Bill Reid celebrates more than 25 years working with Student Legal Services.

When Bill Reid was in high school and thinking about the career path he wanted to take, he never imagined becoming a lawyer.

In fact, his career path was set to that of an accountant.

“I didn’t intend to be a lawyer, I liked math more than anything involving public speaking. I was really looking at being an accountant initially and I went and did my business degree, ultimately [getting] an MBA,” said Reid, who is legal counsel for Student Legal Services with the Student Association (SA). “I did five years of education in four, so I was 22 when I had the MBA. When I was looking into the MBA, I realized that you could combine an MBA and a law degree.  By this time, I had come out of my shell, and I was more willing to consider a job like law.”

Reid would get his law degree by the age of 25, considering working in the corporate sector before choosing to work with a small firm doing a variety of things. It was fortuitous that he chose to work in the small firm as the work he did there made him aptly suited when the student union at Mohawk College reached out to him with an offer of work.

“It was a good thing that I had taken the chance to do a variety rather than focus on the corporate law. I realized that student unions were in touch with each other, and I was kind of able to sell what I did from one to another, especially through the umbrella organizations.”

“Back in the early 80s, they were talking about alternative legal careers. All the more so now [they talk about it] but even then, they were saying ‘don’t have the blinders on thinking that you can only work in a firm. Look for all legal careers.’ That is exactly what I have done,” Reid adds.

He now works for nine different student unions across the province and celebrated 26 years this year with the SA of George Brown College (SAGBC).

During his time, Reid has helped thousands of students seeking assistance from Student Legal Services, with a variety of legal issues including housing situations, family law, employment, accident cases, as well as immigration, OSAP and other government matters, criminal charges and even starting businesses.

He has also gone above and beyond the scope of his duties by meeting students in places like subway stations and parking lots, to ensure students could rest easy.

With so many years under his belt working with the SAGBC, one may think he’s ready to walk away from law, however, those people would be mistaken.

Reid says he is not someone who can retire and sail around the world or sit on a beach with his feet up. He feels drawn to the work he does and does not imagine leaving it behind.

“I enjoy what I do, and I feel called to do it. I would feel like I was being selfish to walk away from that to sail around the world. I know what’s right for me, which is to do what I do for as long as I can do it. I enjoy my free time to a degree, but I’m not looking to travel around the world or put my feet up and do nothing.”

Students seeking legal advice can reach Reid at legal@SAGBC.ca.