Summer Lewis, Bachelor of Arts, Criminology
Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Summer Lewis had dreamed about being a lawyer since high school. But she didn’t expect her opportunity to stand before a judge would come so soon.
“It was my third-year field placement and the lawyer I worked with sent me to speak in front of the judge, as well as meet with lawyers and court administrators,” recalls Lewis. “I was terrified.”
But Lewis’ field placement experience, working in the office of a criminal defence lawyer, convinced her to pursue a career in law. In September, she will be attending Osgoode Hall Law School at York University.
“I met many articulating students at the courthouse who were really supportive and willing to talk. Even the judges started to recognize me,” says Lewis.
She was attracted to the interdisciplinary approach used in criminology, with courses not only in law, but in sociology and psychology.
She says her law courses introduced the foundational concepts of the legal system, as well as an understanding of the different groups affected by the justice system.
Her favourite class was taught by criminal defence lawyer Mike Smith.
“He would just come in and grill us: how would you defend a client? What evidence would you need,” she recalls. “I definitely feel ready for law school.”
Monday, September 17, 2018 in Career Paths, Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice
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