10 min read

I walked quickly, head up, arms swinging, breath steady. It was 8:00 am and I was heading to my university business course. I remember the crimson leaves swirling around as I passed a large group of seniors posing for their graduation photos. A flurry of questions filled my head, “What's next for them?” “Where will they go from here?” “What will they become?” As a first-year student watching those graduation photos taking place, I dreamt of the day when I too would graduate and earn my spot as a contributing member of society.

During that summer, I was presented with a very unique employment opportunity. The pastor of a local church received a grant from the government to support a student-run needs assessment of the community services available in the City of Wilmington. I was hired and selected as team lead to interview members of the community and organizations that serve the City of Wilmington to identify a specific area of need in the community. I remember speaking with a young, single mom named Renee. She had spent the last year living on the street after she and her daughter were evicted from their apartment. I listened intently to her struggles and was shocked and angry to learn of the lack of programs and shelters available to single women in the area. Other women echoed Renee's struggle during our interviews and I knew I had to help these women. With the support of the Pastor, I joined forces with the Couchiching Jubilee House, an organization dedicated to providing transitional housing to single women. We designed a program to increase the options available to single women in Wilmington and to help those staying at the Jubilee House attain independence more quickly, allowing a greater number of women to be accepted into the program as successful women moved on. I met with the women every week, forming a support group, and I planned day trips and outings for the women and their children. I also arranged a variety of seminars and events to encourage the development of skills such as budgeting, career development, and leading a healthy lifestyle. The program was a success, with a high participation rate and a great response from the women involved. This experience was monumental as I learned that social injustices do occur, but through advocacy, I could elicit change. I felt accomplished as I witnessed women who had successfully moved on from the Jubilee House come back and volunteer to help those struggling stay motivated. It was inspiring to see the difference we had made in the lives of these women and fuelled my desire for a career focused on making a difference in the community.

This ignited passion for advocacy motivated me to find further opportunities where I could strengthen my knowledge and awareness. As a commerce student majoring in Human Resources Management (HRM), I jumped at the chance to participate in a variety of unique and challenging opportunities. In my second year, I participated in a mock arbitration put on for students by a law firm that represents employees in labor disputes with management. I was assigned to represent an employee in a wrongful dismissal case and spent weeks preparing my argument to persuade the panel. I started to gain confidence, both in my ability to gather evidence and formulate arguments. On the day of the trial, however, I struggled to hold my ground while the panel sliced through the weak points in my argument, interrupted my speech, and pelted me with questions. It was frustrating but also exhilarating. I won my case and felt driven to develop and grow as a lawyer so I could one day effectively represent the people that needed me most.

Having had my share of a small victory, I realized real-world challenges ahead are going to be far more critical and will impact people's lives. I happily reminisced about my case while I donned a black robe and a sash of red and yellow stripes. I walked around campus with my closest friends, posing for graduation photos against a background of fall leaves. I felt the excitement of knowing that it was now my turn to take the path towards becoming a lawyer. I plan to use my law degree to work in the public sector, to strive for justice and positive outcomes for clients who have been treated unfairly. Now, I eagerly await the beginning of the next stage of my life and look forward to my future legal career.

Click to go back to law school personal statement examples.

I walked quickly, head up, arms swinging, breath steady. It was 8:00 am and I was heading to my university business course. I remember the crimson leaves swirling around as I passed a large group of seniors posing for their graduation photos. A flurry of questions filled my head, “What's next for them?” “Where will they go from here?” “What will they become?” As a first-year student watching those graduation photos taking place, I dreamt of the day when I too would graduate and earn my spot as a contributing member of society.

During that summer, I was presented with a very unique employment opportunity. The pastor of a local church received a grant from the government to support a student-run needs assessment of the community services available in the City of Wilmington. I was hired and selected as team lead to interview members of the community and organizations that serve the City of Wilmington to identify a specific area of need in the community. I remember speaking with a young, single mom named Renee. She had spent the last year living on the street after she and her daughter were evicted from their apartment. I listened intently to her struggles and was shocked and angry to learn of the lack of programs and shelters available to single women in the area. Other women echoed Renee's struggle during our interviews and I knew I had to help these women. With the support of the Pastor, I joined forces with the Couchiching Jubilee House, an organization dedicated to providing transitional housing to single women. We designed a program to increase the options available to single women in Wilmington and to help those staying at the Jubilee House attain independence more quickly, allowing a greater number of women to be accepted into the program as successful women moved on. I met with the women every week, forming a support group, and I planned day trips and outings for the women and their children. I also arranged a variety of seminars and events to encourage the development of skills such as budgeting, career development, and leading a healthy lifestyle. The program was a success, with a high participation rate and a great response from the women involved. This experience was monumental as I learned that social injustices do occur, but through advocacy, I could elicit change. I felt accomplished as I witnessed women who had successfully moved on from the Jubilee House come back and volunteer to help those struggling stay motivated. It was inspiring to see the difference we had made in the lives of these women and fuelled my desire for a career focused on making a difference in the community.

