Kowal's parents immigrated to Canada; neither had a university education. Heal's parents began their lives in Bermuda, and his father attended university in Canada with the help of community support, bursaries and scholarships, put through school in part by Heal's mother, a teacher.
At law school, Heal took part in Law Follies and rowed with the varsity team, studying tax and labour law — subjects he says he practises in neither. Kowal still regularly connects with six close friends from those years, relationships now more than 40 years old.
The couple encourages students to give their time freely, even a 20-minute coffee chat. “Breadth, not depth. Don’t go too deep too soon,” Heal says.
Reported from Jackman Law alum Andrew Heal and Monica Kowal on gratitude, community and joy in legal education, by Alicia Fung (U of T Alumni News, April 1, 2026).
More from the original reporting: alumni.utoronto.ca/news/andrew-heal-monica-kowal-gratitude-community-and-joy-in-legal-education