Bianca Morello

“Concordia gave me the work ethic and organizational skills I needed for law school.”

Jurist-in-Residence Mentorship program sets Bianca Morello on path for success

Pursuing a career in law requires both time and discipline — and Bianca Morello, BComm 20, is determined to succeed.

While studying at Concordia’s John Molson School of Business, a personal life event sparked an interest in the legal world. With a curiosity to learn more, she nurtured her passion through the Jurist-in-Residence Mentorship program — an initiative of Morton Minc, BA 67, the university’s jurist-in-residence. The program connects students with some of the brightest minds in Canadian law.

Morello continues to nurture her passion, now as a law student at the University of Ottawa.

What piqued your interest in law?

Coming into university, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to study. I eventually chose the marketing major because it had the most interesting classes to me, but I was still hesitant about my path.

My life took a turn, however, when my parents divorced. I was introduced to law through a student working at the firm my mom had hired. She became a great mentor and friend to me. She taught me a lot about the process, specifically in the world of animal law.

What was your experience with Concordia’s Jurist-in-Residence Mentorship program?

After doing a few internships in both animal law and family law, I wanted to continue exploring. I was in my last year of my BComm when I found out about the mentorship program.

I decided to go to the program’s main event, where they match you with a lawyer based on your law interests. I was particularly interested in a criminal defense lawyer named Mark J. Paci who has worked on high-profile cases. Despite the fact that our interests did not match, I knew I wanted to be mentored by him.

Any notable memories from that program?

Two other students and I met at Mark Paci’s office. We then visited the Montreal courthouse and the Court of Appeal of Quebec to view court proceedings.

It was definitely a beneficial learning experience and quite the reality check. These outings make you realize that when you study law, all of your decisions can impact people’s lives in serious ways, so it’s important to remember that when following this career path.

How did your time at Concordia influence your current studies?

The studies and events I completed at Concordia gave me the work ethic and organizational skills I needed for law school. Even though Concordia does not have a law program, there are still plenty of professional opportunities that really helped in addition to the mentorship program, such as the Concordia Moot Law Society.

Any advice for current or future students?

I would say to just go for it. Anything that you do is going to be accounted for and worth it in the end. Go for absolutely any opportunity that you have. Try to meet people and attend events, if possible. Do something that will scare you and push you out of your comfort zone.