Off The Tracks

In this episode, we sit down with Leah Klassen, Associate at Wolseley Law in Winnipeg. The tag-line at Wolseley Law is “doing law differently,” and Leah has been embodying this ethos since she graduated law school. From holding a role in Pro Bono Students Canada’s (PBSC) national office, to articling with the Legal Help Centre of Winnipeg, working in family and fertility law in the GTA, and now working for a progressive and innovative law firm back in Winnipeg, Leah’s legal career has consistently been focused on access to justice initiatives. We discuss our shared love of PBSC, setting and following boundaries in your professional life, what it means to be “doing law differently,” and Leah’s future career as an operator of a magic school bus.

In this episode, we refer to a 2016 student debt article Leah is quoted in. Read that article here:  https://www.cba.org/Publications-Resources/CBA-Practice-Link/Young-Lawyers/2016/handcuffs

Leah references the Canadian Bar Association’s The Every Lawyer podcast, specifically the following episode, “Conversations on Calls to action 34-40 — Indigenous people in the justice system.” Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/39YhwAX1fAcYupVP4r6jjo?si=eI7SXurUQeGoVU6Qr1UNJQ

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: https://www.cba.org/Sections/Wellness-Subcommittee/Wellness-Programs

Trailer Music: There Ain't No Other Way - Jingle Punks

Support by RFM - NCM: https://youtu.be/fb5KRcivopU

In this episode, we sit down with Odelia Bay and Ilia Sumner, to discuss the Canadian Association of Lawyers with Disabilities (CALD). The goal of this new organization is to connect lawyers and other legal practitioners from across Canada, both persons with disabilities and those who are allies, to create a network for community building and advocacy. We discuss the stigma associated with disabilities in the legal profession, disclosing or not disclosing a disability to an employer, navigating law school with a disability, and the benefits of hiring someone with a disability.

As a new podcast, we do not have the finances or resources to create transcriptions of each episode. We acknowledge the barrier this poses to individuals with auditory disabilities. As time goes on, we will actively work towards becoming increasingly more accessible to all and appreciate Odelia and Ilia for bringing this to our attention.

Learn more about the Canadian Association of Lawyers with Disabilities here: https://caldacjsh.wordpress.com/

Follow CALD on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cald_acjsh

In the episode, Ilia mentions a report out of the United Kingdom titled “Legally Disabled.” Find that resource here: http://legallydisabled.com/research-reports/

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: https://www.cba.org/Sections/Wellness-Subcommittee/Wellness-Programs

Trailer Music: There Ain't No Other Way - Jingle Punks

Support by RFM - NCM: https://youtu.be/fb5KRcivopU

In this episode, we sit down with Litsa Dantzer, the founder of Canada’s largest legal career community, Law Job Exchange. A law grad herself, Litsa transitioned into a career as a legal recruiter; she currently works at Shopify in Talent Acquisition and runs a legal career coaching service outside of business hours. We discuss why it’s useful to see a financial advisor even when you have little to no money, the discrimination faced by job seekers who have been accredited through the National Committee on Accreditation, how we take care of our physical and mental health, and our musical capabilities.

Find Litsa here:

Law Job Exchange: https://lawjobexchange.ca/ / https://www.facebook.com/groups/lawstudentjobs

or

Legal Career Coach: https://www.legalcareercoach.ca/

In the episode, Litsa refers to the Mindful Lawyer Canada. Find that resource here: https://www.maneeshagupta.com/work/mindfulnesslaw

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: https://www.cba.org/Sections/Wellness-Subcommittee/Wellness-Programs

Trailer Music: There Ain't No Other Way - Jingle Punks

Support by RFM - NCM: https://youtu.be/fb5KRcivopU

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Off the Tracks! In this episode, we briefly introduce ourselves, the podcast, and the conversations we hope to share with you in the future. We talk about the role that brought us together, our shared birthday, and how we envision a career off the tracks.

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: https://www.cba.org/Sections/Wellness-Subcommittee/Wellness-Programs

Trailer Music: There Ain't No Other Way - Jingle Punks

Support by RFM - NCM: https://youtu.be/fb5KRcivopU

Hi! We're Erin and Piper, we're friends navigating life and the legal profession together, in our own way.

This passion project grew out of asking each other the question “what does it look like to do law differently, and what does that even mean?” Off the Tracks will host guests bi-weekly as we explore all of the diverse ways to practice law (or not!), be a lawyer, and stay true to your authentic self. Our goal is to spark a larger conversation about the diversity of experiences in the legal profession. We’ll be keeping things light and breezy while tackling complex and sometimes uncomfortable conversations about student debt and finances, mental health, diversity and inclusion, charting your own path, a-typical legal careers, and more.

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

Trailer Music: There Ain't No Other Way - Jingle Punks

Support by RFM - NCM: https://youtu.be/fb5KRcivopU