The Big Jump: The voyage from law student to lawyer

As someone who had an entire career before law school, I believe I had a robust tool kit going into articling. I was familiar with deadlines and multitasking and felt that articling wouldn’t be as challenging as rumoured. I was wrong. Even seasoned business professionals will struggle during articles. Of course, the tool kit was helpful, however, I question whether law school adequately prepares you for the actual work you will be doing.

Like my fellow students, I can prioritize my time effectively and complete tasks. 

"The struggle is knowing what to do, how to do it and how long each task will take." 

For example, when asked to summarize productions, I allocated five hours. It took me almost 15! (Productions are all the material provided by the Plaintiff – including medical notes, insurance documents, receipts etc.) This miscalculation meant my other tasks kept piling up. This made me reflect on the steep learning curve.

How is it that I felt so unprepared for articling? Why didn’t I learn how to do any of these things in law school? Shouldn’t law school teach you the law and how to lawyer? Including, and this is from a litigation standpoint, how to write factums, motions, damages briefs, affidavits of documents, etc.? Of course, for every area of law, there are different forms, processes, etc., that need to be followed. Shouldn’t law school touch on these? For example, I took Real Estate law; however, I have no idea what systems to use or how to use them should I pursue a career in real estate law. That isn’t a reflection on the professor. He only has so much time to teach us. That is a reflection on the law school experience as a whole. Wouldn’t practicum courses covering docketing, litigation forms and procedures (like motions, affidavits etc.), and technology used in law be far more impactful than making business law mandatory?

In order to whole-heartedly swear an oath to be the best lawyers we can be, we need to fully understand what’s being asked of us. How would you recommend law school better prepare its students for the actual practice of law?

Currently, the responsibility of training lands squarely on the law firms hiring these students. Luckily, McCague is a remarkable organization that puts a ton of resources into training its students. We have mentors, an open-door policy (aka call anytime), and a group of students who work together. I do not doubt that my articling experience will prepare me for becoming a strong litigator. I wonder how other students will fare if they don’t have the same support?

My advice to other students is to take any practical courses you can to gain hands-on experience. That is my one regret.

I welcome feedback from other students, firms and even law schools. Perhaps together, we can make a difference for future law students so that their learning curve won’t be as steep.

by Sandra W.

Be a Sponge Part 2: What I Learned from my Summer Student Experience

In my last blog, I outlined all the things I planned to do to make the most out of my summer student experience. As promised, in this blog, I will let you know how everything worked out for me, as well as mention other things I learned this summer.

Every assignment is a new opportunity

In my last blog post, I said I would keep an open mind when it comes to new assignments (no matter how daunting they seemed). I am proud to say that I did just that. 

"When I was first assigned to do a report for a marine law file involving multiple jurisdictions, I felt extremely overwhelmed since I had never even heard of marine law before."

When I first started the assignment, the issue felt impossible to solve. However, instead of feeling defeated, I saw it as an opportunity to learn about an area of law that not very many lawyers I know practice. After pushing through the difficult parts and keeping an open mind, I found that I actually enjoyed learning about marine law. Through that experience, not only did I learn things I would have never learned in law school, but I also found a new area of law that is of interest to me.

Small assignments can turn into big assignments

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, when I complete an assignment or attend a field trip, I would ask the lawyer if I can be a part of the next step on the file. Sometimes, I didn’t even need to ask because the lawyer would already assign me the next step on the file. Because of this, what started out as a simple assignment has allowed me to get more involved in the development of a case. For example, after drafting an initial report recommending that we file a claim, I was able to draft the actual claim itself. Because I already had familiarity with the file, the lawyer thought I would be the best person to move the file along. This not only increased my knowledge in the different areas of law but also helped me build connections with different lawyers at the firm.

Ask and you shall receive

Whenever I had an interest in exploring a new practice area, I learned that all I had to do was ask the lawyers if they had any work in those areas. Most of the time, many of them have something I can help them with and are happy to give me assignments that I can work on. This is another way to build connections with the lawyers and gain a broad range of experience in the different practice areas.

