Reality Check

This week officially marks the halfway point of my Summer Student experience with McCague Borlack. I’ve already learned so much and met so many amazing people. 

After a chat with Ashley, the Director of Student Program & Audit, I started reflecting on how my experience so far has differed from what my 2L-self expected from a summer student position…

Expectation: you know nothing -> Reality: you really know nothing… but that’s okay! Like many other incoming summer students, the fear of making mistakes and feeling silly weighed on me before even starting the program. My expectation was that I would come in and not know anything… and that’s exactly what happened! While that may sound terrifying, the bright side is that the rest of the firm also had the same expectation – no one expected me to walk in and know how to be a lawyer… we’re here to learn! Ashley made this clear in the first few days of orientation and it continues to ring true 6 weeks into the program. The reality is, we all have to start from somewhere. Partners, associates, articling students and anyone else who can, is willing to help the students with as many seemingly silly questions as we can come up with. So, I know nothing but I’m learning and that’s what matters.

Expectation: students get the grunt work -> Reality: the MB summer student program is SO immersive Throughout recruit, students typically just accept that 2L summer is going to be grinding out research tasks for 3 months straight – that we’ve got to do our time in the trenches before we get to work on the really interesting stuff. I’m happy to report that this is not the reality. While we do some research work, my experience thus far has been much more than that. The majority of my work has been centred around drafting pleadings and organizing productions. I’ve chatted with clients and coordinated the gathering of documents. The most exciting part is the field trips. I’ve attended a pre-trial conference, a mediation, taken a few trips to the courthouse and am scheduled to observe a motion in a few weeks. Overall, I’ve had a very well-rounded experience and am excited to see what comes next.

Expectation: the legal field is intimidating -> Reality: the people make all the difference Coming into the legal world can be intimidating. The lawyers are smart, confident, accomplished and professional, and you’re just… a student. This was my expectation anyways, but luckily that isn’t the reality. In my experience, the people I’ve met at MB are just that – people! Orientation brought all the students together across locations, fostering friendships before we even set foot in the office. We continue to meet multiple times a week and share each other’s successes and challenges both inside and outside of work. In the office, partners, associates, admin and students alike make a point of being fun, friendly and helpful, while after hours firm dinners help to strengthen relationships beyond work. Being surrounded by the right people is really a make-or-break component of a good summer experience and luckily for me, I’ve met some of the best.

by Kylie G.

A World of Firsts

I was feeling both excited and nervous starting my 2L summer student position at McCague Borlack LLP, but a friend’s pep talk reminded me that there are many new beginnings when starting out on any endeavours.

There was the first day of high school, the first day of undergraduate studies, the first day of law school, and now, the first day as a law student at a firm.

Of course, next will be the first day as an articling student and the first day as a lawyer. Each first seems just as daunting as the last. It never feels like you are fully prepared; but here is where our conversation embedded itself into my mind.

When starting your summer student position, you are already as prepared as you can possibly be. Let me clarify. Though prepared, you are not always as competent as you can be, but this is a part of starting something new. The transition between law school and the legal profession is one that will always give you challenges. You cannot, and will not, get it perfect. You will slip up, make mistakes, and probably feel like you are unable to perform the tasks in the way that you should. When transitioning from undergraduate studies to law school, there is often that familiar feeling of imposter syndrome. Because when you start something new, it is always new. You cannot be better prepared for it except if you have already done it, and if you have already done it, well, then it is not your “first” time doing it after all.

This recognition and mindset shift is something that helped me accept this new challenge. Because it is not about making mistakes; it is not about getting everything perfect the first time, and it is not about presenting yourself as though you know what you are doing. It is all about learning from your mistakes, accepting that you know next to nothing, and being willing to become competent in this new process and experience. Just like how the shift from high school to undergraduate studies, and on to law school involved adaptability, so too does the shift from law school to a professional career. I realized that this transition is just that – a transition.

With this realization also came the understanding that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Learning from different lawyers and looking to my peers in both a school and professional setting, everyone develops their own strategies and processes. This plurality of approaches which showcase flexibility and an eagerness to learn seems to be the only universal mode of success to me. Being able to absorb everything you see and being willing to accept your position as someone at the start of a new journey sheds light on the path ahead. These lessons prepare us for the future “first” steps that await.

by Kayen F.

In-person Summer Student Experience

When I was a kid, I used to romanticize commuting on the train. I dreamt of taking the train to work, getting off at Union Station, and hustling in my heels to a high-rise office in the heart of downtown Toronto. And although that is exactly what I am doing now, the novelty of the train has worn off—along with the skin on my feet.

While the journey to work isn’t as glamourous as I had envisioned, working in person at McCague Borlack LLP as a summer student is everything I imagined.

Our orientation was via zoom, which made sense because we (the Toronto students) were training together with the Ottawa students. As well, MB lawyers from offices across Ontario logged in to speak to us on various topics.

However, the true benefit of working in-person became apparent the moment our assignments were handed out during the second week. 

We are seated in adjoining cubicles, allowing us to communicate freely and openly. Thankfully, we are far enough from the lawyer’s offices to speak candidly—even when asking questions that might seem “dumb” given our collective experience.

