Advocacy-Matters-Winter-2024

Internationally-trained lawyers bring a wealth of
much-needed diversity of experience, knowledge
and approaches to the legal industry.
Foreign-trained lawyers can face challenging paths toward practicing law
in Canada, including adapting to new legal systems and overcoming credential
recognition barriers. Despite these hurdles, their international legal
backgrounds offer a wealth of unique perspectives and distinctive problem-solving
approaches. This roundtable sparks the dialogue, examining
their contributions and challenges, and envisioning pathways to further integrate
and empower a diverse cohort of foreign-trained lawyers within Canada’s
legal community.
ROUNDTABLE
Roundtable: The Fresh
Perspectives of Foreign
-Trained Lawyers
Eric Morgan (he/him), Kushneryk Morgan LLP
Claudia Cappuccitti (she/her) is a partner at Dyer Brown LLP’s Insurance Claims Defence
group in Toronto. She vigorously advocates for her clients’ interests in tort matters involving
motor vehicle accidents. Claudia holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Queen Mary,
University of London in the UK.
Matthew Karabus (he/him) is a partner in the Commercial Litigation and Arbitration
groups of Gowling WLG’s Toronto office. He has a wide range of commercial dispute resolution
experience. Matthew holds a law degree from the University of Cape Town, South
Africa.
Omolara Oladipo (she/her) is a dual-qualified lawyer (Nigeria and Alberta) with almost
two decades of experience in a practice which spans administrative law, environmental
law, occupational health & safety law, municipal law and civil litigation.
Valarie Matthews (she/her) is a partner at McCarthy Hansen & Company LLP. Valarie represents
and advises clients on all issues related to divorce, parenting, spousal and child
support. Originally from Atlanta, Valarie has a law degree from Harvard University and
prior to joining MHC, Valarie practiced competition and antitrust law in Washington, D.C.
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