This ignited passion for advocacy motivated me to find further opportunities where I could strengthen my knowledge and awareness. As a commerce student majoring in Human Resources Management (HRM), I jumped at the chance to participate in a variety of unique and challenging opportunities. In my second year, I participated in a mock arbitration put on for students by a law firm that represents employees in labor disputes with management. I was assigned to represent an employee in a wrongful dismissal case and spent weeks preparing my argument to persuade the panel. I started to gain confidence, both in my ability to gather evidence and formulate arguments. On the day of the trial, however, I struggled to hold my ground while the panel sliced through the weak points in my argument, interrupted my speech, and pelted me with questions. It was frustrating but also exhilarating. I won my case and felt driven to develop and grow as a lawyer so I could one day effectively represent the people that needed me most.

Having had my share of a small victory, I realized real-world challenges ahead are going to be far more critical and will impact people's lives. I happily reminisced about my case while I donned a black robe and a sash of red and yellow stripes. I walked around campus with my closest friends, posing for graduation photos against a background of fall leaves. I felt the excitement of knowing that it was now my turn to take the path towards becoming a lawyer. I plan to use my law degree to work in the public sector, to strive for justice and positive outcomes for clients who have been treated unfairly. Now, I eagerly await the beginning of the next stage of my life and look forward to my future legal career.

Click to go back to law school personal statement examples.

I walked quickly, head up, arms swinging, breath steady. It was 8:00 am and I was heading to my university business course. I remember the crimson leaves swirling around as I passed a large group of seniors posing for their graduation photos. A flurry of questions filled my head, “What's next for them?” “Where will they go from here?” “What will they become?” As a first-year student watching those graduation photos taking place, I dreamt of the day when I too would graduate and earn my spot as a contributing member of society.

During that summer, I was presented with a very unique employment opportunity. The pastor of a local church received a grant from the government to support a student-run needs assessment of the community services available in the City of Wilmington. I was hired and selected as team lead to interview members of the community and organizations that serve the City of Wilmington to identify a specific area of need in the community. I remember speaking with a young, single mom named Renee. She had spent the last year living on the street after she and her daughter were evicted from their apartment. I listened intently to her struggles and was shocked and angry to learn of the lack of programs and shelters available to single women in the area. Other women echoed Renee's struggle during our interviews and I knew I had to help these women. With the support of the Pastor, I joined forces with the Couchiching Jubilee House, an organization dedicated to providing transitional housing to single women. We designed a program to increase the options available to single women in Wilmington and to help those staying at the Jubilee House attain independence more quickly, allowing a greater number of women to be accepted into the program as successful women moved on. I met with the women every week, forming a support group, and I planned day trips and outings for the women and their children. I also arranged a variety of seminars and events to encourage the development of skills such as budgeting, career development, and leading a healthy lifestyle. The program was a success, with a high participation rate and a great response from the women involved. This experience was monumental as I learned that social injustices do occur, but through advocacy, I could elicit change. I felt accomplished as I witnessed women who had successfully moved on from the Jubilee House come back and volunteer to help those struggling stay motivated. It was inspiring to see the difference we had made in the lives of these women and fuelled my desire for a career focused on making a difference in the community.

This ignited passion for advocacy motivated me to find further opportunities where I could strengthen my knowledge and awareness. As a commerce student majoring in Human Resources Management (HRM), I jumped at the chance to participate in a variety of unique and challenging opportunities. In my second year, I participated in a mock arbitration put on for students by a law firm that represents employees in labor disputes with management. I was assigned to represent an employee in a wrongful dismissal case and spent weeks preparing my argument to persuade the panel. I started to gain confidence, both in my ability to gather evidence and formulate arguments. On the day of the trial, however, I struggled to hold my ground while the panel sliced through the weak points in my argument, interrupted my speech, and pelted me with questions. It was frustrating but also exhilarating. I won my case and felt driven to develop and grow as a lawyer so I could one day effectively represent the people that needed me most.

Having had my share of a small victory, I realized real-world challenges ahead are going to be far more critical and will impact people's lives. I happily reminisced about my case while I donned a black robe and a sash of red and yellow stripes. I walked around campus with my closest friends, posing for graduation photos against a background of fall leaves. I felt the excitement of knowing that it was now my turn to take the path towards becoming a lawyer. I plan to use my law degree to work in the public sector, to strive for justice and positive outcomes for clients who have been treated unfairly. Now, I eagerly await the beginning of the next stage of my life and look forward to my future legal career.

Click to go back to law school personal statement examples.