Konstantina Nikolakis is a 4th year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto completing her Bachelors of Arts degree in Communications, Culture, Information and Technology (CCIT) and majoring in Diaspora studies . She joined bakerlaw as a summer intern following the completion of her 3 year at UofT for 3 months. Below is a reflection of her experience:

I initially approached bakerlaw for an opportunity to learn what it’s like to be a human rights lawyer. I had little to no idea of what career path I was going into after graduation. All I knew was that I wanted to help people, and bakerlaw seemed to do that best.

What I learned from the lawyers and paralegals at bakerlaw was how to handle critical human rights matters with care and sensitivity. I was given the opportunity to participate and observe in multiple matters and learn about the complex process of human rights law. The staff at bakerlaw guided me every step of the way to learn the critical skills of communicating with clients and conducting legal research. The company culture fosters communication, education and collaboration. I was constantly learning and taking on more and more responsibilities.

My experience was extremely hands on and I was able to learn from every single associate on the team. From drafting letters to handling intake calls, I was able to develop an understanding of what the human rights legal field is like and how to treat each case and client with the unique approach that they deserved.

It was an honor to work with the wonderful team at bakerlaw and I would highly recommend becoming a part of the team and contributing to the wonderful work that they do.