Our Summer Students

Natasha recently completed her second year at Osgoode Hall Law School, where she received the Charles Edward Woodrow Award for academic achievement. Natasha has been actively involved in the Osgoode Business Clinic, where she worked directly with small business and startup company clients. Natasha put her Spanish fluency to use in the International Chamber of Commerce Moot in Costa Rica, culminating in a second-place finish. She was also a semi-finalist in several negotiation competitions, including the Dentons Cup and Winkler Cup. Natasha recently finished a year-long placement as the Program Coordinator for the Osgoode chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada ("PBSC"). At PBSC, she ran over 70 different projects. Prior to law school, Natasha attended Queen's University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English and a minor in Psychology. While at Queen's, Natasha was President of the English Department Student Council, leading a team of ten executive members. Outside of work, Natasha spends time with her rescue dogs – Teddi and Regina – and cat Finny. She also enjoys reality TV, yoga and her weekly Barre class. 

Nayaab recently completed her second year at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law. She obtained her Bachelor of Commerce from Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) with a major in Global Management Studies, where she graduated with Distinction. At Ryerson, Nayaab successfully competed in many public speaking and case competitions, including Toastmaster's Next Top Speaker, Enactus National Competition and the National Ethics Competition. She has represented Toronto Metropolitan at Harvard University, Concordia University and the University of Alberta. Nayaab spent time outside of school working in finance, redeveloping her business school courses, and starting her own business. During law school, Nayaab volunteered with Pro Bono Students Canada and assisted her fellow students as a Legal Writing Leader. Nayaab is presently developing a mentorship program for marginalized high school and undergraduate students interested in law school. Nayaab enjoys working out, painting and trying new foods. 

Katie rejoins Aird & Berlis after completing her first year at Queen's University Faculty of Law. Katie's return marks the next stage in a legal career which began in the firm's Tax and Estates Group eight years ago (where she served first as a legal assistant and then as a law clerk). She continued her work while completing an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies from Ontario Tech University, where she graduated with Highest Distinction and was awarded the Social Science and Humanities Faculty Prize for academic achievement and community involvement. In her first year at Queen's, Katie volunteered with the Queen's Law Journal, Queen's Legal Aid and Pro Bono Students Canada. At Ontario Tech, Katie was the Public Relations Executive with the Student Law Association and a peer notetaker to students with accessibility needs. She also worked as a research assistant and co-authored a paper on Canadian privacy law and data protection. Additionally, Katie has experience as a professor in the Law Clerk program at Durham College, teaching courses in civil litigation, legal office procedures and legal communications. Prior to joining the legal field, Katie worked as a teaching assistant while living in a small Inuit community in Akulivik, Quebec. When not working or focusing on her studies, Katie enjoys gardening, meditation and yoga and spending time with her nieces and nephew.

Alex summered at the firm in 2021. Alex recently completed his second year at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University and an MBA from Ivey Business School at Western University. At Princeton, Alex was a Division I NCAA tennis player and was voted Most Valuable Player on his team. As a Canadian national champion, he was selected to represent Canada at the World University Games in South Korea. After graduating, he competed professionally on the ATP Tour and reached a world ranking in the top 10 of Canadian players. Upon retiring from tennis and prior to business school, Alex worked as an Account Executive at a SaaS company in Vancouver, where he managed hundreds of client relationships and oversaw the entire sales cycle of the business. At Ivey, Alex and his team were recipients of the Stephen Suske Ivey New Venture Project Award, for the team with the best overall startup business plan and pitch. At U of T, Alex is a Social and Finance Committee representative for the Students' Law Society. Alex's other interests include travelling, gaming and playing/watching most sports.

Hannah recently completed her second year at Western University's Faculty of Law. She has an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from McGill University, where she graduated with Distinction. Last summer, Hannah worked as a summer student for the United Nations. Working in the High Commissioner for Refugees branch, she supported Canada's obligation as a UN member state to protect individuals fleeing persecution. Here, Hannah had the opportunity to advocate on behalf of refugees to Canadian stakeholders, such as the Canada Border Services Agency. A highlight included drafting submissions to reflect the UN's position on proposed amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada's guidelines for deciding gender-based refugee claims. Prior to attending law school, Hannah worked for Navigator, Canada's leading high-stakes public strategy and communications firm. In this role, Hannah helped to develop crisis management strategies for major corporations and public figures. Hannah is actively involved in the Western Law community. She enjoys mentoring students as a Teaching Assistant for the first-year Legal Research, Writing and Advocacy course. She is also a managing editor of the Canada-United States Law Journal, a student-edited journal run in conjunction with Case Western Reserve University School of Law. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys testing out new recipes, exploring different Toronto restaurants and combing the racks of thrift stores. 

