Off The Tracks

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

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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 [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 Krista James. Krista is a lawyer, writer, feminist, and community organizer. Krista most recently served twelve years as the National Director of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law before starting a new role in January 2023 as a Policy Director at Vancouver Coastal Health.

Krista gives us a behind the scenes perspective of what it looks like to work in nonprofit leadership. She poses an important conversation: how can we redefine human resources to think more holistically about individuals? Krista also shares how she found alignment in her career and the importance of determining the work you enjoy doing and where your talents lie.

Connect with Krista 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.

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 [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 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 [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 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 [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.

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 [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 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 [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 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, [email protected]

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 [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 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 [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 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 [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.