Halifax brothers聽Eyoab聽and Abel聽Begashaw聽are about to have the experience of a lifetime as they start their first year of law school together.
Eyoab, 27, and Abel, 25, shared with us what they think they鈥檒l like about being classmates at Weldon and聽how their competitive natures will push them to聽do their best.
What brought both of you to the Schulich School of Law?
Eyoab:聽Last year聽we got on the topic of long-term goals. We were working full-time, but neither of us felt a passion for what we were doing.聽Law had been something I had thought about pursuing for a long time, so when Abel mentioned he was also thinking about it, we became excited about the idea of potentially聽attending law school together.聽
Abel:聽After graduating from commerce at Dal and joining the workforce,聽I learned that I needed a career that would give me purpose,聽challenge me daily, and empower me to help my friends, family, and community. Law checked all the boxes. I mulled it over for months,聽but聽before聽I make a decision I have to say it out loud to somebody who will hold me accountable.聽When I聽told聽my brother that I was going to start studying for the LSAT and apply聽for law school,聽he hopped off the couch and said,聽鈥淏ro, me too!鈥�
Why did you decide to apply to the Schulich School of Law?
Eyoab:聽I聽completed聽a Bachelor of Management聽at Dal聽in 2014.聽I grew up playing pickup basketball at the聽Dalplex聽since junior聽high,聽and our mother has worked at Dal for over 17聽years (and still does).聽I feel a strong connection to the university,聽and coupled with the聽Indigenous Blacks聽and Mi鈥檏maq Initiative聽and the reputation of the Schulich School of Law, it was my clear choice.
Abel:聽I did my undergraduate聽degree at Dal聽too.聽I had heard聽about the IB&M Initiative and the opportunity聽it offered. After doing some research on its mission,聽I knew that聽this law school聽was where I wanted to study.
What聽do you believe聽the advantages聽will be聽of having a聽brother聽in the same year at law school?
Eyoab:聽To be able to bounce ideas, practice arguments (which we鈥檝e been doing for years!), and聽unload stress about the schoolwork to someone who is going through the same thing will be huge.聽We鈥檒l聽also keep each other accountable.聽
Abel:聽Having somebody I trust,聽who聽I can confide in,聽who聽has my best interests聽at heart聽and聽who is going through the same thing聽will be invaluable.聽Having somebody to compete with so I can prove to my mom who is smarter will drive me to be the best version of myself!
And聽the聽disadvantages? Be honest!
Eyoab:聽Like聽any聽siblings, we do bicker.聽We are both聽opinionated聽but聽don鈥檛聽agree about everything.聽I can see this聽being a recurring issue throughout law school. There may also come a time where we鈥檙e聽competing for the same jobs or聽internships,聽and in the case that one gets the position over the other, it could be bittersweet.
Abel:聽We fight like brothers, especially the more time we spend with each other. This will put more stress on our relationship.聽I think we will have to work hard to make sure we don鈥檛 get too competitive.
Do you think you鈥檒l聽be聽competitive?聽
Eyoab:聽Without a doubt! We are both very competitive鈥攚e embraced聽competing as we grew up playing sports鈥攁nd聽that聽has helped us get to where we are now. I look forward聽to competing with Abel throughout law school as I believe it is only going to push us to be our best.
Abel:聽Being younger, there聽is nobody I like to beat more than my older brother!聽We both know that our mom is going to ask how we鈥檙e doing,聽and聽one of us聽is going to have to explain why聽he isn鈥檛聽doing as well. I don鈥檛 think聽it will be a problem because聽competition brings the best out聽in聽both of us.
Do you live together?聽
Eyoab:聽We do, and this is something we聽discussed.聽Being around anyone too much can get annoying, let alone a sibling! We are very close聽but are also independent, so I鈥檓聽not overly concerned about seeing Abel too much.
Abel:聽Seeing each other so much will be鈥nteresting!聽I think聽that聽like anything in life聽it聽will take some time to get used to,聽and there will probably be some fights,聽but I think that we will find a system that works.
Do you have a sense yet of what you鈥檇 like to do after law school?
Eyoab:聽I鈥檝e worked聽with the聽Workers鈥櫬燙ompensation聽Act and聽the Occupational Health and Safety聽Act, so I can see a聽future in employment law.聽My undergrad major was in聽entrepreneurship and innovation,聽and I follow the startup scene, so聽I聽could also聽see a path in patent and tech-related聽practice.聽I鈥檓聽willing to consider any area of the law that may strike an interest.聽I want to make a positive impact on my community and will strive to end up in聽a聽practice聽where聽I can do that.
Abel:聽I鈥檓 also聽going聽in聽with an open mind. I鈥檓聽looking for something that is intrinsically satisfying but will also pay the bills.聽Eyoab聽and I聽have been joking that we鈥檒l open our own firm someday and call it聽Begashaw聽&聽Begashaw,聽or B&B for short. My name will come first,聽of course.