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Emma Walsh is one step closer to making the move from Moot Court to the courtroom.

 

After receiving offers from multiple law schools—including the University of Toronto, the University of Ottawa, and York University—the Oakland, Maine, native accepted her offer from McGill and will begin her law degree in the fall.

 

“It was my experience at ������˾�� that made me want to go to McGill,” Walsh said.

 

“McGill is one of the smallest law faculties I applied to and they’re focused more on how you think. It’s going to be bringing in theoretical perspectives as well as the things I’ve learned to love doing through the study of Political Science and Human Rights.”

 

Walsh wasn’t planning on pursuing law or studying Human Rights and Political Science when she came to ������˾��—she intended to become a counsellor or psychologist. The size of the university and the opportunity to take courses from a variety of disciplines set her on a new path.

 

“Who I was when I came here and what I planned on studying is so foreign to me now. I’ve changed so much,” she said. “Coming here and being in this environment provides so many doors you can open yourself to forge your own path.”

 

Walsh quickly put her new-found interests to work. She became involved with Moot Court and was part of the best finish in program history at the American Moot Court National Championship. She took on the role of Vice-President Education in the St. Thomas University Students’ Union and advocated for improved mental health supports, and got involved in the St. Thomas University International Student Association.

 

She said her experiences inside and outside of the classroom have prepared her for what’s next.

 

“Knowing how to look at facts or a situation, synthesize it, and create something new is something I learned at ������˾��,” she said.

 

“Moot Court is what you’re going to be doing in law school. You’re reading cases, you’re understanding how legal precedents work, and then you’re extrapolating them on a brand new set of facts and creating your own arguments.”

 

Walsh also credits her growth over the last four years for her readiness and ability to take on new challenges.

 

“I look back at who I was when I came here and I think I was just afraid of the world. I was timid and I didn’t get involved because I didn’t think I could handle it, but that’s not who I am at all anymore,” she said.

 

“I’m ready to jump in and I’m ready to challenge myself. I’m far more adventurous and I’m more confident in my own abilities. If you take initiative and start asking questions your education at ������˾�� will be so worthwhile and something you absolutely can’t get anywhere else.”

 

After she completes her law degree, Walsh hopes to work in international human rights law at an international non-governmental organization, as a consultant for the United Nations, or for the Canadian government.