My Passion to Build a Career as a Lawyer

As monoamniotic-monochorionic twins—also known as “Mo Mo” twins—my brother and I were presumed to be identical. The general principle declares that twins who share the amniotic sac are identical and twins that do not are fraternal. As time past, it was clear to our family that my brother and I were the exception to the rule. Not only do we fail to share the same hair and eye colour, it is quite hard to tell that we are even related. While growing up, and still to this day, correcting the common assumption of being classified as fraternal twins has never been clear-cut.

According to the general principle, we technically classify as both; we shared the amniotic sac, but we share no physical features. Perhaps this is the fact that led to my general curiosity. I have always enjoyed thinking about the results of unique possibilities. Being able to attach some kind of reasoning to certain outcomes has consumed much of my time while growing up. And what I have come to realize is that we cannot always classify groups without any overlap between them. Rather than succumbing to one (identical) or the other (fraternal), I never shied away from explaining the anomaly of being a “Mo Mo” twin. I decided to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Social Science because it would allow me to explore my intellectual curiosities in a number of disciplines. My curious tendencies served me well in my undergraduate studies because it helped me think critically. In my second year I received the highest grade on a paper that revealed the capitalist motives behind the Safe Streets Act, 1999. I argued that the legislation was used as a vehicle in favour of upper-class citizens by criminalizing poverty, rather than the proclaimed intention of keeping the City of Toronto safe. I particularly enjoyed the challenge of tackling philosophical questions surrounding jurisprudence.

The classic debate between Lon Fuller and H. L. A. Hart cemented my desire to pursue a legal education. Whether or not law and morality can be separated, the arguments presented in the debate provided me with insight to the inner workings of our common law system. As argued by H. L. A. Hart, the core of certainty classifies cases in which the application of the law is clear, whereas the penumbra of doubt represents circumstances where the application of the law is unclear and convoluted. In these situations, it is up to the legal profession to determine how the law ought to be applied in unique circumstances. I look forward to unprecedented situations and the challenge of being immersed in the penumbra of doubt. My employment and volunteer experience have provided me with the tools to excel in many different environments. But more importantly, they complemented my education with one thing: perspective. I believe studying law abroad will continue to build on this perspective by serving as an eye-opening experience and providing me with an unparalleled legal education.

As a lawyer, I aspire to practice employment law due to the shift from normative forms of employment to greater rates of precarity and volatility than before. This shift has, and will continue to present society with unique situations that the law has yet to address. Being a “Mo Mo” twin provided me with a unique perspective that enables me to find comfort in the “grey” area, not just black and white. I am passionate about understanding both sides of an argument and have a keen interest in applying sound reasoning and creativity to complex situations. I want to enter a profession that underscores my zealous effort in applying general rules to unprecedented cases. I am confident that my skill set and personal experiences have equipped me for law school and a career as a lawyer.