Chauntae summered at the firm in 2021 and recently completed her second year at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, achieving Dean's List standing. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Sociology with a minor in Global Development Studies from Queen's University, where she graduated on the Dean's List. While at Queen's, Chauntae was actively involved on campus through senior leadership roles in student government, orientation week, and gender equity organizations. She received the Mark R. Wilson Award and Jeffrey McCarthy Award in recognition of her commitment to the Queen's community. While completing her undergraduate degree, Chauntae spent her summers working in policy development and project implementation for the Ontario Government across five different ministries, including Cabinet Office. At law school, Chauntae completed the Technoship Research Program with the University of Ottawa Centre for Law, Technology and Society and is currently a Research Assistant for the eQuality Project which aims to highlight pressing privacy and equality issues encountered by young people. Chauntae is also the Vice President of Finance for the Common Law Student Society and a former executive member of the University of Ottawa Association of Women & Law. Chauntae also participated in the 2021 Ottawa Legal Innovation Hub Hackathon, sharpening her business skills and knowledge of tech startups in a competitive setting. Outside of her studies, Chauntae is passionate about community engagement. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Fora: Network for Change, a centre of excellence for young women’s leadership development. She is also a Director on the Queen's Black Alumni Chapter executive. Chauntae loves to pursue her creative talents of cooking and spinning beats as a DJ in her spare time. 

Damien recently completed his first year at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. He served as the first-year operations executive for the U of T Legal Hackers — a legal technology club at U of T. In this role, Damien organized and moderated a technology and law panel discussion called "Blockchain, NFTs, Metaverse & the Law." Damien obtained a Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies (Honours) from Western University. Prior to law school, Damien interned as a real estate investment banking analyst at a financial institution in China, helping real estate developers and municipal governments raise capital through private placement deals. In that role, he worked on numerous transactions, typically in the $200 million range, for publicly listed real estate developers. Damien interned at two startup technology companies in Toronto, where he worked on sales and strategy. Damien is also an entrepreneur; while at Western, he started a clothing business, generating $25,000 in revenue within its first year. Damien is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, table tennis and fencing.

Madeline recently completed her first year at the University of Toronto Law School. She has a Bachelor of Science in Film & Television production management and a minor in Journalism from Boston University where she graduated magna cum laude. While at Boston University, Madeline received a blue-chip award, the highest honour from the College of Communication for academic, extra-curricular and professional excellence. Following her undergraduate studies, Madeline worked on television productions in New York City and Toronto, including for Netflix, HBO, NBC and Amazon Studios. At law school, Madeline serves as an executive for the Sports & Entertainment Law Society and is an associate editor for the University of Toronto Faculty Law Review. This past year Madeline also volunteered with Pro Bono Students Canada to provide legal services to Citizens with Disabilities Ontario. Madeline is an avid runner and just recently completed her first half marathon. 

Calvin recently completed his second year at Osgoode Hall Law School. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Guelph, where he majored in Criminal Justice and Public Policy. While in Guelph, Calvin was heavily involved on campus through leadership roles in Admissions and Student Housing. He was awarded the Fessenden-Trott Scholarship for community involvement and academic achievement, and several other scholarships recognizing his work within student residences. At law school, Calvin is the President of the Osgoode Bankruptcy and Insolvency Club and a mentor to first-year students. During his second year of law school, he completed Osgoode's Mediation Clinical Program with a placement at The Neighbourhood Group in Toronto, acting as a Mediator and Conflict Coach for cases diverted from court. This fall, he will be working as a caseworker for Osgoode's Investor Protection Clinic, providing free legal advice to people who have suffered investment losses and cannot afford a lawyer. Last summer, Calvin explored various areas of law by securing back-to-back work opportunities with lawyers practicing criminal, family, corporate governance and wills and estates law. Calvin loves skiing, tennis and travel. He spent six weeks backpacking Europe by train in 2018. 

Anastasia recently completed her second year of law school at the University of Toronto. She is an Articles Editor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review and has served as a research assistant in the field of law and literature. Anastasia has a BA from Concordia (with Great Distinction; History and Creative Writing), where she was awarded the Fox Memorial Award and the Irving Layton Award. Aided by a Social Science and Humanities Research Council ("SSHRC") Doctoral Fellowship, she earned her MA and Ph.D. from Yale University in American history, with a focus on gender and sexuality. Anastasia was a research fellow at the Kinsey Institute (at the University of Indiana Bloomington), and her scholarly work has appeared in the Journal of the History of Sexuality. Prior to law school, Anastasia taught a range of courses at the University of Toronto, Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) and Western University. She also has a keen interest in literary editing and has worked as a freelance editor and proofreader at Penguin Random House Canada. Anastasia has also held a variety of interpretive positions in the natural and cultural sectors. She has been lucky to travel the country working in this field at Revelstoke and Glacier National Park, the Winnipeg Children's Museum and PEI National Park, among others. Outside of her work and studies, Anastasia enjoys running (slowly), reading (avidly), learning the piano (enthusiastically but inexpertly) and visiting the odd museum.

