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 ([email protected]) and Piper at Ontario Bar Exam Coach ([email protected]). 

– 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 ⁠[email protected]⁠.

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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 ⁠[email protected]⁠.

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 ⁠[email protected]⁠.

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 [email protected].

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:

Learn from Sacha on LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @offthetrackspodcast, check out our website offthetrackspodcast.com, or connect with us by emailing [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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.