Inspiring Young Alumni: Catching up with Marco Ciarlariello ’09

Since graduating from St. Michael’s College School in 2009, Marco Ciarlariello has achieved remarkable success. He earned a BA in English literature from Western University and then attended Osgoode Hall Law School, where he received his law degree. His practice at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP focused on intellectual property, data privacy, and information technology matters. He also led the firm’s blockchain and digital assets practice group. He recently accepted the role of general counsel at an emerging technology company, which develops and supports a decentralized network for accessing and structuring data used to train artificial intelligence models. Ciarlariello’s journey is a testament to the potential of our alumni, and we are proud to share his story with you.

Please provide an update on your professional life.

My legal practice primarily revolves around corporate and commercial work, with a strong focus on intellectual property and data privacy matters. I work with companies in various emerging technology sectors, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, and quantum computing. In January 2024, I made partner at Cassels which was a pretty significant career milestone for me. Earlier this month, I accepted a position at a leading emerging technology company with products and operations relating to both artificial intelligence and blockchain technology. I am looking forward to taking a deeper dive into the technical and commercial matters that come up in running a business.

Please describe your history with St. Mike’s.

My connection to St. Mike’s started with my uncle and SMCS alumnus, Stefano Piccinin ’77, who was someone I looked up to as a kid. I grew up in Scarborough, so I didn’t live close to the school, but ever since I was very young, I had dreamed of going to St. Mike’s. Specifically, I wanted to play on the hockey team, so when I had the opportunity to go in Grade 9, it was very exciting for me. It also gave me the chance to move in with my nonna (Italian for grandmother) in the Corso Italia neighbourhood so that I could have an easier commute to school. The years I spent living with her gave me a chance to really get to know her as a person and we remain very close now. She still lives on her own at 96 years old and is a major role model for me. If it wasn’t for going to St. Mike’s, I don’t think I would have ever had the chance to build the kind of relationship that I have with her now. Most of my friends who I still see from St. Mike’s still ask about her and swing by for visits when in the area.

I didn’t know anyone coming into the school other than a couple of people I played hockey with who were also starting Grade 9. It was a completely new world for me living in the city for the first time after having grown up in the suburbs. At St. Mike’s, I quickly made friends, felt like I had become part of a community almost from the start, and knew I made the right decision. I knew it was a community I wanted to be a part of and stay a part of. I just ran into my first friend at St. Mike’s (Steven De Santis ’09) at a mutual friend’s wedding recently and we laughed about how our class schedule had us in every class together in Grade 9. We hadn’t seen each other in a couple of years, but we picked up right where we left off.

How would you describe your time at the school?

The quality of teaching was high across the board. I had good relationships with many of the teachers, and I think they really cared about the students’ success. It’s something I appreciate a lot more in hindsight than I probably did at the time.

There are two relationships that I had that were pretty meaningful for me. The first was with Fr. Fulton, CSB, my religion teacher in Grades 9 and 10.  He understood I was a new kid and I didn’t know many people getting started. I think he made a real effort to ensure that I had support. He was very friendly, and he was also just a guy that you could go and talk to. He was an excellent mentor to me at the time and I appreciated his influence. I think he was transferred to another school shortly after I graduated so I haven’t seen him around at the Turkey Roll, but it would be great to catch up with him at some point.

The other person was Fr. Zinger, CSB, OSM, who was my uncle’s tutor back in the day. When my uncle was at St. Mike’s in the ’70s, my grandparents maintained a relationship with him over the years. He occasionally would come to the family house and pick up pasta and wine. When I went to St. Mike’s, my nonna told him to look out for me while I was there, and he would always check in with me when he saw me in the library.

I never ran into any issues at St. Mike’s, but knowing I had someone there who cared, knew the family, and wanted to see me succeed at the school was nice.

Please provide further details on any involvement with SMCS since you graduated.

I’ve been involved with the SMCS Alumni Association, helping volunteer at Turkey Roll and with some other events, usually in a mentorship capacity. I’ve also kept in touch with many people from St. Mike’s. My network is very influenced by St. Mike’s. Most of my very close friends to this day are friends that I made in high school, which is not super common when you get into your early 30s.

