June 18, 2025
On May 28, 2025, Osgoode’s Internationally Trained Lawyers Day (OITLD) welcomed a packed room of internationally trained lawyers, students, and mentors for a full day of learning, community, and career-building insight.
The day began with a series of online-accessible morning panels led by representatives from the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA), the Law Society of Ontario (LSO), and the Law Practice Program (LPP). Participants gained clarity on the accreditation process, licensing pathways, training requirements, and how to use tools like LSO Connects and experiential learning to their advantage.
At midday, the event moved in person with a networking lunch. The afternoon workshops focused on concrete professional skills, including résumé and cover letter writing, and a dynamic panel discussion on building relationships in the legal profession.
One of the day’s most powerful moments came during the keynote by Priscila Jales Atkinson, Crown Counsel at the Ministry of the Solicitor General, who first attended OITLD in 2018. “I vividly remember sitting at the Osgoode International Trained Lawyers Day in 2018, and experiencing probably the same level of uncertainty that you may feel today.”
She described her own path to government work as a lawyer, underscoring that success wasn’t due to luck or exceptional brilliance: “My plan and my journey didn’t work out because I’m some kind of a genius – very far from that. It worked out because I had a very clear goal in mind and because I was committed to do anything to make that happen.”
Drawing on her love of baking, she likened the accreditation process to following a new recipe in a different kitchen: “Just like baking, the accreditation process requires preparation, patience – sometimes a lot of patience when it takes a long time – and the right ingredients.”
The day concluded with the ITLNCA NetworkS Speed Mentoring session, where participants connected with mentors offering candid advice on licensing, job applications, and navigating legal practice in Canada. It was a chance to speak openly, ask specific questions, and hear real strategies from those who’ve done it before.
From the first session to the final conversation, OITLD 2025 offered more than information – it created space to learn, reflect, and plan next steps with clarity and confidence.
Want to be part of OITLD 2026? Sign up to get early access to next year’s event details, updates, and registration alerts.