Lakehead’s newly approved law school — opening in 2013 — is set to increase the number of lawyers where they’re needed: up north. Thunder Bay lawyer Karen Drake tells us it’s about time.

Did you feel pressure to work in Toronto after graduating?
In law school at U of T, there was a saying that there’s a conveyor belt from U of T to Bay Street. Everything revolved around Bay Street.

After working at a big Bay Street firm, why you did decide to move back up north?
I grew up here, and my family and my husband’s family live here. Plus, there’s the amazing work-life balance. Before, I had no control over my schedule; I couldn’t even plan to see a movie with my husband. In Toronto, you get into this mindset that that’s your life, and everyone around you is doing the same thing, working like crazy, so it seems normal. But it’s not.

If Lakehead had a law school back when you were studying, would you have gone there instead?
Yes. When I decided to go to law school, I had no idea where the money was going to come from. Living at home would have been much easier financially.

Does the high cost of law school prevent northern kids from becoming lawyers?
Absolutely. Law school tuition at the University of Toronto is around $25,000 a year now. Thunder Bay is a working class city: $25,000 is an entire year’s salary for some people here, before taxes!