A Note from the Editor in Chief: We are pleased to welcome Priyanka Sharma to Obiter’s Editorial Board, as our News Editor. Her previous experience with campus newspapers, and her enthusiasm for student journalism will make her an excellent addition to our team.
What is news writing?
For the Obiter, it’s many things. It means reporting on the impact of legal aid cuts to the Parkdale Community Legal Services; interviewing the family of Soleiman Faqiri; explaining new amendments to the Divorce Act; reporting on the Divisional Court’s decision on Ontario’s Student Choice Initiative; and, even writing about a phone call with prime ministerial candidate, Jagmeet Singh. These were just some of the articles that the news section brought to you last semester––wonderfully curated by my predecessor, Irmak Aydemir.
This semester I am excited to carry on Irmak’s work and continue covering stories that are relevant to you and the legal community that we are all a part of. Most importantly, I want to tap into the abundance of knowledge and talent that exists among us.
Every day at Osgoode I meet people from different walks of life. While I learn from our distinguished Osgoode faculty, I equally derive my learning about law from my peers. I am a firm believer that law cannot be studied in a vacuum, abstracted from life; instead, it must be understood in connection to the issues and communities facing its brunt on the ground. At Osgoode, we have the unique benefit of a multi-skilled and diverse student body; many Osgoode students’ lived experiences are directly related to the study of law.
Last semester, I learned a lot from my peers. They shared their expertise with me, their ambitions for coming to law school, and the issues that they are most passionate about. This semester, I want to create and maintain connections between our world and the world at large.
If the news section helps you poke through the law school bubble and reminds you of all the reasons why we are here, then I have done my job. However, I cannot do it without you. If you are interested in writing, email me (sooner rather than later) at news@obiter-dicta.ca. No prior experience is needed. Regular articles are usually 600-1000 words. Feature-length pieces are longer. Whether you come to me with just inklings of an idea or a fully written piece, I will work with you to make it ready for print.
My best wishes to you all this year!
Priyanka Sharma
News Editor