From Olympian to lawyer: Jill D’Alessio (JD’15)
Early in her career, Jill D’Alessio (JD’15) has already found success in multiple arenas. The former Olympic sprint kayaker has turned in her paddles to pursue a second career as a lawyer in Halifax.
D’Alessio competed in the K4 500m race at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Her four-woman team placed eighth overall in their event.
She also a two-time Pan American Games champion, with a first place team finish in the K4 500m event at the 2003 Pan Am Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and a solo gold medal earned in the K1 500m race at the 2007 Pan Am Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Translating athletic skills into law
After retiring from competitive sport, D’Alessio decided to pursue a second career in law. As a student at Dalhousie’s Schulich School of Law, she brought the same dedication and collaborative spirit honed in her athletic career to her involvement in academics in student life. D’Alessio served as president of the Domus Legis Society and as a member of the Law Students’ Society grad committee.
In an interview with the Schulich School of Law, D’Alessio explains, “because of my sport, I grew up in a team atmosphere, and I took that attitude with me to law school. For me, it was about achieving my personal best, not beating other students. It was important for me to feel like I was part of a community.”
During her studies at Dalhousie, she discovered her niche interest areas within the law. “I learned that I have a passion for being an advocate and providing tools for people to navigate the justice system. It also reassured me that one of the most important values to have in the legal profession is integrity.”
A new chapter
D’Alessio has been articling at Carter Ford LLP since January 2016. The small, Halifax-based firm opened its doors in 2014, with a focus on personal injury, accident and disability law. D’Alessio especially enjoys working with clients on medical malpractice issues. “They’re tired, financially stressed and mentally or physically ill, and they have legitimate claims. I enjoy getting to know their story and seeing how the law can help their circumstances.”
While she has retired from competitive sprint kayaking, D’Alessio remains involved in the athletic community as the Athletes Representative on the High Performance Committee of Canoe Kayak Canada. As a member of the committee, she is advancing the next generation of Canadian athletes by helping to nominate athletes to teams competing at World Cups and Olympic Games. Someday, she may explore opportunities to combine her passions for sport and law as a legal advocate for athletes.
She also enjoys supporting fellow canoe/kayak Olympians and Dal alumni such as Genevieve Orton (BSc’13) and Mark de Jonge (BEng’09), both of whom competed in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Read more in “Former Olympian and Schulich Law alumna Jill D’Alessio on life before and after law school and competitive sport” on dal.ca.
Image: Rachael Kelly