Sarah McMahon

Sarah McMahon

President, Law and Business Student Association

BComm Candidate, Class of 2016

My favourite thing about being a part of the law and business clinic was getting to do hands-on work, and applying the legal concepts I had learned in other courses to help an actual client. I also learned a lot about the importance of client communication, client confidentially, and how to communicate professionally with my supervising lawyers. Many of the class lectures involved lawyers speaking to the class about various legal issues, such as how to communicate with clients, and how to use templates and adjust them to fit the individual client’s needs. I enjoyed learning these practical skills, as they are something not taught in other courses.  The law and business clinic also allowed me to see the entire duration of the process between clients and their legal representation, from the signing of the retainer agreement, to the closing letter. I was involved in preparing a variety of different documents and services for my client, including an initial interview to get a better understanding of what was needed for their business, services agreements, and memorandums on various topics. This allowed me to see the type of work lawyers do on a day-to-day basis. I also got insight to how much work goes into providing legal services. In preparing these items for my client, not only did I gain confidence in my understanding of legal knowledge, I gained additional confidence working and communicating with lawyers. It was also a very rewarding experience for me in the sense that I knew I was helping my client’s business. 

The law and business clinic is a great opportunity I am glad I was able to be a part of. My supervising lawyers and professor, Dr. Alon-Shenker, were all very approachable and eager to help the students throughout the entire course. I recommend the law and business clinic to any students who are looking to get hands on experience in this field and further their knowledge of the relationship 

between legal professionals and their clients. Being able to be a part of a legal clinic like this is a unique opportunity for undergraduate students, which I would highly recommend getting involved in!