Humber Paralegal Studies Grad Heading to Grad School

Fourth-year Humber Paralegal Studies student Sara Liden will be heading to York University this fall! Sarah was recently accepted into the Masters of Interdisciplinary Studies program at York. Along with her Paralegal Studies degree, Sara also holds an undergraduate degree from Trent University.

Sara is very involved at Humber and in the Paralegal Degree program. She is a work-study student in The Business School and was a member of the 2016 Osgoode Cup Paralegal Mooting Competition team. Sara and her mooting partner Tara Lisowski reached the quarterfinals of this year's competition which was held March 12 and 13, 2016.

Sara’s acceptance into York’s Masters of Interdisciplinary Studies program is a huge achievement.She is the first Humber degree student to be accepted into a Masters program at York as well as the first direct entry student from a Humber degree program.

During her time at York Sara will focus on many different disciplines including law. Some of her coursework will be taught at Osgoode Law School.

Paralegal Studies Degree program coordinator, Bernie Aron commented on the importance of this step for Sara and for Humber stating; “Sara Liden is a serious student who has shown a strong academic aptitude, this achievement shows an important pathway for Humber’s degree students who wish to further their studies at the post-graduate level at Canadian universities.”

Fallon Burns, Graduate of the Paralegal Studies program, appointed to the Law Society’s Equity Advisory Group

Congratulations Fallon, you make The Business School proud as a graduate of the Paralegal Studies degree program,” says Bernie Aron, Program Coordinator. “You certainly maximized your opportunities and showed great leadership in taking on various external roles such as Student Director of the Paralegal Society of Ontario, and the Ontario Paralegal Association, and in organizing the Paralegal Cup. Your recognition by the Law Society is very appropriate as you are an important role model for paralegal students and graduates.”

At the age of 18, Fallon entered the doors of Humber to begin her education, four years later she graduated with Honours and has since become a member of the Ontario Paralegal Association, was elected to their Board of Directors and founder of the Paralegal Cup Mooting Competition. She is now just 22 years old.

“The membership introduced me to many different contacts, and these contacts connected me to many important legal institutions, such as The Law Society of Upper Canada. I was able to found the Paralegal Cup Mooting Competition from the support of the Paralegal Studies degree program and the Ontario paralegal community, including, but certainly not limited to the membership of the Ontario Paralegal Association. The Paralegal Cup, for the past three years, has been hosted at Humber College, by The Business School, and judged by lawyers and paralegals as well as several Humber College Paralegal Studies degree and Paralegal Education diploma faculty.” says Fallon.

“I enjoyed tremendous faculty support while at Humber. They introduced me to critical ways of thinking, and how the law connects in a real and concrete way to real life. They made me re-think what the boundaries of paralegal work are, to discover the scope of practice beyond Small Claims Court, the Provincial Offences Courts and Landlord and Tenant Law. Quite simply, there are areas of law that do not have enough paralegals. These professors changed what it means to be a paralegal professional as an entrepreneur, and also what kinds of services a paralegal will offer, that aren't always connected to litigation- you can be a paralegal who gives independent legal advice before a problem has a chance to emerge, and the mechanics of how paralegal can carry on business.”

Fallon is still considering her end game, she credits the courses "Access to Justice", "Elder Law" and "Employment Law" as having a direct correlation on her new found interest in human rights issues, equity, and critical disability. With this ignited passion, Fallon in now pursuing a degree in Canadian Studies and English Literature.

We have no doubt that many great accomplishments still lie ahead for Fallon Burns.