Name: Samantha Peters

Education: University of Toronto (Honours BA’09) – Equity Studies, Political Science and French 

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (MA’10) – Sociology and Equity Studies in Education

University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (JD’16) – Public Law, Dispute Resolution and Professionalism

Profession: Lawyer

Years of Experience: 1

When you were a child, did you envision becoming what you are now? 

I wanted to be an actor or a lawyer!

Can you please tell us about your journey? When did you first think to yourself, “I made it”?

My journey is ongoing and has not at all been linear.  Before law school, I worked in education and following law school I worked in politics.  Now I work as a lawyer at the intersection of law, education and policy.  The moment I felt like “I made it” was when I started practicing law on my own terms and not in ways that is expected of me.

Did you face any challenges on your journey to get where you are? Do you currently face any challenges?

I faced many challenges along the way and those challenges did not necessarily go away once I became a lawyer.  Systemic racism, discrimination and the undervaluing of my labour still exists.

What skills do you believe a person needs to succeed in your profession?

Creativity and passion are some of the skills that a person needs to succeeded in the legal profession, but that means nothing without individual and systemic support.

What advice would you give to others who aspire to be where you are?

Stay connected to community.

Can you please share one goal you achieved that you are extremely proud of?

I see problems and create solutions.  One of the goals that I achieved which I am extremely proud of is creating Black Femme Legal – a Law Foundation of Ontario funded workplace toolkit for Black queer women, femmes and gender diverse folks in Ontario needing employment-related support.