanity in everyone you meet, accepting that you’re never going to know everything, and how the proudest moment of her career involved zero dollars and one delicious cake.

Work with Kaye / Follow Empathy & Advocacy Family Lawyers on Instagram

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

In this episode, we sit down with David Danielson as part of a continuation of Off the Tracks’ series, Going Solo. David is a founding partner of DK Law in Ottawa, a firm he opened with his friend from law school directly after they completed their articles. Prior to his legal career, David worked as a computer scientist with the federal government. We kick off this episode by sharing how Kijiji brought David and Piper together way back in 2014. We later dive into how David has used the referrals to build his practice, his experience teaching in the Paralegal program at Algonquin College, how he sets clear expectations with his clients, and how a single speeding ticket led David to appear at the Court of Appeal in Quebec. (You can find David’s speeding ticket journey on CanLii here and here!)

Learn more about the Law Society of Ontario referral service here.

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

Work with Amy / Follow Amy on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

Work with Thijiba / Follow TSJ Law on Instagram / Follow Thijiba on Twitter 

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

Work with Ashley: Syer Law / Gastown Mediation / The Lawyer Incubator

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

Follow Jennifer on Twitter. / Work with Jennifer. / Learn from Jennifer’s student debt journey.

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services.

Find Micah’s music here: http://micahoconnell.weebly.com/

Find Micah’s rare books and comic Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/rare_books_and_comics/

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services: https://www.cba.org/Sections/Wellness-Subcommittee/Wellness-Programs

Follow JP on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/justiceinpieces

Find Justice in Pieces episodes here: https://www.justiceinpieces.ca/

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services: https://www.cba.org/Sections/Wellness-Subcommittee/Wellness-Programs

Follow Vanessa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soul.attorney/

Learn more about Vanessa’s legal education and empowerment program, Legally Lit, by booking a discovery call here: https://calendly.com/thesoulattorney/discoverycall

Download Vanessa’s free e-book, “The 7 Steps you need to take to get Legally Lit in 2022” here: https://www.subscribepage.com/7-steps-to-legally-lit

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services: https://www.cba.org/Sections/Wellness-Subcommittee/Wellness-Programs

Follow Vanshika on Twitter: https://twitter.com/vdhwn

Read Vanshika’s piece “An Open Letter to the Law Students Barely Holding it Together”: https://ultravires.ca/2021/10/an-open-letter-to-the-students-barely-holding-it-together/

Learn more about Vanshika’s work: https://vanshikadhawan.com/

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services: https://www.cba.org/Sections/Wellness-Subcommittee/Wellness-Programs

Follow Samantha on Twitter: ​​https://twitter.com/SamPetersTO

Follow Black Femme Legal on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackfemmelegal/

www.SamanthaPeters.ca

www.BlackFemmeLegal.com

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing podcast.offthetracks@gmail.com.

Thanks for taking some time to step off the tracks with us!

- Erin & Piper

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services: https://www.cba.org/Sections/Wellness-Subcommittee/Wellness-Programs

Did you know there are free and confidential mental health supports available to law students, paralegals, and lawyers in every province and territory? Click here to learn more and access services: https://www.cba.org/Sections/Wellness-Subcommittee/Wellness-Programs