About the Authors & Contributors
Gemma Smyth
Author
Gemma Smyth
Gemma Smyth (she/her/hers) is Associate Professor and Externship Director at the Faculty of Law, University of Windsor, on the territories of the Three Fires Confederacy. She was the H. RobertGemma researches and writes in the areas of clinic law, dispute resolution, lawyering skills, and legal education. She is interested in the intersection of clients’ and communities’ experiences of law and lawyering. Gemma is the co-author of the first text on clinical legal education in Canada, with Professors Sarah Buhler and Sarah Marsden. She also hosts an open-source YouTube channel with materials on law practice with a focus on clinical law skills. She is Past President of the Association for Canadian Clinical Legal Education, a national collaborative working on issues related to clinical and experiential legal education in Canada. Gemma’s papers and other publications can be found on the University of Windsor’s digital repository. See a full list of Windsor Law’s clinical programs.
Contributors
Sakithyan “Sai” Bala
Sai (he/him/his) is a current JD student at the University of Windsor. Sai completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and worked as a Senior Law Clerk in Toronto. Sai founded Lawfluent Law Clerk Services in an entrepreneurial spirit, through which he continues to offer freelance law clerk services to many lawyers across the Greater Toronto Area. His hands-on experiences, including roles as a law clerk at Niro Law, a summer student at Pyzer Criminal Lawyers, and a Judicial Intern at the Ontario Court of Justice, have been instrumental in shaping his passion for criminal defence law. Sai’s engagement in Windsor Law’s mooting competitions, notably reaching the finals in the Transnational Moot Competition, has further fueled his advocacy interests. Sai’s community engagement as a classical South Indian percussion teacher and performer enriches his legal pursuits. His leadership within Windsor Law’s student societies and Pro Bono Students Canada’s Windsor Chapter and contributions to publications like Slaw highlight his commitment to a multifaceted approach to law and community.
Meris Bray
Reference Librarian Meris Bray (they/them/theirs) holds a multidisciplinary BA, and a MLIS from Western University. They have extensive work experience at the LSO’s Great Library, the University of Alberta, and the University of Windsor, totaling nearly a decade and a half of providing practical legal research assistance to students, articling students, and lawyers. Previously, they have been invited to speak at the Edmonton Law Library Association’s Headstart program for articling students, LSO Continuing Legal Education seminars, and a range of law school classes. As a law librarian, they believe their role is to focus on helping learners build practical, practice-ready legal research skills, and they offer expertise not only in how to do legal research, but also in the practicalities of life and research in the “real world.”
Nicole Couvillon
Nicole Couvillon (she/her/hers) is a JD student at the University of Windsor. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Windsor, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and subsequently worked as a registered nurse. From her nursing education and experience, Nicole has an appreciation for experiential learning and reflection, which influenced her in seeking out an externship placement at a local hospital while in law school, where she was able to tie together her healthcare and legal knowledge, connecting law and patient advocacy. Nicole enjoys engaging with her local community, and law school community, including through her work as a lead tutorial assistant for the law school’s Academic Success Program, her volunteerism as a peer mentor, and through her previous volunteerism with Pro Bono Students Canada Windsor Law Chapter. Nicole has worked for local lawyers in the community, and as a summer student for Legal Assistance of Windsor. She looks forward to continuing to engage in the Windsor legal community during her articling term and throughout her career.
Asvini Kulanayagam
Asvini was born and raised in Scarborough, Ontario – Treaty 13 Dish-With-One-Spoon territory. While attending Windsor Law, she co-founded two student clubs intended to create community for the equity-seeking groups with which she identifies: the Windsor Law Tamil Students Association (WLTSA) and the Old and Wise Law Students (OWLS) Club for mature students. Asvini’s law school experience has been enriched by a number of experiential placements that reflect her values and legal interests. She competed in the 2023 Walsh Family Law Negotiation. She was a summer student working in immigration law at the Legal Assistance of Windsor (LAW) Clinic. She is a student research associate with Dr. Anneke Smit’s Centre for Cities and the Cities and Climate Action Policy Clinic. In the 2023 Fall term, Asvini completed a judicial internship based in Yellowknife, NWT at the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. Outside of law school, Asvini loves nature photography, dog rescue, behavioural economics podcasts, and knowing a move in every style of dance.
