Episode 38: Navigating Clerkships from an EDI Perspective

This episode is an edited live recording of the FACL BC event moderated by Jennine Punzalen, FACL BC VP Internal, on November 29th 2023. In this episode, we speak with Stephen Hsia, Christine Yan, Brian Reigh, and Mark Iyengar on their judicial clerkship experiences ranging from the Federal Court, provincial trial and appeal courts, and the Supreme Court of Canada. In their discussion, our panelists discuss the substantive differences between clerking at each court, and share insights on their experiences of diversity and inclusion within their cohorts and with their respective judges. They address challenges related to diversity in the judiciary, discuss how clerkships benefit future legal careers, and highlight the importance of diverse perspectives in the courtroom. They offer advice for students applying for clerkships, with a focus on fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion within the legal profession. Editors: Michael Xu and Baron Hsueh, and reviewed by Xue Zhang