Last but not least, your fellow summer students are one of your best resources

I am so grateful to have been able to share this experience with my fellow summer students. Whenever I receive an assignment I have never done before and I feel overwhelmed, I can just quickly shoot a message to the summer student group. Most of the time, someone else has already done it and can send you a precedent and even give you some advice. What would have taken several minutes to figure out has just been solved in a few seconds by a single message. I honestly do not know what I would’ve done without Anita, Alexandria, Rebecca, Winona and our Student Program Director, Ashley. They have been such a valuable resource to me and have made this experience truly amazing.

I am super excited to come back to article next year. I look forward to continuing to be a sponge and soaking in more knowledge and experiences (and sharing them with you again)!

by Dominique M.

“Be a sponge.” How I plan to make the most of my summer student experience

Starting a new job as a summer student was a bit intimidating for me. In unfamiliar situations, it is easier for me to stick with what I already know. However, if I want to make the most of my summer student experience, I know I have to step outside of my comfort zone and be open to new experiences.

During orientation week, one phrase the Director of Student Programs said that stuck was “be a sponge”. 

"As summer students, we will be hit with a lot of information

every day and it is our job to soak it up."

My goal is to absorb and learn as much as possible during this summer. The following is my plan on how to do this.

See every assignment as a new opportunity

My very first assignment involved drafting a defence for a Small Claims Court file that involved construction work. At first the task seemed very daunting because the documents I had to review were filled with construction lingo I had never heard before. However, I approached the assignment with an open mind and started working away. I probably had to Google every other word in the documents, but at the end of the day I not only learned how to draft a defence, but I also now know what an “overdig” is and what it’s for.

Ask if I can be part of the next step on a file

When I complete an assignment for a file or attend a field trip, I am going to ask the lawyer if I can be part of the next step on the file. For example, after attending an examination for discovery, I will ask if I can make an undertakings chart or do the discovery report. This will be a great way to stay involved in a file and build connections with different lawyers at the firm.

Ask for assignments in unfamiliar practice areas

I have never taken a class in employment law, so I asked to be kept in mind if anyone had an employment law file that they needed help with. I will continue to do this throughout the summer and sample all the different practice areas. This is a great way for me to learn which practice areas I may want to potentially specialize in later on in my career.

Reach out to all lawyers regardless of what location they are in

Although the firm has offices in Toronto, London, Barrie, Kitchener, and Ottawa, because all of our work is virtual, it is easier than ever to get assignments from lawyers at every office. Because of this, I could attend an examination for discovery in London, a mediation in Ottawa, and a pre-trial in Toronto all in one week! I am definitely using this to my advantage (COVID-19 silver lining!)

This is my time to be intellectually curious, ask questions and take advantage of every opportunity. I’ll report back in my next blog how this worked for me!

by Dominique M.

Articling: A Snapshot

Articling is a training period where we can learn, ask questions, and explore areas that pique our interests. It is important to use this ten-month period to absorb as much possible and develop strategies to become competent lawyers.

... we also have the opportunity to seek out work in areas of interest ...

Assignments

In order to get a varied experience, students receive a bulk of their assignments off the List. The List is a rotation system that determines the order in which students respond to work. This system ensures we get exposure to different types of assignments and avoid staying in our comfort zones. However, we also have the opportunity to seek out work in areas of interest. As a result, we get a truly comprehensive experience.

Field Trips

Students are consistently approached by lawyers asking whether they would like to attend motions, discoveries, settlement conferences, and mediations. These out-of-office experiences are truly valuable since they allow us to observe theory in practice. It is also a great chance to ask the lawyer attending with you any questions you may have about what you observe, in addition to picking up tips on how to develop your own style.

Mentorship

At the start of the articling term, each student was assigned a mentor. Lawyers are committed to helping us grow and become better lawyers. They have an open-door policy and welcome us to ask questions, chat about our experiences, and give us feedback. Although we are encouraged to ask questions, it is important to respect our mentors’ time. Therefore, we write down their explanations and instructions. These meetings with our mentors are a great time to reflect on our strengths, weaknesses, and work together to make our articling term as productive as possible.

Although it has only been two weeks into our articling term, we have already received several tasks we have never been exposed to before. I have had the opportunity to conduct research on an interesting area of law, draft a productions brief and an initial report, and communicate directly with clients. We are excited to see what the next nine months have in store for us. Each day presents new opportunities to develop valuable skills, paving the way for us to become better lawyers.

Taskeen A.

Reality Check: With OCIs around the corner...

