Lincoln Alexander Law alum secures prestigious clerkship
Safia Thompson was the recipient of a Viola Desmond Award in 2024.
A graduate of the Lincoln Alexander School of Law’s inaugural class, Safia Thompson, will embark in the fall of 2026 on a prestigious Federal Court of Appeal clerkship, where she will clerk for The Honourable Justice Siobhan Monaghan. The clerkship is a rare opportunity to work under the direct supervision of a judge and gain insight into the judicial process of legal decision-making.
“I wanted to challenge myself to dig deeper into doctrinal legal analysis, statutory interpretation, and administrative law principles within the bounds of the Federal Court of Appeal’s strict jurisdiction,” says Thompson. “I’m particularly intrigued by the academic side of law and judicial thought and reasoning. I’m also passionate about public service and I’m excited to give back by supporting the important work of the Court.”
This move will follow Thompson’s time at McCarthy Tétrault – where she joined the full-service business law firm as an articling student in 2023, after stints as a summer and third-year placement student. Thompson credits her professional success to her experiences at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law and McCarthy’s, as well as the selflessness of her parents, who immigrated from Trinidad and Tobago and “did their very best with the information and limited resources available to them.”
Thompson decided to pursue a clerkship after a conversation with her mentor, Atrisha Lewis, founding partner of Lewis Litigation. “I’m so inspired by her. We spoke about the importance of inclusion in the context of judicial clerkships across Canada, as well as how crucial it was for my confidence to come from within,” says Thompson. Several other mentors and professors supported her throughout the application process, Thompson adds.
After law school, Thompson was thrilled to sink her teeth into practice, “but the clerk itch didn’t go away.” Pointing out that legal decisions are “woven into the fabric of our ever-evolving society” and “write the verses of justice for tomorrow,” Thompson is aware of the weightiness of this role and is especially excited to clerk for Justice Monaghan. “I hear that she’s one of the most brilliant and unique thinkers on the bench,” says Thompson. After completing her clerkship, Thompson plans to return to private practice with the long-term goal of pursuing a PhD and teaching law.
Thompson’s diverse experience at McCarthy’s has sharpened her skills and confidence. At the firm, she’s met several mentors and champions, “whose faces light up when they see me growing,” as well as friends who “have become some of my favourite people to moot a complex legal issue with.”
While articling at McCarthy’s, Thompson had the opportunity to appear as counsel and provide oral submissions in a constitutional tax law case at the Tax Court of Canada. “I am humbled that my mentor, Adam Goldenberg, trusted that I could argue at the federal level at such a tender stage in my career,” says Thompson. She credits her third-year professional placement at McCarthy’s with giving her the chance to grow professionally to the point where she was ready to argue a complicated case at the federal level.
Thompson also made her mark on her alma mater. She was the recipient of several awards and was honoured as the Valedictorian for Lincoln Alexander Law’s inaugural graduating class. “The 2023 class had plenty to prove and I’d say we understood the assignment. We took building the law school very seriously given the scrutiny we were under as the new kids on the block,” Thompson laughs.
A founder of the Black Law Students’ Association (BLSA) at Lincoln Alexander Law, Thompson and her fellow students were instrumental in launching the Black Excellence Award for incoming law students who demonstrate a commitment to their community. “I went to law school with some of the smartest people I’ve ever met, whose lives have been driven by grit. It forced me to step outside my own bubble to understand and afford grace to the experiences of others,” says Thompson. “This primed me for the real world and for the practice of law where you’re engaging closely with people from many different walks of life.”
Last year, Thompson was awarded a Viola Desmond Award in the TMU community leader category. “This honour wouldn’t have been possible if the community didn’t trust me to do the work I do,” says Thompson. “I’m forever indebted to my village who thought me worthy of this award.”
Of her experience at Lincoln Alexander Law, Thompson said, “Our professors are ahead of their time, and it was a real joy to learn from them. They are, of course, academically exceptional, but what makes them stand out is their emotional intelligence. Learning the law in a dialogue-heavy environment from professors who are truly in touch with the world was a gift.”
Thompson will continue to shape Lincoln Alexander Law as a mentor and member of the inaugural BLSA-Lincoln Alexander Alumni Board this year. “I trust that current and future Lincoln Alexander Law students know they can reach new heights in life and law while fostering an environment of goodness and kindness,” says Thompson. “They should remember that they can achieve more together, and should, where possible, stand as a united front.”