Orientation
Dear Ryerson Law Students,
Welcome to the Faculty of Law! We hope that you are having a wonderful summer so far and that you have been taking some time to rest as our communities slowly transition from quarantine to reopening. We are getting more and more excited about the launch of the first year of Ryerson’s Faculty of Law.
We have decided to start orientation and onboarding activities early in order to connect with you and build a community of support that will carry you through until you graduate. We have already run two sessions to open up the orientation for you - the first engaged our very own Ryerson Alumni who are now working in law. They gave advice on what they wish they had known before law school. The second session was “Black Lives Matter: State Power and the Breaking of the Social Contract. If you missed this session, you can check it out here: https://ryecast.ryerson.
Our formal orientation and onboarding program begin next week, and we are so excited to get started!. We have an engaging line-up of virtual events planned for you, including panel discussions, guest speakers, webinars about your future in the law, and other fun activities.
We also have smaller Meet & Greet sessions for groups of 10-15 students to answer whatever questions you may have about clubs, clinics, moots, and law school life in general. Check your email for an invite to one of these sessions.
You will notice that your orientation sessions have been spread out over the course of the summer. We did this to allow you to enjoy the scheduled activities at a comfortable pace (Zoom-fatigue, anyone?), and to also give you some time to get to know your fellow classmates, faculty members, and the senior administration before classes begin.
Please keep your eye out for regular email updates about upcoming events and activities—happening both inside and outside of the Faculty—to help you prepare for your first year of law school. You will also receive a reminder email the day before each scheduled event that will contain a Zoom or webinar link for the event.
We do hope that you will participate and engage in orientation as much as your schedule permits as we countdown to your first day of classes on Wednesday, September 2, 2020.
We look forward to meeting each of you over the course of the next two months!
Office of Student Programming, Development and Equity, Faculty of Law
Orientation Schedule
Welcoming the First Class - Sari Graben and Tanya (Toni) De Mello
Date: Thursday, July 23th
Time: 4 pm - 5:30 pm
The Deans, The Program, The Future
You’ve likely already met or heard about the Dean of Ryerson’s Faculty of Law, Donna Young, but you must get to know Sari Graben, the Associate Dean for Academic, Research and Graduate Studies at Ryerson Law, and Tanya (Toni) De Mello, Assistant Dean for Student Programming, Development and Equity. In this session, these Deans will tell you a bit about themselves and some of the things you should know about the next three years of law school. From Sari, you’ll learn about the structure of the Ryerson Law program and its co-teaching pedagogical model. From Toni, you’ll hear about plans that are in store for your extracurricular experiences and the support services that are available to you.
Meet the Faculty
Date: August, 6, 2020
Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Get to know the people who will be teaching you next year! Faculty members will provide background on their approach to their courses and initiate discussions that pertain to their area of research.
Mentor panel
Date: Monday, August 24th
Time: 4 pm - 5 pm
Meet Ryerson alumni who are practicing in interesting areas, and excited to act as mentors for the inaugural class.
Meet the Senior Administrative Team Group Sessions
Assistant Dean Tanya (Toni) De Mello and other senior leadership meet with students in groups of 15. It is an opportunity for students to ask questions and get to know each other.
Group OneDate: Wednesday, July 15thTime: 5 pm - 6 pm |
Group TwoDate: Monday, July 20th |
Group ThreeDate: Wednesday, July 22nd |
Group FourDate: Monday, July 27th, |
Group FiveDate: Wednesday, July 29th |
Group SixDate: Tuesday, August 4th |
Group SevenDate: Thursday, August 6th |
Group EightDate: Monday, August 10th |
Group NineDate: Wednesday, August 12th |
Group TenDate: Monday, August 17th, |
Group ElevenDate: Wednesday, August 19th |
Group TwelveDate: Wednesday, August 26th |
Learning about Classes and the Academic Program
Date: Thursday, July 23rd
Time: 4 pm - 5:30 pm
Discussing the structure of the law school program, the co-teaching pedagogical model and the incorporation of practical skills with theoretical concepts.
Clubs & Moots
Date: September 1st
Time: 10:00am - 11:00am
Find out more about student clubs and moots. You will have the opportunity to ask Leanne Shafir, Director of Student Engagement and Experience, any questions you may have about co-curricular activities at Ryerson Law.
Being a Lawyer - Talk & Discussion
Date: Wednesday, August 5th
Time: 12 pm - 1:30 pm
External guests from a range of practice areas are invited to discuss how they got to their role, and how they felt when they were starting law school.
Meet Ryerson’s Law Faculty
Date: Thursday August 6th
Time: 1 pm - 2 pm
Get to know the people who will be teaching you next year! Faculty members will provide background on their approach to their courses and initiate discussions that pertain to their area of research.
Fireside Chat
Tuesday, August 11th
Time: 5 pm - 6 pm
Ryerson Law is about more than just “the law”. We know that when you are engaged and connected, amazing opportunities and learning can unfold. Our 1L class and community bring with them a rich array of skills, passions, backgrounds, and perhaps - talents. This one-hour “campfire” is an opportunity to connect, observe or show a side of yourself that may not necessarily be displayed in your first (or second) Torts class. And who knows - the Ryerson Administration, Faculty, and Staff, may have a few talents to show themselves! See you online, by the campfire.
Student Meet-Up
Date: Friday, August 14th
Time: 6 pm - 7:30 pm and other times during the day
Students will be going on a self-guided audio-based Indigenous history walking tour of downtown Toronto in groups at a safe distance. Those who want to partake virtually can attend a listening session via Zoom.
Legal Innovation Panel
Date: Thursday, August 20th
Time: 6 pm - 7:30 pm
This panel will include members of Ryerson's Legal Innovation Zone, and innovators within the legal industry. Students will learn how to incorporate innovation into their approach to law school and their future career in law.
Mentor Panel
Date: Monday, August 24th
Time: 4 pm - 5 pm
Meet Ryerson alumni who are practicing law in interesting areas, and excited to act as mentors for the inaugural class.
Learning about Financial Aid & Library Services
Date: Tuesday, August 25th
Time: 10 am - 11:00 am
Even if learning is happening remotely, you’re going to need to use the Library. John Papadopoulos, Ryerson’s Head Law Librarian, will introduce you to Ryerson’s law library and its resources, and help you strategize on how to conduct legal research instead of waiting until the night before your first assignment’s deadline. This session will also include information about financial aid and financial services at Ryerson.
Being a Decision Maker
Date: Thursday, August 27th
Time: 12 pm - 1:30 pm
This panel will include judges, arbitrators and tribunal members who will discuss how they became decision-makers and how they make decisions.
Human Rights, Sexual Violence and Support Services
Date: Tuesday, September 1st
Time: 4 pm - 5 pm
Learn about the resources available to all Ryerson students to support you with issues regarding human rights, sexual violence, and other areas of concern.
Ryerson’s President Welcomes Class of 2023
Date: Monday, August 31st
Time: 10 am - 11 am
Dr. Mohamed Lachemi, President and Vice-Chancellor of Ryerson University welcomes the Faculty of Law’s first class.
Dean Welcomes Class of 2023 - Highlights values, expectations and the challenges ahead
Date: Monday, August 31st
Time: 12 pm - 2 pm
Our Dean, Donna Young, formally welcomes the Ryerson's inaugural class at the Faculty of Law.