I thought I would take the time to write a blog that touches on my OCI experience and give you a glimpse of reality now that I am midway through the summer. I still get chills reminiscing about all of the stress and excitement during the summer and fall of 2015.

I wanted an experience where I was able to work hands-on with files and gain exposure to different areas of law.

During applications for OCIs, I read, for what seemed like days, about all of the opportunities that firms are willing to offer their summers students. I learned very quickly from past summer students that not all of these touted opportunities are a reality. Many students spoke of doing one single task for the entire summer, whether it was endless research or summarizing records all day long. I did not want this to happen to me. I wanted an experience where I was able to work hands-on with files and gain exposure to different areas of law. Without sending caution to the wind, I spoke further with some students who expressed their array of learning experiences at one firm, in particular, McCague Borlack, and I thought to myself, 'this firm sounds like a perfect fit for me!'

Needleless to say, after 7.5 weeks I can confirm that the student experience and opportunities that MB promotes for its summer students, is bang on. In less than two months, not only have I had the opportunity to work closely with partners on files, but I have also had carriage of my own small claims court files and even became published! How is this possible in only 7.5 weeks? The key is the firm’s teamwork mentality; working closely with lawyers has given me the opportunity to have real responsibility. The firm really does promote a “learn through experience” environment.

Throughout the summer I have been assigned an assortment of tasks, some with tight deadlines and some with deadlines that will outlive my summer here. I have been able to attend court proceedings and watch my work be put into action. I’ve even performed some delivery law, which provides students with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the court system.

The atmosphere at McCague Borlack definitely centres on training students and giving us the tools we need to prepare for articling. I can see why MB prides itself on the work quality of their young lawyers since they are not only shown the ropes but also given the opportunity to test them out.

Melissa P.

The Virtue of Research

In many law firms, research is often the primary task for articling students. Be it for a paper, seminar, or file, when a lawyer needs an answer on a discrete point of law, a student is generally the perfect candidate. We have legal training, an academic background, and we are substantially cheaper than a full-fledged lawyer. Lawyers need answers and we are usually the most efficient vehicle for obtaining them.

Research allows a student to learn an area of law, which has value.

Research is not glamorous. It involves a desk, a computer, and possibly a few books. No lawyer will ever tell glorious war stories about the heroic research that they conducted while they articled. But what research may lack in excitement it can make up for in utility. Research allows a student to learn an area of law, which has value. Especially if a student is diligent in saving their memos and cases, research produces knowledge of the law that can be applied at a later date to other problems.

So when that juicy contested motion comes through the door and the partner asks “so who has experience in X?”, it may just be that 10-hour paper-laden goose chase that you went on 3 months ago that clinches the assignment for you.

 

Eric K.

Words of Wisdom...

After reading Natalie’s post, I found myself reflecting on the variety of advice I have collected over the past few years, both during law school and now during my articling term. Before beginning articling, I had my own idea of how I imagined the experience to be. This was largely based on the information passed down to me from those who had gone through the process before me, who never hesitated to share their stories and advice.

One piece of advice that stands out and rings true now, more than ever, came from someone whom I considered my mentor when I was concluding my final year in law school and thinking forward to the start of articling:

Articling is what you make of it.

...take advantage of the learning opportunities available to you as best you can.

Articling, by its very nature, is meant to be a learning experience and there is no better time to learn and gain invaluable experience. Having completed approximately nine months of articling here at MB, I can say that though articling tests and challenges you on a daily basis, it can be very rewarding. That is why it is important that, though you may find articling to be an exceptionally busy time, you must also take advantage of the learning opportunities available to you as best you can. Following the advice given to me, I have made efforts to work with a variety of lawyers on a variety of legal issues. I have also tried to attend as many examinations for discovery, court appearances, and client meetings as possible, as I find them to be great learning experiences.

Aside from the hands-on learning experiences, I've also had the chance to attend many educational seminars and lunch & learn events on a variety of informative topics ranging from how to conduct examinations for discovery to how to run a file.

While work will always find its way to you when you’re articling, it is also important to seek out the work that YOU want. I've found that being proactive and volunteering to assist with work you’re interested in is a great way to make the most of your experience.

And speaking of making the most of an experience… I am going to take this opportunity to give a Shameless plug for Toronto’s beloved Maple Leafs who have finally made it back to the playoffs…GO LEAFS GO!!!

MN