With no one having any actual experience with the work we were taking on, any tidbit a lawyer provided to one student benefited us all as it was usually within earshot.

As time progressed, we began to accumulate more information that we could share with one another. From day one, sharing a small point about how to dial a number out of the office—to day 10, sharing whole precedents of finished damages briefs, notice of subrogation letters, and affidavits of documents—the in-person experience enabled us to connect and impart our newfound knowledge without restraint. By actively communicating with my fellow summer students, we have created a bond that feels like we’ve worked together for years.

Further, if we want facetime with various lawyers at the firm, they are only a minute walk through the office. This convenience has allowed me to reach out to people I may not have otherwise met or spoken to. Furthermore, it has allowed for greater efficiency. I only having to take a few steps to ask a question that I would’ve otherwise ruminated on until I got a call or email back.

Overall, though I have only been at MB in a summer student role for just shy of a month, the experience of working with my fellow students, the office staff, and the firm’s lawyers has allowed me to gain more confidence, comfort, and knowledge than I think working online could have ever afforded. Being a student that did at least half of my undergraduate degree remotely, this learning opportunity is irreplaceable to me. 

So maybe I don’t mind commuting so much after all…

by Claudia P.

Getting My First Assignment

 

Last week, the summer students finished our firm orientation and were open for assignments! As the announcement went out to all the lawyers at MB, we were all feeling the nerves and excitement as we waited to get our first assignments. As this was my first time working in a litigation firm, I had no idea what to expect and was anxious to get started. After a couple of hours of (not so) patiently waiting, I got my first assignment: drafting two production summaries.

My first step was to speak to the assigning lawyer to get more details on the task that was assigned.

As this was my first ever assignment, let alone my first production summary, the assigning lawyer was very kind in explaining to me the details of the file as well as how she would like me to do the production summaries. Since every lawyer has a different style and preference for how they like their summaries, I made sure to take diligent notes to ensure that I drafted the summaries how the lawyer liked.

After I received the instructions, I sat down at my desk and began diving into the documents. The first thing I realized as I opened my first document was that I wasn’t entirely sure where to find what I was looking for. The documents were filled with tons of information that made them difficult to decipher. Luckily for me, I reached out to the wonderful articling students in our office, who gave me some helpful guidance that helped me better review the documents.

As I started weeding through all the documents, I started getting frustrated with myself on how slow I felt my progress was. During orientation, we heard about how fast others could review productions, and I began doubting my own abilities because I was taking much longer. Luckily, Ashley Faust, Director of Student Programs, reminded me that I’m learning to do a new task and that takes time, and to not be as concerned about how long it takes me to get the assignment done so long as I do the assignment well. This helped me to curb my own frustration and helped me to keep plugging along.

Document by document, I reviewed each piece and recorded all the relevant information for the supervising lawyer. I found it quite interesting to read through the documents and piece together more about the case we were working on through the productions. As I did more production reviews, I felt as though I was able to find the pertinent information and record it all down faster.

Finally, after many hours of hard work, I finished both summaries! I felt so relieved and proud to have completed my first bigger assignment at the firm. After having an articling student look over my work to make sure everything looked alright, I submitted my summaries to the lawyer and crossed the assignment off my to-do list.

Throughout my first big assignment, I learned that I need to have more patience with myself. The point of being a student is to learn so that by the time we are lawyers, we have the skills we need to serve our clients effectively and efficiently. I am very grateful to the supportive team here at MB that gives us the space to take on new assignments, learn new things as we go, and to hopefully make us great lawyers one day!

by Asta S.

Authenticity or Résumé Fluff?

I grew up playing sports and everyone loved to go on about how athletes are so successful in their careers and have all kinds of transferable skills they bring to the workplace. I was comforted by that concept when I was young. I thought job offers would be hurled at me when it came time to apply. But, when job postings came out, it felt like those skills had left me high and dry. How was I supposed to write in my résumé that I was a hard worker and make it believable? 

Was the whole world going to read my cover letter and take me at my word that I was a team player with strong leadership skills?

I learned quickly through the summer student application and interview process that all those soft skills we learn and develop through life aren’t always marketable. They are demonstrated, proven, and reveal themselves through our experience, and otherwise might feel cheap or inauthentic when written down on paper.

This outlook may seem bleak, and as I write this, I hope I am not scaring anyone off. However, the bright side is this: those who praised my soft skills were not wrong. When they spoke of those skills leading to success in my career, they weren’t talking about getting a job – they were talking about being successful when doing the job.

Every working day, I not only use the strategies and skills I developed through sports -- I depend on them. 

I have balanced full courseloads, volunteering, work, and 25 hours a week of practice and games, and still find time for a social life! This taught me how to balance priorities between work obligations, hobbies, family, and friends. I learned how to recognize when coaches and teammates were actually upset, or when they were just stressed, Now I use that same skill when I speak to insureds and opposing counsel. 

The skill transference list could go on. Before I get off my soapbox, this is my final message for every student who is preparing for interviews and rehearsing their ‘elevator pitch’. Your laundry list of learned skills may feel unconvincing, but they are the reason you will survive and thrive once you get the chance to prove yourself. Good luck.

by Angela R