Bardia summered at the firm in 2021 and recently completed his second year at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario and was very involved in the Western community as an orientation leader, a club executive and a football coach. Most notably, Bardia was elected to serve as the President of the University Students' Council at Western for the 2019/20 academic year, representing over 30,000 undergraduate and professional students. Prior to attending law school, Bardia worked in politics, strategic planning and commercial real estate. During law school, Bardia was part of the Canadian National Negotiation Competition team, has been a member of Toronto Metropolitan's Senate, Senate Priorities Committee, and Senate Appeals Committee and is the incoming submissions manager for the inaugural issue of the Lincoln Alexander Law Review. He also works part-time during the year as a law student supporting the Toronto Metropolitan University DMZ—a world-leading incubator for tech startups around the world. In his free time, Bardia enjoys reading, travelling and watching sports. He stays active by skiing when there's snow on the ground and golfing and playing soccer when there isn't.

Jane Jiang recently completed her first year of law school at Queen's University. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science and Law from McMaster University. While in undergrad, Jane leveraged her passion for sneakers to help launch a successful sneaker consignment business that now has four store locations across the GTA. She later joined Bell Canada's Graduate Leadership Program as a Manager of Process Improvement in Field Services. Jane received Bell's Game Changer Award for her contributions to multiple projects that delivered process optimizations through agile data science solutions. At law school, Jane was an Executive on the Queen's Law Mergers and Acquisitions Association and a Research Assistant at the Conflicts Analytics Lab ("CAL"). At CAL, she researched trademark infringements and assisted with the development of a predictive trademark tool using deep learning models. Jane also served as the First-Year Council President of the Law Students' Society ("LSS"), where she dedicated her time to connecting with and advocating for the student body. She received the 2021-22 Queen's Law Spark Award for demonstrating leadership and commitment to the law school through her involvement in various activities and societies. This fall, Jane will continue her efforts as Vice President, Academic for LSS, working closely with the faculty and administration to ensure that students are supported on all fronts. In her free time, Jane enjoys watching whale documentaries, playing basketball, building mechanical computer keyboards and eating way too much sushi.

Roula recently completed her second year in the JD/HBA dual degree program at Western University’s Faculty of Law and the Ivey School of Business. Prior to beginning the dual degree program, she studied health sciences and participated in live-organ transplant research at Toronto General Hospital. She also completed two summer internships as a Healthcare Analyst, during which she worked with global pharmaceutical clients. Roula passed her first year at Ivey with Distinction, receiving the W. Geoff Beattie Scholarship in Business Law. She has competed in several advocacy competitions and recently represented Western Law at the Laskin Moot, where her team won the first place prize for Best Factums. Passionate about mentorship, Roula is an Ivey Career Peer and Student Mentor with the Ivey Law Club. In her second year of law school, Roula became the VP of Finance for the Gender and Law Association as well as the Middle Eastern and North African Law Students’ Association. She launched Western Law’s first student-led newspaper, Ipso Facto, acting as Student Life Section Editor for the inaugural team. She also volunteered with Pro-Bono Students Canada to deliver free legal education in the London community. In her spare time Roula is an avid traveller, frequently visiting family in the Netherlands. She enjoys hiking in the summers, preferably while listening to a podcast or musical soundtrack.

Ali recently completed her second year at Osgoode Hall Law School. She has an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Studies and Art History from Queen’s University, where she graduated with Distinction. During her undergraduate studies, Ali was a Peer Health Educator, where she facilitated workshops, presentations and outreach events that promoted health and wellness resources to students. She was also head of the university’s weekly running club.  Prior to law school, Ali was an Account Executive at a tech startup in Toronto and also worked as a tour guide for educational trips throughout Ontario. After her first year of law school, Ali summered at a boutique real estate law firm, and also served as a research assistant focusing on professional healthcare regulation. Most recently, as a student in Osgoode’s Disability Law Intensive Program, she completed a year-long clinical placement at ARCH Disability Law Centre, where she engaged in policy-based advocacy and test case litigation. At ARCH, she assisted individual clients with various legal matters and helped drive policy reform to ensure that federal and provincial laws better implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities. During the school term, she served on the Executive Committee of the Osgoode Health Law Association, Osgoode Photography Club, and provided mentorship to first-year students through various initiatives. In the fall, Ali will begin a semester studying at Waseda Law School in Tokyo, Japan. In her free time, she enjoys travelling and being outdoors, particularly hiking, snowboarding, cycling, building campfires and chasing her new bernedoodle puppy. 

