As the New Year approaches, I would like to extend my best wishes and gratitude to supporters of the CAPE Scholarship. I can scarcely believe that I am at the half-way point in my legal education, and the support I have received has been invaluable in making my experience an enriching and positive one.

This past semester has been the busiest by far (though I do realize I have felt and expressed that sentiment multiple times in the past). I had a great summer working full time at Student Legal Assistance (SLA) as a legal caseworker, through which I provided legal representation and advice to low-income residents in Calgary. By the end of August, however, I found myself looking forward to immersing myself back in academia. I had agonized over selecting my courses throughout the summer, and after making my final selections, I simply wanted to start learning.

I also took on two new roles within SLA. In September, I became a member of SLA’s High Complexity Criminal Division. In this capacity, I assumed conduct of criminal files that have been scheduled for trial. Although all my files this semester have been resolved before reaching trial, I gained nevertheless gained valuable experience. I also became a Group Leader to eleven first year students. I trained my group, as well as supervised client intake interviews every second Monday. I attended first court appearances with my group members and offered regular feedback and advice. I endeavoured to provide as much support as possible to enable them to succeed as caseworkers. I am very proud to say that they exhibited exceptional enthusiasm and commitment.

I am very thankful for all the support that I have received from CAPE members and donors. The CAPE Scholarship has empowered me to realize my goals for this academic year and onwards. This semester, I participated in the 2012 summer student recruitment process, which involved flying from Calgary to Toronto for interviews. In addition to the financial support that made this possible, I also received much in the way of advice and mentorship. I am happy to report that I will be spending the upcoming summer working in Toronto.

I hope that with your support, the CAPE scholarship will continue to enable others to pursue and realize their ambitions. Thank you and Happy Holidays!