Edith Barabash
Intern at Gartner & Associates Animal Law
Bachelor in Environmental Studies 2018
"Get involved with as many things that interest you as possible! Many of the highlights of my time at York, and many of the friends I met, were through clubs and extracurriculars. For example, a huge part of my undergraduate degree was doing theatre with Vanier College Productions, even though that has nothing to do with the field I'm in. There's much more to university than just studying!"About Edith Barabash
How would you describe your years at EUC, and did the program prepare you for your career? How?
The BES program’s interdisciplinary nature gave me a chance to explore how so many fields related to the environment, so I really got to try out a variety of subjects before narrowing in on what I was most passionate about. EUC helped me develop the interests and skills that then led me to pursue a career in environmental law.
In terms of practical skills, my time at EUC led to tremendous improvement in research, reading, writing, and advocacy skills. And of course, I met incredible like-minded people who I am sure I will work with in the future.
What’s your favorite/most memorable memory of your time at York University?
The most memorable part of my time at York University was having the opportunity to take a field course at York’s Eco Campus in Las Nubes, Costa Rica in 2016. Spending weeks with local families, hiking through the rainforests, and learning about Indigenous communities was an experience that I will never forget!
Describe your post-graduation journey including experiences such as employment, volunteer work, community engagement projects.
After graduating from EUC, I moved next door to start law school at Osgoode Hall. I am currently going in to my second year and will be the co-president of the Osgoode Hall Animal Justice club, as well as a member of the Environmental Law Society. I will also be participating in the Environmental Justice Intensive, where I will carry out legal work on a pro bono basis to advance environmental justice and sustainability.
This summer I have been working at Gartner & Associates, a law firm specializing in mediation of disputes relating to animal and environmental law.
Aside from my formal employment, I am also the founder of an animal rescue called Farmhouse Garden Animal Home, which I started on an organic farm that I had worked on for many years. Saving farm animals from slaughter and watching them live out their lives in peace is incredibly rewarding work!
What is your current job title, or project you are working on, and how would you describe the work you do in a typical day?
As a student at Osgoode, my typical day involves a lot of reading and studying. I also try to keep myself immersed in the world of environmental law, always learning about progressions and changes in the legal world.
As an employee at Gartner & Associates, I do legal research, client consultations, and draft legal documents. There is always something to work on, whether we are helping people get their animals off of death row, or writing articles about law and animals/the environment.
As the founder of Farmhouse Garden Animal Home, I oversee the caretaking, fundraising, event planning and marketing in order to provide for the many animal residents. We also give people an opportunity to connect with rescued farm animals and learn about organic vegetable farming.
If you could leave current students with a piece of advice, what would it be?
Get involved with as many things that interest you as possible! Many of the highlights of my time at York, and many of the friends I met, were through clubs and extracurriculars. For example, a huge part of my undergraduate degree was doing theatre with Vanier College Productions, even though that has nothing to do with the field I'm in. There's much more to university than just studying!