Aarzoo Mahajan
Aarzoo Mahajan (she/ her/ hers) is a Windsor Law graduate and has held a variety of placement opportunities that have contributed to her appreciation for experiential learning. Having a heavy background in health science as well as sociology has allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of how law plays an essential role in regulating science and technology. As a member of the governance board at the University of Manitoba, Aarzoo learned how to act on governance policies at a greater level whilst maintaining a high level of professionalism and managing many tasks and deadlines. Additionally, Aarzoo has experience at the Legal Assistance of Windsor where she managed various client files on disputes relating to the Ontario Disability Support Program and the HIV Legal Network where she engaged in both written and oral advocacy opportunities. Both opportunities allowed Aarzoo to work directly with human rights and health equity issues in both a local and international context. Aarzoo also has experience with the EpiCenter Practicum in Intellectual property. In this experiential learning opportunity, Aarzoo had the opportunity to build relationships with entrepreneurs and engage in legal research pertaining to trademarks, patents, and copyright issues. The culmination of these roles has allowed her to successfully support Professor Gemma Smyth, as a research assistant, in editing and drafting an online, open-source book aimed at supporting students entering legal workplaces and externships settings.
Andrew Pace
Andrew Pace (he/him/his) is a graduate of the dual JD program between the University of Windsor and University of Detroit Mercy. He has placement experience in both the United States and Canada which has formed his appreciation for experiential learning. Andrew currently works as a policy analyst with Talent Beyond Boundaries, an NGO which works with governments, partners, and the private sector to develop skilled immigration pathways for refugees and other forcibly displaced people. He is simultaneously articling with their preferred immigration partner, Fragomen Canada. While at Windsor Law he worked as a research assistant for Professor Gemma Smyth. They co-authored an article on Municipal ID programs which was published by the Windsor Law Centre for Cities. Prior to law school, Andrew completed a bachelor’s degree at the University of Toronto and a Master’s at McMaster University. His Master’s major research project examined the role of the sanctuary city movement in the United States under the Trump Administration. His research focuses on durable policy solutions addressing migrant rights and labour mobility.
Tania Sleman
Tania Aleman (She/her/hers) is a current JD student with a wide range of placement opportunities that have contributed to her appreciation for experiential learning. Tania obtained her HBSc in Psychology and Biology at the University of Toronto and later obtained her MA in Bioethics at New York University. Her interdisciplinary exploration of ethical issue combined with her law school studies has allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of how the law plays an essential role in regulating new and emerging technologies and the ethical dilemmas that surround their integration into society. As a community member of the Research Ethics Board at The Hosptial for Sick Children, Tania learned how to advocate for patients and their families while she maintained a high level of professionalism and gained insight into how new technologies and medications are researched and implemented. Additionally, Tania has experience within the Pro Bono Students Canada, Windsor Law Chapter, wherein she had the opportunity to participate within the Interviewing Diverse Perspectives project, capturing the diverse perspectives of lawyers within equity seeking groups for current law students hoping to pursue their paths. Finally, Tania’s experience within the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly in Toronto allowed her to hone her oral and written advocacy skills while providing legal assistance to elder adults and gaining exposure to various areas of elder law. These roles have allowed her to successfully understand her passion for advocacy and grow as a law student and future lawyer.
Priya Sharma
Priya Sharma (she/her/hers) is a current JD/MBA student and has a wide variety of placement opportunities that have contributed to her appreciation for experiential learning. Having worked as a business analyst early in her Business undergraduate degree, Priya developed a high appreciation for navigating managerial expectations and corporate goals while acknowledging their financial realities. As a member consultant for Windsor Family Credit Union, an additional experiential learning opportunity, Priya learned how to act on governance policies, maintain a high standard of professionalism and cater to member expectations. In a final experiential placement, Priya worked as an accounting clerk at the University of Windsor and managed many tasks and deadlines and supported the financial research services department. Priya completed her undergraduate degree in Business Commerce with a specialization in accounting. The culmination of these three roles led her to successfully manage student consultant projects in her MBA, also at the University of Windsor. Priya Sharma is currently a research assistant for Professor Gemma Smyth. In this capacity, Priya assists Professor Smyth in her research of gaps between the legal profession and professional development, an area that is uniquely formed to suit Priya’s existing expertise in professionalism and development.
Artist
Fatima Kadri
Fatima Kadri is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Windsor. When she is not studying, she is combining her love for science with her passion for art in the form of graphic design and digital artwork. As a member of Science Meets Art (SMArt) at the University of Windsor, she creates pieces that communicate topics of STEM through digital paintings. She is the graphic design coordinator for Women in Science, where she creates digital content that uplifts the voices and accomplishments of women in the field of STEM. She volunteers her talents creating comics for RIOT Windsor about the process of scientific research and clinical trials and has also illustrated a children’s book by Fatin Badran. You can find Fatima’s other works on Instagram at @kadri.art and @smartuwindsor.
