Elliot Laker Returns as a Lawyer
Tim Phelan with the ELNOS Bursary plaque from 2013, featuring his name
For Tim Phelan and many others in the ELNOS region, Elliot Lake is home. Family. Friends. Community. There are many things that will draw those who grew up here to return. These strong ties and love for living in the North brought Tim back to the region after pursuing his post-secondary education.
When he graduated from Elliot Lake Secondary School in 2013, Tim was one of the ELNOS Bursary recipients. Like for many students, post-secondary education was a major financial burden for him and his family. With the help of bursaries from community organizations like ELNOS, Tim was able to attend Queen’s University for a Bachelor of Arts Honours (class of 2017) and the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law for a Juris Doctor degree (class of 2020) to become a lawyer. Without the support from his community, Tim said he likely would not have been able to go as far as he did in his education, if at all.
Tim Phelan is now an Associate Lawyer at Cambridge LLP, working in their Elliot Lake office in the ELNOS Building. A significant influence on his decision to return home was the need for legal services in the area. Due to the small number of lawyers in the region, many of whom are nearing retirement, Tim saw an opportunity to work in his home community and ensure that northerners continue to have access to strong, professional legal services. In the past five years, Tim has learned from his mentor and boss, Douglas Elliott, and begun to build a name for himself in the region.
For high school students considering applying for the ELNOS Bursary, Tim recommends making your application stand out by spending time volunteering and becoming invested in your community. He explained that the bursary is based on a variety of factors, including community-mindedness and involvement in your community, not just grades or financial need.
For students thinking about pursuing a career in law, understand that becoming a lawyer is a long and challenging process (Law School is no joke!). Tim suggested that before putting the time and money into it, reach out to lawyers to ask them about their jobs: what they like, what they do not, what an average day looks like for them (because Law & Order has it completely wrong!), and whether they wish they had pursued something else. If you have the opportunity, intern at a law office or shadow a lawyer for a few days to get a sense of what the job is like on a daily basis. Lastly, Tim shared that good lawyers are inquisitive, persevering, and thoughtful.
The ELNOS Bursary is awarded to six graduating students in the Region each year based on need and community/school involvement. It was created to assist students pursuing post-secondary education in hopes that they, like Tim, would return home to provide much needed services to our communities — with the bonus of being close to family and enjoying the incredible lifestyle the region can offer! The bursary application is available in both English and French starting in February of each year. Applications are reviewed by the ELNOS Community Relations Committee and recipients are then carefully selected. Recipients are notified at their graduation ceremony and a plaque is hung in the lobby of the ELNOS Building to recognize their leadership and dedication to our region.
If you were an ELNOS Bursary recipient who has returned to the region to build your career, we’d love to hear from you!