FIDI - The ‘Foot in the Door’ Initiative

10/19/2026

Hear from our student: one tip from Brandon’s summer at FIDI

Brandon is a final-year law student at City St George’s, University of London, and he spent his summer with FIDI at Osuji & Smith Lawyers in Calgary, Alberta.

In this video, he shares his advice for future FIDI students and what he learned from his time inside a Canadian law firm.

FIDI, the Foot in the Door Initiative, gives internationally trained lawyers and law students hands-on Canadian legal experience, mentorship and a real first step into the profession.

Thank you, Brandon, for being part of the FIDI journey. We can’t wait to see where your legal career takes you! 🎓

📍 Calgary, Alberta
🔗 Learn more at fidiosujismith.ca (link in bio)

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10/15/2026

What is FIDI? 🇨🇦

FIDI, the Foot in the Door Initiative, is a program at Osuji & Smith Lawyers in Calgary, Alberta, that helps internationally trained lawyers gain hands-on Canadian legal experience.

Many lawyers who move to Canada have the education and the skills, but are told they need “Canadian experience” before anyone will hire them. FIDI was created to close that gap.

Through FIDI, participants work on real files, learn how a Canadian law firm operates, and get mentorship from lawyers who have been through the same journey, including the NCA process.

Whether you’re working through your NCA exams, preparing for articling, or looking for your first legal role in Canada, FIDI is your foot in the door.

📍 Calgary, Alberta
🔗 Learn more at fidiosujismith.ca (link in bio)

09/30/2026

Today, on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we remember the children who never returned home, honour Survivors of residential schools, and recognize the families and communities who continue to carry their impact.
Reconciliation requires more than remembrance. It calls for listening, learning, and continuing to build a future grounded in respect, understanding, and meaningful action.

Today and every day, we recognize the importance of Truth and Reconciliation.

Every Child Matters. 🧡

09/22/2026

Another FIDI milestone. Another journey worth celebrating. 🎓

Today, we’re celebrating Brandon Davidson and an important milestone in his FIDI journey!

Every FIDI journey is different, but they all start with someone willing to take a chance, gain experience, build connections and keep moving forward in their Canadian legal career.

FIDI is about creating opportunities, building connections and providing practical experience to help internationally trained legal professionals move forward in their Canadian legal careers.

Brandon, congratulations on this milestone and everything you’ve accomplished along the way. We’re proud to have been part of your journey and excited to see what comes next! 💙

Are you an internationally trained legal professional looking to gain Canadian experience and grow your network? Learn more about FIDI and how to get involved:

📞 403-283-8018
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 fidiosujismith.ca

09/21/2026

Join us for a FREE FIDI Professional Development Workshop: Working with Legal Assistants! ⚖️

Strong communication and coordination between lawyers and legal assistants are essential to building efficient legal teams and navigating day-to-day legal practice with confidence.

FIDI - The ‘Foot in the Door’ Initiative, in collaboration with Osuji & Smith Lawyers, is pleased to invite you to a practical professional development session focused on working effectively with legal assistants.

The session will feature Samantha Martey-Carboo, Student-at-Law, alongside Baldip Hansra and Hitika Parashar, Legal Assistants at Osuji & Smith Lawyers. Together, they will explore court, client and lawyer communication and coordination, followed by practical guidance on family and civil filings.

This workshop is designed to provide practical insights into the role of legal assistants and the skills that help legal teams work more effectively together.

📅 Thursday, September 24, 2026
⏰ Time: 10-11AM MST
💻 Microsoft Teams
🎟️ Free to attend — no registration required
Join the Teams meeting here: [email protected]/1790020516008?context=%7B%22contextType%22%3A%22chat%22%7D" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://teams.microsoft.com/l/message/19:[email protected]/1790020516008?context=%7B%22contextType%22%3A%22chat%22%7D

We look forward to seeing you there for a practical conversation about communication, coordination and the filing skills that support effective legal practice.

09/18/2026

Mentorship can create a ripple effect far beyond one career.

