"A law degree opens so many doors."

We hear this all the time, but what exactly does it mean? Where do those doors lead? What sorts of career opportunities become possible with a JD?

Our alumni are the best evidence of this "promise". Just look at how many of our graduates have used their JDs to do incredible things and forge amazingly diverse career paths.

"Lawyers Doing Cool Things With Their Law Degrees" is a series of conversations with alumni about their cool jobs, the important issues they are tackling and how their law degrees got them there. We are intentionally focusing on alumni who are earlier in their careers and moving the dial on important issues.

Fall 2021

 


Ramz Aziz, JD 2019

Career profile: Ramz is a law clerk in the Debt Finance practice group at White & Case LLP. Prior to White & Case, Ramz summered, articled and practiced as a Banking and Financial Services associate at Osler, Hoskin, Harcourt LLP. He is a graduate of the J.D./M.B.A. program at the University of Toronto, and is an alumnus of the Leadership Development Lab, C-Suite, and Vernissage Health Leadership development programs. Ramz earned his Bachelor of Science (Hons.) from Dalhousie University.

Ramz’s practice includes a broad range of leveraged finance matters for borrowers and credit providers, comprising of corporate lending, asset-based lending, DIP financing, bridge loans and exit financing, among others.

Monday, October 4  |  12:40 - 1:50 p.m. 

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Lena Koke, JD/MBA 2008

Career profile: Lena Koke is CEO and Co-Founder of Axess Law and over the past seven years has been leading the company through significant periods of growth, while overseeing the company being recognized on Canadian Business’ Startup50, Growth500 and the Globe and Mail’s Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies awards lists multiple times. 

Axess Law is Canada’s first law firm with a hybrid virtual-physical approach. The company was built to address the problem that too many people can’t access the legal services they need due to accessibility and affordability. Axess Law offers a virtual legal service model and consumer-centric approach and has saved over 150,000 Canadians more than $32 Million in legal fees to date.  

Monday, October 18  |  12:40 - 1:50 p.m. 

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John Norquay, JD 2005

Career profile: John currently works as Policy Counsel at Legal Aid Ontario, where he is responsible for program development and stakeholder relations for refugee and immigration legal aid services in the province. He has appeared regularly at the Federal Court and all divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board, and has represented clients in a wide variety of permanent residence and other status applications.

He has particular interest and experience in issues related to health care and medical inadmissibility and worked for 6 years as the staff immigration lawyer at the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO). He has also worked in sole practice, at a small firm, and most recently at Legal Aid Ontario’s Refugee Law Office. While studying at the University of Toronto law school, he was the first student lead of the refugee and immigration law division at University of Toronto’s student clinic, Downtown Legal Services. 

Monday, October 25  |  12:40 - 1:50 p.m. 

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Michael Mazze, JD/MBA 2020

Career profile: Michael is a Private Equity Associate at TorQuest Partners, a Canadian-based manager of private equity funds with more than $3 billion of equity capital under management.

Since joining TorQuest, Michael has been actively engaged in evaluating new investment opportunities, including the firm’s investment in Onyx-Fire Protection Services Inc. Prior to joining TorQuest, he worked as a Summer Associate at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP in New York and as an Associate at O’Leary Ventures in Toronto.

Monday, November 8  |  12:40 - 1:50 p.m. 

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Gave Lindo, JD/MBA 2007

Career profile: Gave has over a decade of experience as a lawyer, executive, and board director within the media and cultural sectors where he has commissioned, structured, or advised on a range of projects across film, TV, digital content, gaming, festivals, and live theatre. He is currently leading the content strategy for TikTok in North America as Head of Content Programming. Previously, he led CBC’s digital content offerings including CBC Gem, CBC.ca, and CBC Kids as Executive Director of OTT Programming. Gave also served as Executive Director of the Reelworld Film Festival, worked as a business executive at CBC, and practiced media law at Fasken LLP. Gave has been appointed to the boards of a number of organizations including Ontario Creates (OMDC), the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, Obsidian Theatre Company, and Laidlaw Foundation. He currently serves on the board of the Children's Aid Society Toronto and the TO Live St. Lawrence Centre Redevelopment Committee. He is a frequent speaker on the intersection of content and innovation and holds BA, MBA, and JD degrees from the University of Toronto.

Monday, November 15  |  12:40 - 1:50 p.m. 

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Laura Barnett, JD 2002

Career profile: Laura is senior manager of the Human Rights, Immigration and Citizenship section within the Parliamentary Information, Education and Research Services at the Library of Parliament. She joined the Library as an analyst after articling with the Ontario Superior Court, working closely with parliamentary committees such as the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and the House of Commons Subcommittee on Solicitation Laws. After spending some time in Australia researching and teaching at the Faculties of Law of the University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney, she returned to the Library as a manager. 

Monday, November 22  |  12:40 - 1:50 p.m. 

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