McLeish Orlando's Sonam Sapra on finding her passion — and what's next for the driven associate
During her last year of law school, Sonam Sapra noticed a gap: Windsor Law didn’t have any clubs or associations that focused on health law. Traditionally, law schools catered more to the corporate- or criminal-focused legal career but with health law a growing field and her sights firmly on personal injury, Sapra “wanted to build a community of like-minded individuals.”
“The Windsor Health Law Club is something I am really proud of,” Sapra, now an associate at McLeish Orlando LLP, says. “A student from Windsor Law recently reached out to let me know the club has really grown since its first year and I'm glad more law students are gaining exposure to personal injury and all that it has to offer.”
Beginning in her undergraduate degree at Western University where she completed a major in genetics and medical science, Sapra was regularly exposed to health law related issues. Deciding she would pursue a law degree she mapped out what she wanted from a career: something that centered on making a difference in people’s lives, but at the same time challenged her and tied into her science background. A career in personal injury aligned perfectly with these three crucial considerations.
Sapra also volunteered at the Windsor Law Community Legal Aid Clinic and while she didn’t gain any exposure to personal injury issues, she worked on landlord tenant disputes on the side of the tenant. Working at the Legal Aid Clinic reaffirmed to Sapra that she wanted to use her legal education to make a difference in people's lives.
“I learned how to channel the emotion I was feeling into motivation to do my best work, and to help my clients to the best of my abilities,” Sapra says. “And that's something I've taken from that experience and moved into my personal injury practice.”
Sapra was initially drawn to McLeish Orlando because of its reputation: the lawyers there practice one area of law — and they’re really, really good at it. Sapra wanted the opportunity to learn from a team of lawyers who were the best at what they do and she’s incredibly grateful she was able to summer and article at the firm before returning in a more permanent role as an associate.
Immediately treated as part of the team, Sapra was given responsibility from the get-go — but also an immense amount of support and guidance to ensure she was prepared for it. The lawyers place a lot of trust in their students and junior associates at an early stage, which is something unique to the firm, Sapra notes, adding she was “expected to jump right in and get as much hands-on experience as possible.”
Though every lawyer brings a particularly strong skill or unique perspective, the uniting factor is a deep and genuine compassion for the client. Sapra was struck by the team’s tenacity, their willingness to try every avenue to get the compensation and justice the client deserved, and how well this aligned with her own personal approach. Now as an associate, Sapra is here for the long haul.
“The mentality of the firm really resonates with me. As a junior, I'm consistently surrounded by lawyers who take the time out of their day to support my development.”
Thinking about her future gives Sapra pause because for years in law school, as a summer student, and throughout articling, the biggest goal really was to become an associate. Now that she’s achieved that first ring, once again it’s time to chart a course forward.
Sapra is focused on learning as much as she can, embracing every opportunity that comes her way, and seeking out as many new challenges as possible within the firm and the profession. Having served as president of the South Asian Legal Association in her last year at Windsor and currently a member of the South Asian Bar Association, Sapra prioritizes being a part of different communities within the legal field. Representation is important, especially when working in personal injury where there’s a very diverse client base, and true to her nature Sapra isn’t satisfied unless she’s going above and beyond in every aspect of her career. This is another area where McLeish Orlando’s approach dovetails perfectly with her own ambitions.
“Outside of advocating for clients, I'm interested in being an advocate within my community as well. The firm is actively involved in many different organizations — Cycle Toronto, for example — and I've seen firsthand how impactful being a part of these initiatives can be. I definitely want to continue to be involved however and wherever I can be, moving forward.”
Pushing the envelope. Getting out of her comfort zone. Finding more, and different, ways to do her best for clients. Those are the worthy goals that drive Sapra forward in her career and reaffirm her decision to follow her skills and her passion. Her commitment to this area of practice has only continued to deepen “on the one hand, because of the work itself and on the other because of the difference you make in people’s lives.”
“The work is very challenging, it's complex, and we're consistently exposed to different facts scenarios: it's very interesting. But the primary thing for me is that it’s a type of law where you can really see that you're making a positive impact.”
