Ashleigh Graham, a graduate of the Legal Administration/Law Clerk program is a perfect example of planning out your future by using all available resources.

After obtaining an English degree, Graham felt she needed more education in order to find a rewarding career. She decided that the hands-on experience obtained from a college program that included an internship would give her an advantage over the competition when it came to applying for a job after graduation.

“I did my homework and looked at the successful hire rates of graduates and compared Durham College’s curriculum to other schools in Ontario,” said Graham. “In the end, I decided Durham College offered much more.”

Graham interned with the Town of Whitby’s Solicitors Office and at a small, private firm in the region as part of her program’s requirements, providing her with the opportunity to apply the knowledge she had learned in the classroom.

During her internship, Graham attended a job fair hosted by the college’s Legal Administration Club. Motivated to find her dream job, she met with representatives from McMillan LLP, a large legal firm located on Bay Street in Toronto, Ont. With her drive and passion, as well as the real-world experience obtained from Durham College, she landed a one-year contract with the firm before she had even graduated.

Graham is now a permanent employee at McMillan LLP and assists three of their lawyers in the Financial Services department.