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

My 2025 INs and OUTs - Articling Student Trial Edition

This year is for learning, growth, and taking bold steps forward (so says my horoscope). 

So here are my 2025 INs and OUTs as an articling student who just conducted her first successful Small Claims trial.

 INs

Controlling the Controllable

A lot of litigation, especially when it comes to trial, is thinking on the fly – witnesses can be fickle, sometimes opposing counsel are loose cannons, and judges don’t always want to make your life easy. That's what makes litigation exciting! However, with the excitement comes unpredictability, so my first 2025 IN is controlling the controllables.

By the time trial started, I could quote our Statement of Defence, I knew important dates like they were my own family’s birthdays, and I studied the rules of evidence and court decorum like it was finals week of 1L. Everything I could do to prepare was already done, and it was a comfort to know that the unpredictability of the courtroom was not up for me to decide.

Humility 

Lawyers and law students have a reputation for being competitive and know-it-alls, and, frankly, insufferable at times. As an articling student, speaking from experience, are almost never the smartest person in the room, and even if you are, it’s very unbecoming to act like it.

The upshot of being humble is that soaking in the experience is when the learning happens. By being polite and courteous to the associate judge, the paralegal, and the registrar, I learned from all three.

OUTs:

Staying Quiet

I count my blessings every day that our client happened to be a former litigator. However, with his extensive knowledge of the law and the particular area of law in dispute, I let myself get intimidated and those nerves carried over into my opening submissions and cross-examination on day one of trial. I felt unsure after day one and didn’t want the same experience on day two. I decided to float my ideas by our client so that our strategy was collaborative and more importantly, it was one that I understood and felt confident executing. Suffice it to say, that my confidence improved on day two.

Uncomfortable Clothes

Day one of trial made me want to start a petition striking the first two words from the phrase “look good, feel good, play good”. Getting ready for trial, I put on an itchy grey top that looked so good, and I felt ready for the day! 

But as soon as I stepped into the warm courtroom and began my opening submissions, I regretted my outfit choice. 

Although looking professional and presentable is important – especially before receiving our “lawyer” robes – it is equally important to be comfortable speaking in front of a judge without looking like you want to jump out of your skin. So, my final 2025 OUT is uncomfortable clothes. Wear clothes that you can be confident and comfortable in.

by Angela R.