In 2011, CRIEC supported Dr. Charles Osuji as an internationally trained lawyer building his professional network and career in Calgary. Today, after serving on CRIEC’s Board of Directors for seven years, he continues that cycle of mentorship through the Foot in the Door Initiative (FIDI).

Through FIDI, 300+ internationally trained professionals have gained access to Canadian experience, professional networks and meaningful career opportunities. As highlighted in the CRIEC 2026 Impact Report, these placements represent an estimated $15M–$21M in annual employment income and $75M–$105M in cumulative economic activity over five years.*

From mentee to mentor, Dr. Osuji’s journey demonstrates what can happen when opportunity is passed forward — strengthening careers, communities and Calgary’s workforce.

📖 Read the full CRIEC 2026 Impact Report: https://flipbook.so/flip/w7hEeiICtkQLs8iG9aVJ

Interested in FIDI or want to learn more about the program?
📧 [email protected]
📞 403-283-8018
🌐 Foot in the Door Initiative (FIDI)

Figures are illustrative, high-level estimates presented in the CRIEC 2026 Impact Report and are not a formal economic impact study.

09/17/2026

Another FIDI milestone. Another chapter beginning.
🎓

Today, we celebrate Ola Mafowosofo, Morenike Ayomilesi and Daksh Arya as they reach an important milestone in their FIDI journey.

Behind every FIDI story is someone bringing experience, ambition and the courage to build a new chapter.

Through mentorship, practical experience and community, FIDI helps internationally trained legal professionals feel supported, connected and empowered as they navigate Canada’s legal profession.

We are proud of the growth Ola, Morenike and Daksh have shown, and grateful for the people who continue to make that journey possible especially Juliette Omonigho, FIDI Board Chair, whose leadership and commitment to mentorship remain at the heart of the initiative.

To Ola, Morenike and Daksh congratulations on how far you’ve come. We’re proud to have been part of your journey and excited to see what comes next. 💙

📞 403-283-8018
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 fidiosujismith.ca

04/24/2026

🇨🇦 “Canadian legal experience required” is one of the most misunderstood phrases in the legal job market.

It’s not just about working in Canada or passing exams. It’s about understanding how Canadian law firms operate procedures, client expectations, drafting standards, and workplace systems. ⚖️

For internationally trained lawyers, the real challenge is proving you can work within the Canadian legal environment.

✨ That’s where FIDI comes in.
We focus on practical, hands-on exposure inside a real legal setting so you build confidence, strengthen interviews, and create real career opportunities.

📈 Learn the system by working within it.

04/17/2026

Most internationally trained lawyers don’t struggle in Canada because they lack knowledge. They struggle because the system doesn’t recognize it.

You arrive with:
• A law degree
• Years of legal experience
• Courtroom exposure
• Client handling skills

And yet, the first thing you hear is:

“Do you have Canadian experience?”

Here’s the truth no one tells you:

👉 It’s not about your capability.
👉 It’s about context.

Canadian law firms are not just hiring legal knowledge, they are hiring:
• Familiarity with local procedures
• Understanding of court systems
• File management standards
• Client communication expectations in Canada

And if you haven’t worked inside that system, you’re automatically seen as a risk.

That’s the real gap.

Not intelligence.
Not qualification.
Not potential.

Just exposure.

This is where most internationally trained lawyers get stuck, between being qualified and being employable.

So how do you actually bridge that gap?

Not through more theory.
Not through more exams.

But through real, hands-on legal experience inside a Canadian law firm environment.

That’s exactly where FIDI comes in.

FIDI is designed to give internationally trained lawyers the one thing the system demands but doesn’t teach practical, Canadian legal exposure.

From file handling to court processes, from client communication to real workflow,
it’s about building the kind of experience that makes you employable, not just qualified.

If you’re in this phase right now, you’re not alone, and more importantly, you’re not behind.

You just need the right kind of experience.

Follow this page for real insights into how internationally trained lawyers are building Canadian legal careers the right way through the Foot In the Door Initiative (FIDI).

04/06/2026