GOODStudents: Mikaela Wang

Meet Mikaela Wang, 2023 summer student

I am an incoming 3L at the University of Ottawa. Growing up, I lived in Kenya, China, Korea, and Cambodia before moving to Vancouver at 16. Prior to law school, I worked in Italy as a Sr Data Consultant for the United Nations. At law school, I helped students improve their writing skills as a Legal Writing Leader, worked on immigration files with the Community Legal Services of Ottawa, and researched on technology-facilitated violence as a Technoship Fellow. Away from work, I love playing volleyball in the sun, automating my routines, and working on many DIY projects while re-watching Arrested Development.

Current Rotation: BL4 (General Corporate, Banking/Finance, Competition)

Why did you choose Goodmans?

All my favourite people in my life have three things in common—they are unpretentiously smart people, who share a refreshingly dumb sense of humor and a deep care for others. During my Goodmans interviews, I was delighted to find plenty of those people. Hour-long interviews with incredibly accomplished lawyers felt like catching up with old friends. To me, a workplace that embraces humor and levity is likely also one that also encourages the kind of authenticity and safety that allows people to perform at their best.

This summer has only confirmed my first impression. In addition to my assigned mentors (hi Sarah and Matt), there is an inherent mentor/cheerleader in every lawyer I worked with. Each is so generous with their advice and time. As the first person in my family to attend law school, I had often relied on the kind guidance of others to navigate this new path. Therefore, I feel very lucky to start my legal career amid this supportive group.

What is your biggest tip for students going through the recruit?

Find joy in the process! You stand to gain so much more from the recruit than simply getting a job, so don’t let that goal guide your experience. Instead, approach each interaction with genuine curiosity and desire to connect. At the end of the day, both you and the people you'll meet during the recruit share more similarities than differences. Take the time to get to know your interviewers as individuals – who they are, why they chose their profession, and what they look forward to each morning. The recruit is such a unique opportunity to meet a diverse range of lawyers from different firms and practice areas, make the most of it!

The recruit is also a time to reflect upon your achievements and passions. I am a firm believer in that as long as you work hard and treat others with kindness, good things will reveal themselves in due time.

You should be so proud of yourself for all your hard work!

What has been your favourite event so far?

There are too many to list, but one event that deserves more recognition is our knowledge parties!

Throughout the summer, each summer student prepares a 15-minute presentation to share anything with the group – a demo, a family tradition, something fun, educational, etc.

I love the wide variety of topics this summer. To name a handful, we learned about the history of bagels (aptly on a Bagel Monday), Taylor Swift’s Easter eggs in her Midnight album, the use of solitary confinement in Canada, people’s personal passions for skiing, boxing, a particular brand of nutritional shake… My knowledge party was on which breed of dog each summer student would be and why (see picture). These knowledge parties are always such great times for us to get together, learn something new, and share some laughs.

To learn more about Mikaela's experience, please reach out to mwang@goodmans.ca