A few St. Mike’s alumni have reached out to me over the years for help about getting into law school or applying for jobs in law school. I continue to actively mentor new alumni looking to get into law. Helping out is something that I find rewarding because I think it’s a good way to pay it back and pay it forward. I always pick up the phone (or respond on LinkedIn) when someone from St. Mike’s reaches out. I’ll do whatever I can to try and put them in the best position to succeed.

How did SMCS prepare you for and propel you into life?

At St. Mike’s, there was a big focus on work ethic and dedication. I think there’s a much higher standard at St. Mike’s than there probably was across the board at your average high school, even at other private schools. You were expected to put your best foot forward, which largely translated to being very prepared to work in a more self-directed and consistent manner.

As an undergraduate student at Western, I was ready for the challenge because the curriculum at St. Mike’s was built to prepare you for higher education and not just to get through high school. I also found that the teachers focused on attention to detail, which helped me become a more effective writer and speaker. This has translated into helping me do well at school and practice as a lawyer.

How do you live out the Basilian motto of Teach me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge?

I think discipline is an important part of being consistent and putting in putting an effort in basically anything you do. St. Mike’s taught me that a consistent effort is necessary for success.

With respect to knowledge – there was a lot of opportunity to learn about new things at St. Mike’s with the variety of classes and co-curriculars available. I’ve always been a naturally curious person so having a broad array of options to choose from in high school was a really interesting experience. In law, you always have to stay on top of what’s happening next, ensuring that you’re dealing with the various personalities, whether its your client or opposing counsel. You need practical and general knowledge and you have to enjoy learning. This is an attitude that I have always carried forward since my days at St. Mike’s.

St. Mike’s makes a considerable effort to instill a moral and ethical compass. You don’t necessarily get that type of instruction and oversight from your average school in terms of people trying to actively guide you towards living a life where you make an effort to give back.

I carry many values that were cultivated during my time at St. Mike’s. That is one of the reasons I try to give back to the community when I have an opportunity to do so. There have been a number of St. Mike’s alumni ahead of me who have helped me and have been important to my trajectory professionally and personally.

Would you like to share any future plans?

My girlfriend and I just bought a house that we’ve been settling into over the past few weeks, so we’re excited for this new adventure. We’re also hoping to do some travelling in the near future after having taken a few months to focus on the house and work. Professionally, I’m looking forward to continuing to develop my law career, which I’ve very much enjoyed. My work as a lawyer has been an opportunity to continue to learn to work with people who are probably more intelligent than me, particularly when working in the emerging technology sectors. Just seeing and helping people bring new projects to life has always been something that I’ve found to be very rewarding.

Do you have any advice for current students?

My advice for current students would be to take advantage of the opportunities presented to you through different clubs and activities available at St. Mike’s. I know the range of things you can get involved in at the school has grown exponentially since my time there, and I would say to pursue as many interests as possible. It’s just as important to know what you don’t like as what you do like, so try it all if you can.

The teachers and administrators at St. Mike’s always spoke about the importance of being part of the St. Mike’s community. You might take that for granted while you’re there, but it is real. There were about 30 of us that went to Western from St. Mike’s, and I’d say half of them I didn’t really know that well and didn’t speak to much in high school. Once at Western, many of us became close friends almost immediately. I’ve always found that stepping back into a conversation with someone I know from high school is so easy and natural, and we’re just genuinely happy to see each other.

I think that’s what is really special about the community. You see it more and more the further out that you get. Hold on to that and value it for what it is. Take care of those around you because they will be an important part of your life as you grow professionally and personally.

Anything else to add?

The last thing I would like to say is thank you to my parents who made a lot of sacrifices to ensure that I had as many opportunities as possible growing up, including going to St. Mike’s. I couldn’t have achieved what I have without their love and support.

We are excited to feature Marco Ciarlariello as a member of our inspiring young alumni. More inspiring young alumni can be found on the featured wall across from the main office.