Julia Bayne awarded 2023 TMU Gold Medal

The Toronto Metropolitan University’s Gold Medal is awarded to one student in each school or faculty who has demonstrated academic excellence and outstanding involvement within the university, their profession, and/or their community. We are thrilled to announce that Julia Bayne is the inaugural TMU Gold Medal recipient for the Lincoln Alexander School of Law.

Julia stands out as a vibrant and intellectual leader who is passionate about law – especially the environment and sustainability, addressing social and legal injustices, and expanding access to justice. Julia’s achievements extend well beyond academic excellence - her reputation for compassion and humility is demonstrated by her support, connection, and guidance to her peers. Her extracurriculars include participating in the Walsh Family Law Moot, a legal internship at the DMZ Startup Legal Support program, co-founding the law school's Legal Entrepreneurs Club, serving as a peer mentor, and volunteering as a panelist on several leadership and professional development panels.

We recently caught up with Julia to learn more about her law school journey, how it feels to receive this honour, and her advice to incoming law students.

Tell us a bit about your journey to law school. Why did you choose to pursue a legal education and to be part of the inaugural class at Lincoln Alexander Law?

I am a first generation lawyer. I have always wanted to help people and the environment. While pursuing a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry, I pursued another passion of mine on the side and opened a fitness facility in Toronto. However, I eventually realized that the lab environment was not the right fit for me. Between my PhD, my business, and some personal and familial challenges, I realized I needed to work with, and help, people and join a profession where I can continuously challenge myself intellectually and work with others to solve complex real-world problems.

I chose the Lincoln Alexander School of Law because I wanted to be a part of something different; I was intrigued by the Integrated Practice Curriculum and the school’s focus on innovation. As a former scientist and entrepreneur, I wanted to be at a school where you could gain hands-on experience right away and carve your own path.

What does receiving the gold medal mean to you?

When I first started law school, I felt like a fish out of water as a former PhD scientist. I never imagined I would be in this position, especially during the pandemic when I also fought to keep my business afloat and to prioritize my own health and wellbeing.

I feel an immense amount of pride and gratitude, and admittedly, I am still in a bit of disbelief. This moment reaffirms that I made the right choice to transition out of science and into law, and it demonstrates to me (and hopefully others) that you do not have to sacrifice everything to succeed in one area of your life. In fact, I would argue that a healthy balance is likely going to help you succeed!

What do you think you will remember most about law school?

The people and the experiences.

I am leaving law school with lifelong friends and mentors who have taught me lessons you cannot learn from textbooks. Additionally, my experiences with the negotiation team, different student groups, as a teaching and research assistant, among others, helped shape who I am today and the lawyer I strive to be.

In particular, I want to thank Prof. Hammond, Prof. Graben, and Prof. Levin, who positively impacted my learning and development in meaningful ways and contributed to my success at the law school. Additionally, thank you to Prof. Mogyoros, who was an incredible mentor, who provided me with unique opportunities to develop my skills, and who taught me how to be a better lawyer, teacher, and mentor.

Attending Lincoln Alexander Law was one of the best decisions of my life. Thank you everyone for the memories that will last a lifetime!

What advice would you give to students entering their first year?

Stay curious, be true to yourself, trust your abilities, and enjoy the journey.

Stay curious because the more engaged you are and the more questions you ask, the more you will learn, retain, and gain. Make every class, assignment, and exam an opportunity to learn and improve. Be true to yourself because success looks different to everyone and it is important to filter out the noise and do what works best for you. No matter how busy law school gets, never lose sight of what is important to you. Trust yourself and your abilities and hold space for self-confidence knowing that your hard work will pay off.

Lastly, law school is truly a marathon, so celebrate every win and enjoy and embrace every challenge and opportunity. Law school is much more than reading and summarizing cases - it is also a chance to build lifelong connections, sharpen your soft and hard skills, and try new things so you can start to curate the life you want for yourself!

What are your future plans?

I want to leverage my science background and passion for the environment as an energy / environmental / infrastructure lawyer. I want to help create a better and more sustainable future for others. After 3 post-secondary degrees, I feel like I have found my true passion and I cannot wait to continue this journey as I return to Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP this fall and launch into the legal profession.