Maria Capulong

When Maria Capulong began adjudicating with Ontario’s Health Professions Appeal and Review Board and Health Services Appeal and Review Board, she realized how much administrative law shaped the everyday decisions that affected people’s lives. “I had been adjudicating for maybe two years,” she recalls, “and then I decided I wanted to learn a little bit more about administrative law. In doing so, I signed up for OsgoodePD’s Professional LLM specializing in Administrative Law.”

Before applying, Maria researched several programs to find one that fit her schedule. “I was working full time and had my own personal responsibilities,” she explains. “The criteria I was looking for was flexibility without compromising the quality of education – and I found that OsgoodePD’s setup was really ideal for me.”

Maria began the program in 2018 and completed it in 2020, experiencing both in-person and online formats. “I started off in person, and then when we moved online, I didn’t feel there was much of a difference. It was still engaging. I felt connected with both the professor and my classmates.”

Among the courses that stood out most was Canadian Immigration Law, which directly influenced how she later expanded her practice. Since completing the program, Maria has expanded her practice at Carranza LLP to include immigration matters – specifically, judicial review of immigration decisions, a development she credits directly to what she learned through the LLM.

Her coursework coincided with the release of the landmark Vavilov decision, a moment she remembers vividly. “That was being decided and released while I was finishing my studies,” she explains. “It’s a key decision for administrative law, especially judicial review. Everything we covered in class was cutting-edge. Whatever was the most up-to-date commentary on case law was what we were studying, and I really appreciated that.”

The lessons Maria learned continued to shape her approach once she returned to private practice. “At the time, I was adjudicating, so I applied what I learned regarding the standard of reasonableness in review,” she says. “After I graduated and returned to practice, I still use that standard – and the case law I studied – when I bring cases before the Federal Court for judicial review.”

Maria also dedicates part of her work to supporting Filipino-Canadian and other immigrant communities, often on issues that intersect with administrative law. “Admin law is really here to stay,” she notes. “We’re seeing a surge in the number of tribunals and administrative bodies. It’s probably the most common field of law that everyday people interact with.”

Her advice to future students is straightforward: “Do it. Do it right away. I researched extensively, and OsgoodePD had the best platform, the most prestigious professors, and a very strong alumni community. It’s a very good program and well designed.”