69 Applications: PSYC100 Alumni in Law
By Tofarati Oba, Riley J.T. Bonar, and Meghan E. Norris
In this unit, we explored topics related to social and emotional development. Careers supporting families can come in many forms. We are pleased to introduce you to a PSYC100 alumnus who is supporting families through challenging times through her work as a lawyer.
Introducing, Tofarati Oba!
Tofarati Oba is a Family Law Attorney who graduated from Queen’s in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology! Tofarati knew by the time she graduated that clinical psychology wasn’t for her, but that she still wanted to help people. As much as she enjoyed her undergraduate degree, Tofarati had no interest in getting a master’s or a Ph.D. Tofarati had always been interested in law school, but she was less interested in being a lawyer. Many areas of the law and lawyers she knew had jobs that seemed stuffy and boring to her. It seemed like a tall order until Tofarati considered family law. People can have a pretty cynical view of divorce attorneys, and Tofarati understands why—it seems strange to want to spend your days surrounded by that kind of conflict and heartache. But a good divorce attorney can make a genuinely difficult time easier. The work is about meeting people in the middle of the mess and helping them find a clear path forward.
Every day is a little different, and that’s one of the things that Tofarati loves the most about her job. There’s enough variety to keep things interesting, but enough repetition that she feels confident and capable in what she can do. Tofarati will sometimes have quiet days spent entirely on legal research, and other days where she is talking nonstop in meetings with clients or opposing counsel. Some days, Tofarati finds herself buried in spreadsheets working out a financial proposal, and sometimes she is navigating the nuances of a custody agreement. It’s a little bit of everything. Every day and every case are unique!
Psychology factors into her work in ways big and small, all the time. Family law means interacting with people at one of the hardest points in their lives and helping them make incredibly difficult decisions. It’s a people-focused job that requires awareness of your own emotions and those of others. For example, a lot of psychological research has been done on negotiation, which is a huge part of what Tofarati does. Most family law cases end in a negotiated settlement, so understanding what truly matters to your client and the other party, knowing how to present proposals, and being able to evaluate and manage the temperament of parties and counsel, is essential to success in this field. Another major way psychology shows up in Tofarati’s job is in custody determinations. In the courts where she practices, the mental health of each parent is an explicit factor judges must weigh in custody decisions. That means that Tofarati needa to understand the mental condition of both parties and be able to communicate it to the judge in a way that resonates. She often works with mental health practitioners, whether to obtain formal evaluations for court or to connect her clients with the support they need to be in a stronger position for themselves and their families.
By taking PSYC 100, you join a vast community that contains members who have graduated and had a variety of experiences! We caught up with Tofarati and asked what her favourite memory from PSYC 100 was. Tofarati told us that the labs were always her favourite part of PSYC 100 and that it was fun to get hands on, practical demonstrations. Tofarati loved it so much that she ended up being a TA for PSYC 100 and doing it all over again! Tofarati also offered some advice about careers to students currently taking PSYC 100 and said that when you’re thinking about what career you want, picture what you want your day to actually look like. Do you like working alone or on a team? Do you thrive on tight deadlines or dread them? Can you be inside all day? Plenty of careers sound great on paper, but the day-in, day-out reality of them just doesn’t fit you. And remember, careers are long. It’s okay not to know exactly what you want to do right now, or to know exactly what you want now and change your mind later.
If you are interested in learning more about what Tofarati does for a living, you can check out the Department of Justice Canada – Family Law, The Canadian Bar Association – Family Law, and the American Bar Association – Section of Family Law links!
References:
Department of Justice Canada. (2025). Family law. Government of Canada. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df/index.html
Canadian Bar Association. (n.d.). Family law. https://www.cba.org/sections/family-law/
American Bar Association. (n.d.). Family law section. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/family_law/
How to cite this using APA Style:
Oba, T., Bonar, R.J.T., & Norris, M.E. (2026). Applications: PSYC100 Alumni in Law. In PSYC 100: Principles of psychology. eCampusOntario. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/testbookje/chapter/applications-psyc100-alumni-in-law/
