Toronto & Markham
Articling Student Programme
The Toronto office hires students through the articling process governed by the Law Society of Upper Canada. We have now filled all articling positions for the 2012/2013 articling year.
Rotations/Student Experience
Our students are exposed to a wide variety of experiences during their articling year. Students spend approximately five months in each of the corporate and advocacy departments. Our students are given the opportunity to, among other things, assist and accompany lawyers to discoveries, hearings, trials, mediations, commercial deal closings and client meetings. Students are also assigned and have carriage of Small Claims Court files.
Secondments
Students may also have the opportunity to participate in a secondment arranged by our office. In the past, students have been on secondment at the Ontario Securities Commission, Ontario Labour Relations Board, World Vision and Siemens Canada Limited.
Social & Charitable Events
We encourage our students to participate in all aspects of firm life. In the past, we have arranged social and charitable activities including: bowling night; Habitat for Humanity builds; and a golf day. We also have “Call to the Bar” — a regular get-together with all the professionals.
Mentoring
As part of our support structure, not only are students paired with a partner who acts as their principal, they are also paired with an associate who acts as a mentor. We make every effort to assign a mentor who, we think, will fit well with the student’s interests and background. Members of the Student Committee, as well as the Professional Development Department, are also on-hand to help students through their articling year.
Feedback
We also continue to evaluate our students’ progress through two formal evaluation processes, which occur at the end of each rotation.
Professional Development
Throughout articling, students will continue their professional development with additional continuing legal education programming designed specifically to help them develop practical legal skills. As in the summer programme, students are invited to attend all firm-wide and practice-specific continuing legal education seminars.