In this third special "series within a series" episode, the tables turn once again as your host, Claudio Klaus, steps into the guest seat to share his experiences from his first semester at a Canadian law school and his journey navigating the Canadian job market. Co-hosted by ⁠⁠Erika Bailey⁠⁠, who has dedicated nearly 25 years serving the ⁠⁠University of Toronto⁠⁠, most recently supporting NCA internationally trained lawyers and law students at the ⁠⁠Faculty of Law’s⁠⁠ GPLLM and LLM.

The third episode, "Navigating New Beginnings: First Semester and Job Searching in Canada," dives into Claudio's personal story of adjusting to the academic challenges of law school while taking his first steps toward building a legal career in Canada. He discusses the highs and lows of juggling coursework, networking, and job applications, offering insights into what it really takes to start a new chapter in an unfamiliar country.

This episode provides an honest and practical look at how to balance academic life, cultural adjustments, and career ambitions. It's perfect for internationally trained lawyers, students, and anyone curious about the realities of job searching in Canada as a newcomer.

Bio:

⁠⁠Erika Bailey⁠⁠ (she|her) has served the University of Toronto for nearly 25 years, specializing in international graduate student advising and coaching. With an MA in Adult Education from ⁠⁠OISE|UT⁠⁠, an MA in Leadership from ⁠⁠Royal Roads University⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Solutions-focused Brief Coaching⁠⁠, her passion is to support internationally trained lawyers and law students with the ⁠⁠University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law’s⁠⁠ graduate programs, specifically the ⁠⁠GPLLM⁠⁠ and the ⁠⁠LL.M.⁠⁠ She coaches and advises them in their orientation to, and engagement with, the rigorous recruitment processes for future law licensing candidates, as well as on their licensing processes. In particular, fostering communities of kindness and belonging through mentorship, networking, and transparent dialogue are at the heart of her work.

Luciana is a dual-qualified lawyer licensed to practice law in Ontario (Canada) and Brazil. She was admitted to the Brazilian bar in 2011, where she gained extensive experience over approximately 8 years. Initially, she worked as a litigator in the financial industry for 5 years before transitioning to an In-House counsel position. During her time in Brazil, Luciana played a significant role in one of South America's largest tailings dam collapse cases, specializing in mass-tort litigation and crisis management. She made valuable contributions to the crisis committee by overseeing 15,000 lawsuits through external counsels, conducting individual and collective settlement negotiations, and implementing a procedural strategy that resulted in a groundbreaking legal decision.
Luciana became a member of the Ontario Bar in 2023 after relocating to Canada. As part of her licensing process, she obtained her LLM degree at the University of Toronto and completed her articling term at a prestigious law firm on Bay Street. Luciana returned to an in-house role following her call to the bar, when she joined Philips Canada as Legal Counsel.

Sukhi Alberga⁠ is a Canadian lawyer with a passion for innovation and supporting growth-driven enterprises, and extensive experience in the business and health sectors. She holds an Honours Bachelor’s from the University of Toronto, a Juris Doctor from Bond University, and a Health Law certificate from Osgoode Hall Law School. She founded ⁠Bridging Legal Solutions⁠, Canada’s first multidisciplinary practice combining business law, health law, HR, and accounting services. Sukhi also created ⁠Counselurdocs⁠, an online platform simplifying complex business agreements for startups and professionals. She chairs the Canadian Bar Association’s ⁠Legal Futures Subcommittee⁠ and hosts The ⁠BLS Podcast⁠, featuring trailblazers in business and innovation. When she’s not driving change in the legal world, Sukhi enjoys hiking, bowling, and movies with her twins.