Archives: Team Members

Leslie Haddock returns to DSF as an articling student who recently graduated from the Juris Doctor (J.D.) program at Osgoode Hall Law School. Prior to her articling term, Leslie worked as a research assistant specializing in Aboriginal legal issues and summered at DSF after her second year. During her time at DSF last year, Leslie gained experience in various areas of law, including family law, employment law, wills and estates, estate litigation, and commercial litigation.

During her time at Osgoode, Leslie maintained high academic standing and received several awards for academic achievement related to the areas of trusts and estates. Leslie was also active in the school community, volunteering at the Community Legal Aid Clinic (CLASP) as a junior caseworker within the Administrative Law Division;  working with Pro Bono Students Canada in the GTA Wills Project, assisting low-income individuals with preparing wills and powers of attorney, and participating in the Walsh Family Law Moot.

Prior to law school, Leslie received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Guelph, where she majored in History with a minor in Criminal Justice and Public Policy. In her free time, Leslie enjoys yoga, reading, indoor planting, and indulging in horror films and literature.

Rachel Weitz joined DSF as an articling student after graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School with her Juris Doctor. Prior to attending law school, Rachel received her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Criminal Justice and Public Policy from the University of Guelph, where she graduated with distinction and earned a place on the Dean’s List of Honours eight times.

At Osgoode, she was actively involved in peer mentorship initiatives both as a mentee and mentor through the Osgoode Disability Collective, Jewish Law Students’ Association, and the Osgoode 1L Mentorship Program. Rachel has a passion for advocacy and has participated in various moot court competitions as an oralist, and as an organizer and judge. She is bilingual, being fluent in both English and French. Rachel has a diverse employment background, having worked in the financial sector, as a research assistant to multiple law professors, and as an LSAT tutor.

She is a sports lover and cheers for her beloved hometown teams, the Leafs, Jays, and Raptors. She is also an avid golfer, reader, and baker.

Sanaz Sakhapour is pleased to return to Devry Smith Frank LLP as an articling student after completing her Juris Doctor degree at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, Common Law Section (“uOttawa”) with distinction. In her final year of law school, Sanaz studied at Osgoode Hall Law School (“Osgoode”) on a Letter of Permission in order to diversify her legal education and learn from legal experts in her home town of Toronto. Prior to law school, she earned a Bilingual Honours Bachelor of Science degree from York University, Glendon College, where she studied psychology.

During law school, Sanaz’s health and science background contributed to her continued interest in gaining an in-depth knowledge of law and its intersection with the field of health, which earned her a specialization in health law. She had the privilege of learning from esteemed professors in specialized areas of health law, including immigration health law, food law, patent law and disability and technology law at both uOttawa and Osgoode. Outside of health law, Sanaz enjoyed challenging herself by enrolling in new subject areas such as public international law, construction law, competition law and trademark law in order to bring a breadth of knowledge into her career as a future legal practitioner.

Sanaz has also gained valuable legal experience as an Assistant Editor for the Ottawa Law Review, where she verified materials that were referenced by authors in a bilingual and peer-reviewed academic journal. She was also a Research Assistant at uOttawa, where she researched and summarized legal materials with respect to the status quo of entitlement and access to reproductive health care for migrant women around the world. Sanaz has also demonstrated a commitment to the legal community through her involvement in the Allies in Law Mentorship Program at the uOttawa, where she mentored first-year law students.