Jonathan recently completed his second year at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Guelph, where he majored in Criminal Justice & Public Policy. In law school, Jonathan served as an Editor of the Wrongful Conviction Law Review and held leadership positions in student government, the Latin American Law Students’ Association and the Mooting Society. Jonathan maintains that competitive advocacy has been the high point of his legal education. He has competed in numerous mooting competitions and has been recognized as a Top Oralist in moots spanning contract, immigration and intellectual property law. Most recently, Jonathan participated in the 2^nd annual McCarthy Tétrault Cup and represented the Lincoln Alexander School of Law for the first time in the Harold G. Fox intellectual property law moot. Last summer, Jonathan sharpened his oral advocacy skills before the Ontario Court of Justice, where he made daily appearances while working alongside a sole practitioner. In his free time, Jonathan enjoys reading the works of renowned fantasy author, Brandon Sanderson, and going on long walks with his Siberian husky, Levi.

Teddy recently completed his first year at Osgoode Hall Law School. Prior to law school, he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto’s Rotman Commerce program. During his first year at Osgoode, Teddy was on the Osgoode Security Law Association’s Executive Team as a first-year representative. He was also an Executive Team Member of Osgoode’s Panhellenic Association. Last summer, Teddy was a Summer Intern at Fengate Asset Management, on the Infrastructure Investments Team. During his undergraduate studies, he spent three summers as a Corporate Development Analyst at a specialty finance firm, ECN Capital. Additionally, he worked as a part-time analyst at two family offices that focused on real estate transactions. In 2018, Teddy co-founded an app called NuTable, which sought to digitize the restaurant experience. Teddy was responsible for all operational aspects of the app and ultimately sold the business in 2020. Outside of school, Teddy was a competitive hockey player and continues to play recreationally. He is also an avid fan of all Toronto sports teams. Teddy’s family is in the restaurant business, which inspired Teddy’s love of food and cooking. 

Shaun recently completed his second year at Queen’s Law. Prior to attending Queen’s, he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from the University of Windsor, pursuing his passion for economic theory and finance by completing majors in both economics and business. During his undergraduate studies, Shaun was actively involved in numerous research projects, such as analyzing institutional investors’ views regarding environmental, social and governance factors. As part of an economics research project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, he conducted survey experiments in Windsor, Montreal, Arizona and Delaware to understand public perceptions of various uses of recycled water. Prior to beginning his legal studies, Shaun created models to analyze the degree to which Ontario communities are geographically segregated by household and neighbourhood income. After graduating with distinction, Shaun continued to work on his academic papers, intending to pursue a Ph.D. in economics. However, after COVID-19 forced his research lab to shut down, Shaun decided to pursue his longstanding passion for the law. In his first year at Queen’s Law, Shaun worked as an editor for the Queen’s Law Journal and received the David Mullan Entrance Scholarship. After completing his first year, Shaun returned to Windsor-Essex to help his community fight COVID-19 by working in the local mass-vaccination clinic. In his free time, Shaun enjoys reading and is particularly fond of the histories of World Wars. Shaun loves music and has been playing drums for over a decade. He remains an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers, despite their annual playoff heartbreak.

Michael recently completed his first year at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. He has a Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences from Queen’s University, with a specialization in cancer research. He spent his final year investigating the role of certain immune cells in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Michael then completed a Master of Public Health from Queen’s University. During this time, he worked as a population health researcher with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Through implementing large-scale surveys, he found a need for changes in the way Ontario provides assistive devices to those with sight loss. Prior to law school, Michael was a research assistant on an Ontario-wide COVID-19 research study with Mount Sinai Hospital. He played an integral role in developing the study’s sample management system as well as maintaining positive relationships with participants. In his first year at the University of Toronto, Michael volunteered with the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights to help develop guidelines for the public regarding legislative changes surrounding police accountability. He is also a member of the Health Law Club and aided in setting up a panel of experts to introduce fellow students to the field of health law. In his personal life, Michael enjoys spending time with friends, gaming, cheering for the Leafs and trying not to embarrass himself on the golf course. 

