“I never could have imagined sharing this story with anyone—let alone a room of 800 people,” she told the assembly of graduates, family and friends.
But her message was clear: perseverance isn’t about perfection; it’s about showing up, owning your journey, and extending grace to yourself and others along the way.
Trecroce’s vulnerability is palpable, yet her strength is undeniable.
“What are you going to do?”
Following her first year of law school, Trecroce encountered a challenge that nearly changed the course of her legal education. “I had faced a personal setback,” she explains, “and it forced me to confront the reality that succeeding in such a demanding program requires being in tune with yourself. At the time, I was pouring so much energy into supporting others that I wasn’t showing up for myself—and it started to catch up with me.”
She still vividly remembers where she was when everything shifted. “I was sitting in a park when I got the call. I was told I would need to apply for readmission. My heart sank. I had to advocate for myself just to be let back in—and if I was, I’d have to redo first year from the beginning.”
But even in that moment of uncertainty, she never questioned whether she’d try again.
“My questions, funny enough, weren't about IF—they were about WHEN,” she says. “When can I submit this? When will I hear back? When will I know that I can do this again? I held myself accountable and told myself: ‘No one's coming to save you. So… what are you going to do?”
Now, three years later, Trecroce is preparing to begin her articling term at Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall, the same firm where she previously held a summer law student position. Even this milestone wasn’t part of a linear path.
After participating in the on-campus interview (OCI) process with the firm, she wasn’t selected for a second-round interview. “That was disappointing,” she reflects. “But then I was paired with a partner from the firm through the alumni mentorship program.”
She didn’t let disappointment dictate her next steps. “In that moment, I never thought, ‘Well, they didn’t pick me, so why bother?’ I knew I still had something to learn. I wanted to hear about her practice—she’s a partner, a woman in law, a mother… so many things I admire.”
Trecroce reached out and invited the partner to coffee. That meeting turned out to be more than just informative—it was transformative. Her humility, drive, and passion for advocacy left a lasting impression. In the end, she was invited to formally interview again and was ultimately one of just four students hired.
The lawyer she wants to be
“These are such transformative years of our life,” she reflects. “I think the type of lawyer I want to be is very parallel with the type of person I want to be. I don't want to be a shark in the courtroom… It's much more about whether [clients] feel like they've been taken care of. Do they feel acknowledged? Do they feel like I understand them?”
Her vision is one of empathetic advocacy, rooted in humility and a deep sense of social responsibility. “It's no secret that the people who are the change makers in the world are those that predominantly have privilege and power,” she says. “I’m so grateful to have gone to law school. It has been a privilege. If I can be a voice for those who haven’t had the same opportunities, that’s a win. If I am a lawyer that people can respect, and that I respect,” she says, “then that’s the type of lawyer I want to be.”
A Leader Behind the Scenes
As a Senior Mentor and Editor-in-Chief of the Ottawa Law Review (OLR), Trecroce made it her mission to create space for honesty, collaboration, and care.
“My leading principle is that you really just don’t know what someone else is experiencing,” she explains. “Law students might look put together, but you don’t know what someone is going home to. I just really wanted people to know it’s okay if you need a little extra time… Everybody is struggling in some capacity. If we all just put our guard down a little bit, you wouldn’t feel so alone.”
Her empathetic and inclusive approach did not go unnoticed. Following her term as one of the Editors-in-Chief, Trecroce was awarded the Campagnolo Leadership Award, a distinction she holds close to her heart. “This is something really special to me because Vice Dean Campagnolo has really been an incredible mentor to me and has instrumentally helped shape my success.”
She led with that ethos in every space she occupied—whether as one of several student representatives on Faculty Council, in mentoring younger students, or guiding the OLR editorial team.
Looking Back—and Forward
Among the photos Trecroce treasures from her law school experience is one taken on her very first day, standing outside Fauteux. “She had no idea what was coming,” Trecroce says of her younger self. “I view every single 1L mentee I’ve had like I view myself on that day.”
Asked what she’d say to that version of herself, she doesn’t hesitate: “You got here. You made it. You’re in the door and you deserve to be here just like everybody else. You have nothing to prove.”
That perspective radiated in her Convocation message: “Regardless of whether you’ve had an experience specifically in law school that felt like a setback, we’ve all had to overcome personal difficulties. If you take anything away from my story, let it be this: if you really want something… never give up.”
From One Chapter to the Next
As she looks ahead to the next phase of her legal journey, Trecroce is keeping her heart and mind open to wherever the path may lead.
“Every single thing I’ve ever done has opened me to a new opportunity,” she explains. “I’m so excited to article at Perley-Robertson. I loved my experience there. When I think about what I’ll learn over the next 10 months, I know there could be a client or an issue that sparks something in me. Maybe it’ll be a case that really speaks to my love of advocacy.”
One area she feels especially drawn to is working with Indigenous communities—something she hopes to incorporate meaningfully into her future practice.
She’s also considering a return to her roots. “I’m from Sault Ste. Marie, a small town in Northern Ontario. There’s a lot of great work I think I could do there—people who could really use someone in their corner.”
As always, she is moving forward with purpose, compassion, and curiosity. “I just want to keep my doors open and see what’s next.”