On Wednesday, October 16, 2019, The Osgoode Women’s Network (OWN) held its annual career panel. Every year, OWN invites a diverse panel of lawyers who identify as women to Osgoode Hall Law School to share their journey and experiences practicing law. The panel touches upon various topics, including: entering the profession, what it is like being a woman in law, work-life balance, and overcoming challenges. This year’s panelists included:
- Sona Advani, Senior Counsel at the Court Services Division of the Ministry of the Attorney General;
- Hermie Abraham, Sole Practitioner, Advocation Professional Corporation;
- Safina Khan, Legal Counsel, Intact Insurance; and
- Nan Padmanathan, Sole Practitioner, Chiu & Nathan Professional Corporation.
After describing their paths to law, each of the panelists outlined what it has been like to enter the profession as a woman in law. For example, Nan outlined the difficulties of entering the profession, and shared that she often struggled to find points of commonality between herself and potential employers. However, she emphasized that in the end, it is all about finding your own space. Hermie agreed with this point, underlining the importance of being “unapologetically yourself.” For Safina, being a first-generation lawyer made it difficult for her to navigate the legal profession at first. However, she emphasized that in figuring out this path, it has given her an extra “value-edge.”
While entering the profession can be difficult, the speakers also emphasized that law school itself does not fully prepare new lawyers for the “real world.” Sona noted that some of the most difficult obstacles she has faced in the legal profession were problems that were not found in textbooks, such as facing “nasty” co-counsels or dealing with aggressive judges. Within the workplace itself, Safina and Sona emphasized the need for work-life balance. For example, Sona emphasized, “You don’t have to choose work over other areas of your life. Make work fit in the rest of your schedule.”
While each of the speakers noted the challenges of being a woman in the legal profession, the conversations were mostly positive. Each of the speakers noted the importance of mentorship and building relationships with other lawyers while building their own practice. On the topic of self-doubt, the speakers noted that it is normal, and many lawyers experience it. Hermie’s advice was to “remember to be true to yourself at the end of the day.”
Overall, the panel was a successful event. We are looking forward to hosting a similar next year!