Zoi recently completed her second year at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). She received an Honours Bachelor of Arts in political science, classics and philosophy from the University of Toronto. While at the University of Toronto, Zoi was an active member of the theatre community. Zoi was recognized for her contributions university-wide where she received the award for Best Supporting Actress during her third year of study. Over the past year, Zoi served as a Lincoln Scholar for Indigenous and Aboriginal Law, where she mentored and assisted first-year law students in their academic success. In addition, Zoi worked as a research/teaching assistant in property law and was a lead producer, writer, editor and performer in the Lincoln Law Revue — a Saturday Night Live-style theatre show. At Lincoln Alexander, Zoi received the Dale H. Lastman Leadership Scholarship for leadership and academic excellence in her second year. Prior to joining Aird & Berlis, Zoi worked for boutique family law firms for approximately four years. Outside of work and school, Zoi enjoys singing and playing the piano. Zoi also never misses a Formula 1 race and is a proud Ferrari fan.

Kristen recently completed her first year at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Wilfrid Laurier University. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with the Business Management Option and graduated with High Distinction. As a Teaching Assistant and Writing Centre Tutor at Laurier, Kristen worked with hundreds of students across numerous programs. In her final year of undergraduate studies, she presented her research at an international academic conference at Roskilde University in Copenhagen. During her summers Kristen worked at a strategic consulting firm where she assisted clients in marketing and organizational culture projects. Upon graduation, Kristen completed a SSHRC-funded Master of Arts in Cultural Analysis and Social Theory, where she received the Governor General’s Gold Medal for the highest academic standing in her degree program. Kristen subsequently worked for two years on the Search team at Publicis Media as a trusted expert for clients in the management of their Google Ads accounts. At law school, Kristen volunteered with Pro Bono Students of Canada and participated in the Stewart Cup Moot. Outside of school, Kristen enjoys spending time with her family and friends, listening to Taylor Swift and becoming emotionally invested in Shondaland television shows.

Matt recently completed his first year at Queen’s Law School. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Applied Economics from Queen’s University as well as a Certificate in Business from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s. At Queen’s Law, he has volunteered as a caseworker for the Queen’s Legal Aid Clinic, served as an executive of the Queen’s Venture Law Society and Disability & Mental Health Law Club, and co-founded the Queen’s Law Cooking Club. Prior to law school, Matt worked as an underwriter at a major international insurance company, specializing in offshore insurance programs for major commercial clients. Outside of work and school, Matt loves road cycling. Last summer, he cycled 7,650 km across Canada over 54 days to raise awareness for youth mental health and funds for Jack.org.

Sarah summered at the firm in 2021 and recently completed her second year at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law. Prior to law school, she received an Honours Bachelor of Science in Health Studies, Biology and Psychology from the University of Toronto. During her undergraduate studies, she worked as a researcher, helping develop innovative health policy for degenerative neurological diseases and was published in the Alternative Global Network Media Lab. At law school, Sarah was a caseworker at the Legal Assistance of Windsor, assisting clients with matters before the Social Benefits Tribunal. Additionally, pursuant to her interests in technology, innovation, and the law, Sarah’s recent project has been shortlisted for the World Intellectual Property Organization’s video competition. In recognition of this achievement, she received a formal invitation of membership with the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada. Sarah also co-founded the internationally recognized organization, Global Youth Impact, a platform for youth to develop their leadership, public speaking and advocacy skills through workshops, community engagement and campaigns. For her work, she received the prestigious Urban Hero Award and was invited to lead the Canadian Delegation at the United Nations’ Youth Assembly in New York. Sarah is also a singer/songwriter, performing professionally in her sibling-band, DEYSofficial. The band has been featured on international news media and radio, and represented Team Canada at the World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, where they won gold for their original song. Outside of school and work, Sarah enjoys videography and travelling. 

Joshua summered at the firm in 2021. He recently completed his second year of law school at the University of Ottawa, where he achieved Dean’s List standing. Prior to attending the University of Ottawa, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Social Development Studies (Honours) from the University of Waterloo, where he graduated on the Dean’s Honours List. Throughout his undergraduate studies, Joshua worked as a server to finance his education. In the last year of his studies, he worked as a frontline support worker in a group home supporting people with disabilities. Inspired by his experience as a support worker, Joshua started learning American Sign Language shortly after beginning law school and hopes to achieve functional proficiency by the time he graduates. In his free time, he likes to spend time outdoors and loves to fish, although he is uncertain whether the fish share his enthusiasm. This past year, Joshua was proud to win the uOttawa Intramural Dodgeball Championship alongside his teammates. Joshua has also been an avid fan of American football since early childhood and is beyond thrilled to watch the Buffalo Bills finally have a winning record.