Looking Back, Looking Ahead: Reflections from the Jackman Law Class of 2026

Convocation marks both an ending and a beginning. As the Jackman Law Class of 2026 prepares to graduate, four graduating students reflect on the moments that stayed with them, the lessons they will carry forward, and the advice they would offer to future Jackman Law students.

Navigate to: Ufuoma Akalusi // Ben Beiles // Garvin A. Brutus // Annie (Qing) Wang

Ufuoma Akalusi

What is a moment from your time at Jackman Law that stands out to you? 

Every year, Black law students from across the country gather in a different region of Canada for the BLSA Canada conference, one of the largest student-led conferences in the country. I was fortunate enough to attend my first conference as an undergraduate student, and it quickly became both a motivating force behind my decision to apply to law school and, later, the highlight of each year I spent at U of T.

For my final conference as a student, we were taking a bus to Montreal and had to meet in the Rowell Room early on a Friday morning. We were all exhausted, but the energy in the room was palpable. Everyone was laughing, half-awake, and excited for the weekend ahead, and it hit me how proud I was to be part of the Black law student community we had built at U of T. It was one of those small, unassuming moments that somehow completely encapsulated just how much this community has meant to me. 

What is one lesson or experience that will stay with you?

In first-year Constitutional Law, we did a high-level overview of section 15 of the Charter, a provision I had been eager to study long before law school. Because of the breadth of the course, however, we could only spend a limited amount of time on equality jurisprudence. We briefly discussed R v Kapp, the leading case on the constitutional protection of ameliorative programs under s.15(2), and I left class deeply disappointed by what I perceived as the limitations of the case. Based on my limited understanding of the case at the time, I felt s.15(2) jurisprudence was severely lacking.

In 3L, I took a class called Racial Equality and the Law and initially set out to critique the insufficiency of Kapp’s protection for ameliorative action in my case comment. However, a deeper reading of both R v Kapp and its companion case, Québec (Attorney General) v Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux, revealed a far more complex jurisprudential structure than I had appreciated in 1L.

That shift was a full-circle moment for me, not because my critique completely disappeared, but because its foundation changed. What had once been a relatively surface-level objection evolved into a more structurally informed critique. This moment revealed that law school does not necessarily soften skepticism, but rather deepens the tools through which that skepticism can be meaningfully articulated. 

What are you looking forward to after graduation?

I’m excited to meet the version of Ufuoma that exists outside of being a student. As someone who went straight from undergrad into law school (a “K-JD”) being a student is all I’ve ever really known. I’m curious to discover what motivates me beyond grades and what structures my life outside the rhythms of school. I caught glimpses of that version of myself during my summers at McMillan, and I liked her quite a bit.

What advice would you give to incoming or current law students?

Take ownership of your law school journey. There will be a lot of external pressure trying to dictate what these three years should look like: recruitment cycles, the pull of transactional work, and the weight of student debt. While it is important to keep these realities in mind, don’t let them completely steal the joy of being in law school, which for many of you, as it was for me, has been your dream since you were kids. Don’t let ambition steal your “I made it moment”. Really lean into being a student, and allow yourself to fully take pride in having arrived here. 

Ben Beiles

What is a moment from your time at Jackman Law that stands out to you?

One moment that stands out is a 3L “Call to the Bar” at a venue with a mechanical bull. Before riding, we had to sign a standard form liability waiver on our phones, which we barely glanced at, drinks in hand, and I remember my friends and I realizing that, of course, our minds had gone straight to the problems with the contracting process. We then all proceeded to be thrown off the bull in relatively quick succession. It was a funny, slightly concerning level of nerdiness, and exactly the kind of shared law-school ridiculousness that I will miss dearly.

What is one lesson or experience that will stay with you?

One experience that will stay with me is a 1L study session in Falconer Hall the day before our Indigenous Law exam. A group of friends and I were gathered around a whiteboard, trying to work through the material together, sometimes going in circles and sometimes realizing we had to backtrack completely. Looking back, it affirmed for me the importance of having people around you who can engage in meaningful dialogue, help you get back on track when you are off course, and make the stressful parts of life feel shared.

What are you looking forward to after graduation?

After graduation, I’m looking forward to some travel on both of Canada’s coasts, hopefully passing the bar, and then clerking at the Court of Appeal for Ontario. More than anything, I’m excited to keep learning in new settings and to start figuring out the kind of lawyer, colleague, and mentor I want to become. I also hope to stay connected to Jackman Law and to the kinds of legal questions and conversations that made law school so engaging.

What advice would you give to incoming or current law students?

Be kind to yourself and to others and find ways to care about the material (ideally beyond grades). The rest will largely take care of itself. 

Garvin A. Brutus

What is a moment from your time at Jackman Law that stands out to you?

What stands out most is not a single moment, but a gradual realization that law school was teaching me more than legal doctrine. It was teaching me how to listen more carefully, think more rigorously, and speak with greater precision. Over time, I came to see that the law is not just a set of rules, but a discipline of judgment — one that asks us to separate what matters from what does not, and to do so with humility.

What is one lesson or experience that will stay with you?

The lesson that will stay with me is that there is more than one way to be a good law student. Some students contribute by speaking often; others by listening carefully, preparing seriously, supporting their peers, and doing the work with quiet consistency. Law school taught me that excellence does not require a single personality or style — it requires a genuine commitment to improvement.

What are you looking forward to after graduation?

I am looking forward to putting my legal education to work. I am excited to keep learning, earn the trust of clients and colleagues, and begin building a professional reputation grounded in hard work, sound judgment, and consistency over time.

What advice would you give to incoming or current law students?

My advice is to be clear about what you want out of law school, and then pursue it seriously. Along the way, however, build real relationships with classmates, professors, and mentors, because those relationships will shape your experience as much as any grade or credential. Your reputation starts forming long before you think anyone is watching, so be prepared, be generous, and be the kind of person people are glad to work with. 

Annie (Qing) Wang

What is a moment from your time at Jackman Law that stands out to you?

Presenting legal writing tips as a Legal Research and Writing Teaching Assistant felt like a full-circle moment for me. It made me realize how much I had grown as a legal writer during my time at Jackman Law, and I was grateful for the opportunity to pass that knowledge on to the next generation of students.

What is one lesson or experience that will stay with you?

In my first year, Professor Anthony Niblett taught us that while students often focused on the rules extracted from each case, the underlying rationale was what mattered most. I’ve carried that lesson with me ever since, and it has reshaped how I read cases, approach legal issues, and craft legal arguments.

What are you looking forward to after graduation?

I’m excited to see the legal doctrines we analyzed in the classroom come alive in practice and to contribute to their ongoing development. My experiences at Jackman Law solidified my passion for litigation, and I look forward to using the tools I’ve been given to assist litigants in their pursuit of justice.

What advice would you give to incoming or current law students?

Law school can be challenging, but always remember you are not alone. Every Jackman Law professor, staff member, and upper-year student I’ve ever reached out to has been incredibly generous with their time and advice. My classmates have been my strongest source of support, both academically and personally, through the most stressful stretches. It truly takes a village, and I’m immensely grateful to have found mine here.