Bruna Kalinoski, LLM

Please tell us about yourself and how you got to where you are today.

My name is Bruna Kalinoski. I am an LLM graduate in Canadian Common Law from Osgoode Professional Development.

I completed my Law degree in Brazil and started my career as a law clerk at the Court of Appeal. My role was to assist the appellate judge on a broad array of civil litigation matters.

My interest in global cultures is what brought me to Canada. I felt that OsgoodePD reflected Canada’s multi-cultural community whilst providing top quality legal education.

Since graduating from Osgoode in 2017, I have obtained significant exposure to Intellectual Property and Technology law through internships at various law firms. I am currently completing my articling at McCarthy Tétrault LLP and have recently passed my Ontario Bar examinations.

How did the LLM program benefit your career?

The proudest moment of my professional development so far was when I successfully participated in the recruitment process for articling and landed in a national leading law firm. My career could not have started in a better way.

It was only after my first interviews during recruitment that I could conceptualize the greatness of being an OsgoodePD alumnus, and how much OsgoodePD has contributed and prepared me for this first milestone of my career.

What were some of the challenges you faced attending a Canadian university? How did you overcome them?

For those like me with a civil law jurisdiction background, there is a natural fear about starting up a career in a common-law jurisdiction country. I would nonetheless encourage any internationally trained legal professional to broaden their perspective on the law. All the skills I have built in the course of Law School and throughout my career were entirely transferable to my practice in Canada.

Osgoode’s faculty and career advisers helped me customize and tailor my education to match my skills and personal areas of interest. For example, I had an appointment with a career adviser which expanded my perspective about the benefits of a specific course I was considering to enroll. The insights provided by faculty and career advisers are most often very helpful!

Why would you recommend an LLM degree from OsgoodePD to other internationally trained legal professionals?

A key experience I had during my studies which helped me get where I am today was, no doubt, the opportunity to learn from Canada’s top lawyers and judges. Osgoode’s instructors really have their finger on the pulse of the developments of the law and innovation in the legal industry. I was always motivated by being part of a school that has passionate professors and promotes innovative programs and courses. This allowed me to build a deep understanding of the Canadian legal system and prepared me to deal with complex legal issues throughout the duration of my articling placement and beyond. Learning from the best made me confident to deal with the challenges of my legal career down the road. I would encourage anyone who is seeking to pursue an LLM degree to consider OsgoodePD as a top choice to bridge the gap from your background to a new legal career in Canada.

Bruna Kalinoski is an associate with Bereskin & Parr LLP.