Welcome New Students in the LLM in Canadian Common Law!

Did you know that the Professional LLM in Canadian Common Law has intakes in both the Fall and the Winter? Although most associated September with back to school, each year many students from across the country and the globe come to Toronto to begin the program.  This January the Admissions Committee was very impressed by the strength of the applicant pool.  On average, students in this intake have ten years of practice experience from their home jurisdiction! The incoming class is filled with students who have unique personal, professional, and educational backgrounds. We’re excited to introduce you to some of them here! 

Farmiza Ahmed

Home Country: Bangladesh 

Farmiza Ahmed practiced in the High Court division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh for more than a decade. Her decision to complete the LLM in Canadian Common Law and ultimately become licensed to practice in Canada stems from a desire to develop an in-depth understanding of core Canadian common law topics, helping her understand the Canadian perspectives and explore solutions to modernize the legal system in Bangladesh. Farmiza is particularly passionate about disability and health law, and has spent time working on projects related to rights of persons with disabilities in Bangladesh.  

Martina Caunedo

Home Country: Argentina  

Martina Caunedo brings more than a decade of practise experience and a postgraduate degree from Universidad de Buenos Aires in Taxation. Her practice focused on taxation and regulation of new technologies, advising local and international clients doing business in Latin America.  Martina has begun the accreditation process in Canada, and hopes to continue to practice in this area in Canada. She views completing the LLM in Canadian Common Law as an investment in herself and her career in Canada. Martina hasn’t been a student in some time, and is looking forward to getting back into the classroom.  

Suzana de Queiroz Alves

Home Country: Brazil 

Suzana de Queiroz Alves recently moved to Canada after a decade’s long career as a federal public defender and the coordinator of the Public Health Dispute Resolution Chamber in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. She chose the LLM in Canadian Common Law, because she felt it was the best way to learn the Common Law system while also exploring legal issues she’s interested in such as human rights and public health.  

Kanru Gu

Home Country: Shenzen, China 

Kanru Gu has been a lawyer in China since 2013. She brings significant professional experience in venture capital investment and risk management as well as a Masters of Laws in Intellectual Property and Technology Law from Washington University to the program. Her interest in studying Canadian Common Law stems from a desire to engage in transnational legal projects, where she can leverage her background, experience and education. She was drawn to OsgoodePD because, “the combination of academic rigor, practical application, and inclusive learning is the ideal environment for me to continue my studies and assist in my transition to the Canadian legal marketplace.” 

Gilberto Miranda

Home Country: Mexico 

Gilberto Miranda brings more than 15 years of professional experience, specializing in corporate M&A and immigration law as well as an LLM in International Business Law to the Canadian Common Law program. What bought Gilberto to Osgoode? A few years ago, while having coffee with a friend and discussing professional development, his friend remarked “people should be able to design their own lives” – these words played in Gilberto’s mind over the days and weeks that followed and he began to think about what his life might look like if he were to redesign it. Professionally, he knew he wanted to build an an international firm, but he also thought about a regret from his youth – missing out on the opportunity to study abroad.  

When Gilberto discovered Osgoode’s Professional LLM in Canadian Common Law, “it felt like love at first sight” – the opportunity to work towards his professional goals while also studying at one of Canada’s top law schools was the perfect fit.  

Özlem Aslan

Home Country:  Turkey  

Özlem Aslan has always known she wanted to be a lawyer, “I was a girl who thought that she would start law school after kindergarten!” Özlem arrived in Canada in 2018 from Turkey, where she spent more than 15 years as a lawyer practicing in corporate, real estate, construction and intellectual property law and litigation. When she arrived in Canada she thought about what she’d like to do next, the realities of living and working in Turkey had warn her down. Within a few months of her arrival, she began to feel like Canada was home, “I felt like I was born again” and she was reminded of her younger self and started thinking about returning to law school.  

Özlem completed the Intensive Advanced Legal English Program, a joint program between OsgoodePD and York University’s Continuing Studies and is looking forward to continuing her studies in the LLM in Canadian Common Law.

Tanya Grineva

Home Country: Russia 

Tanya Grineva was a senior in-house lawyer in Moscow Russia before she and her family immigrated to Canada in 2010. She made the decision to put her cause on pause when she arrived in Canada in order to spend those early years focused on raising her three young children. When her youngest daughter started school, Tanya began working as a law clerk at Mako Law, a firm that specializes in family law, real estate, and estate planning. Mako Law is one of the few Russian speaking family law firms and their focus is serving the Russian community in the greater Toronto area and surrounding cities. Although Tanya’s practice in Russia wasn’t in family law, her experience at Mako Law has made her passionate about this area and she now intends to become licensed to practice in Ontario so that she can assist clients with a variety of legal issues arising on the dissolution of the marriage and planning their succession and wealth protection.