The Career Services Office invites law students to Alternative Legal Careers: Lawyers in Politics! Come hear lawyers talk give career advice based on their years of experience in politics in the US and Canada. Please join us on Monday, March 21, from 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the Moot Court Room.
The Career Services Office is proud to present our panelists:
Sarmite Bulte - Member of Parliament for Parkdale-High Park from June 2, 1997 to January 22, 2006 (Windsor Law - 1978 LLB)
Joe Comartin - Member of Parliament for Windsor-Tecumseh from 2000 to 2015 (Windsor Law - 1971 LLB)
Robert Sheldon - formerly worked for the Ontario Ombudsman and Kathleen Wynne (Windsor Law - 2012 JD)
Dr. Joanna Sweet - Political Scientist (Windsor Law - 2005 LLB)
Rashida Tlaib - Member of the Michigan House of Representatives (Thomas Cooley Law School - 2004 JD)
We hope you will be able to attend! Please RSVP on Symplicity and be sure to check out our Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1718653628358554/.
BIOS
Sarmite Bulte
Sarmite "Sam" Bulte, PC, is a Canadian lawyer, advocate and politician. A member of the Liberal Party, she represented the Toronto riding of Parkdale-High Park in the House of Commons of Canada through three successive parliaments from June 2, 1997 to January 22, 2006. Sam was the first Canadian of Latvian heritage to take a seat in Parliament, and served as the Special Envoy for Canada to the Baltic Countries to secure their support for Canada’s candidacy at the United Nations Security Council in 1998.
Sam received an Honours Bachelor of Arts from University College, University of Toronto, Specialist Certificate in English in 1975. She graduated from Windsor Law with her LL.B. in 1978, and was called to the LSUC in 1980. Before her election as an MP, Sam founded, owned, operated, and managed a full service independent law practice on Bay Street for nearly 20 years. In July 2004, Sam was appointed to the Privy Council.
After serving as an MP, Sam became a consultant for the UNDP and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. Her work with NGOs has had an impact on countries around the world, include Moldova, Yemen, Somalia, and Trinidad and Tobago. Sam is also currently the Director on two Boards of Directors: the Nightwood Theatre and SING! Toronto Vocal Arts Festival. She has past experience serving on over a dozen other boards.
Joe Comartin
Joe Comartin graduated from the University of Windsor with a Bachelor of Arts in 1968 and Bachelor of Laws in 1971. He articled in Laws in Leamington 1971/1972, and practiced law in the Windsor and Belle River areas from 1973 to 2000.
Joe Comartin was a Member of Parliament from November 2000 to October 2015. During these years, he filled steadily gained roles with greater parliamentary responsibility, including Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition. In his last three years in Parliament, he was elected Deputy Speaker. Joe also led or participated in several public diplomacy initiatives involving countless international partners, including Poland, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and the USA. Joe also founded and co-chaired the non-partisan Parliamentary Committee on Palliative and Compassionate Care.
In recognition of his work for wildlands and wildlife, Joe was named “Rookie MP of the Year” in 2001. Previously, in law school, Joe had sustained involvement in the environmental movement, working with Pollution Probe and the Canadian Environmental Association. Joe also volunteered with organizations dedicated to social housing, pension protection, child-care, women and civil rights.
Joe began teaching Ethics and Reform in Canadian Parliament for the University of Windsor in January 2016. Joe wants students to walk away from his course with a better understanding of politics and to stay engaged in the process. He had previously taught as a sessional teacher at Windsor’s faculty of law before his political career.
Robert A. Sheldon
Robert graduated from Windsor Law in 2012 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2013. During his time at Windsor Law, Robert served on several student committees, provided research assistance to faculty, and was a recipient of the 2011 Scotiabank award in Trusts. Robert also volunteered at the University of Windsor Mediation Services.
Prior to entering law school, Robert worked in several capacities for Ontario’s Minister of Education, the Hon. Kathleen Wynne (as she was then). Post articles, Robert returned to Queen’s Park to provide strategic policy and political advice to the current Minister of Education, the Hon. Liz Sandals. In 2015, Robert left politics to accept a position with the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman where he conducted resolution and investigative work into government maladministration.
In early 2016, Robert returned to the practice of law.
In his spare time, Robert plays with his 7-month old son, walks the dogs, and perpetually loses scrabble to his wife, Ashley (also a Windsor Law graduate).
Joanna Sweet
Joanna Sweet obtained a B.A. (2001), LL.B. (2005) and M.A. (2006) from the University of Windsor and a Ph.D. (2012) in political science from Carleton University. During her time as a Ph.D. student, she worked at the federal Department of Justice in the Family, Children and Youth policy section. She has also worked as a sessional instructor and as the M.A. Internship Coordinator in the political science program at the University of Windsor. She has published articles in the Journal for the Study of Radicalism and in the Canadian Journal of Law and Society. She was called to the bar in 2013 and currently practices personal injury law at Greg Monforton and Partners in Windsor, Ontario.
Rashida Tlaib
Rashida Tlaib was the first Muslim woman elected to the Michigan Legislature. Politically, her legacy is largely her accomplishments fighting budget battles and shaping legislation on numerous social justice issues. For Rashida’s constituents, her legacy centers on her creation of a neighborhood service center, which provided direct advocacy on issues and anti-poverty services to thousands of people.
Currently, Rashida is the Community Partnerships & Development Director at the Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice and manager of the Campaign to Take on Hate, a racial justice movement to prevent the increase of hate crimes. The first to attend college in her family, Rashida received her bachelor's in political science from Wayne State University and her law degree from Thomas Cooley Law School. She lives in Southwest Detroit with her family.