In Praise of IT: The Unsung Heroes Who Save the Day (Every. Single. Time.)

There are a few universal truths in office life. The printer will jam when you’re already late. Your screen will freeze five minutes before a deadline. And the moment you say, “I don’t need IT today,” something catastrophic will immediately happen to your computer.

Enter IT.

IT doesn’t walk - they arrive. Calm. Unbothered.

Usually, holding a cable you didn’t know existed.

While the rest of us are panicking, whispering “why now” to our laptops like it’s a hostage negotiation, IT shows up with the quiet confidence of people who have seen far worse.

Your screen is black? They’ve seen it.

Your system “just updated itself”? They expected it.

You clicked something you definitely shouldn’t have clicked? They already know.

What makes IT truly heroic is not just that they fix things - it’s how they fix them. They never judge. They don’t ask why you tried to print 400 pages to the wrong printer. They don’t flinch when you say, “It was working five minutes ago.” They nod thoughtfully, tap a few keys, and somehow resurrect your entire workstation like it was never dead at all.

But beyond the technical wizardry, what really sets our IT team apart is the people themselves. They are unfailingly kind, patient, and approachable - even when the issue is entirely user-created. They take the time to explain, to help, and to make sure you’re back up and running without ever making you feel foolish for asking.

And let’s talk about timing.

IT has an almost supernatural ability to appear exactly when things are at their worst. Deadline in ten minutes? They’re there. Court filing due? They’re already walking over. Wi-Fi down? Somehow, they sensed it. They swoop in.

They save the day.

They disappear like nothing ever happened.

IT is also the only department that can say things like “Have you tried restarting?” and be both correct and respected. Because somehow, when they say it, it actually works.

Beyond keeping our systems running, they make the office better simply by being in it. We are genuinely very lucky to have such a knowledgeable, responsive, and nice group of people we can always count on.

So here’s to IT — the quiet heroes of the office. The problem-solvers. The calm in the storm. The people who keep everything running so the rest of us can pretend we know what we’re doing.

We see you.

We appreciate you.

And we promise (again) not to click suspicious links.

by Tiara B.

Swapping Professional Hats

I renewed my nursing license for the ninth time in the ragged weeks of 2025. Nursing has been my sole professional identity, but change is on the horizon. Once my articles end, I will be joining another regulated profession. 

My New Year’s realization is to make room for a new professional “hat.”

My perpetual desire to do something different spurred me to take the leap of faith into law. Before summering and articling, I had very little idea what practicing in law entails, least of all litigation. Now, I have at least a fledgling sense of what is to come. Rather than looking back at nursing moments I will miss, I can reflect on the new skills I have added to my toolbelt along the way.

Nursing is where I honed my soft skills, including engaging with clients and colleagues, balancing workloads, and adapting to change. It was a demanding practice physically, mentally, and emotionally. No day was ever the same; I didn't take work home with me, and most issues demanded on-the-spot decisions. Compare this to the life of an articling student/lawyer. I can attest that: my chair remains occupied for most of the day, most work done contributes to a much bigger and longer-running picture, and many hours are spent alone with one’s work product. In short, the daily life of a nurse and a lawyer could not be more different, but the underlying, necessary qualities remain the same: work hard, stay nimble, and keep learning.

On the topic of learning, every day of articling has brought with it new revelations. While the Ontario Courts Public Portal has provided many lessons in patience and perseverance, the most memorable assignments, coincidentally, have involved fellow nurses. I’ve had the chance to explore professional liability insurance, particularly the representation of nurses covered under such policies. Admittedly, I found it difficult not to place myself in their shoes. It was all too easy to slip into the mode of “if I were that person, practicing in that environment, I think this is what I would have done.” On one hand, I find this might be a worthwhile reflection; knowing, from professional experience, what a nurse should or should not have done has its advantages. However, I can also see this becoming a distraction from the task at hand.

A goal from this reflection is to delineate when to keep my nursing cap on and when to hang it up. As I progress into the latter half of articles, I've learned that changing hats does not mean abandoning the old one forever. Rather, it means carrying forward the experiences that shaped me, while embracing what comes next.

by Joseph C.

The Halfway Point: How Articling is Different from Summering

Somehow it's already December, which means we are just about at the halfway point of articling – how did we get here so quick? It has been an unforgettable journey so far, and I can’t imagine what the next 6 months will have in store for us.

Before jumping into how articling is different from summering, I want to highlight some of the ‘roses’ I’ve had so far...

... the first being the unforgettable trip the Ottawa students took down to the Toronto office to attend the annual client party. Not only did we finally get to meet the Toronto students, but also lawyers from all the offices! It was so fun to finally put faces to names and meet face-to-face rather than on Zoom calls. A close second would be the countless memories made with the other students. One undeniable fact about the students in both the Ottawa and Toronto offices is that we have built lifelong friendships, and being able to work so closely with some of our closest friends makes the culture at the firm and as an articling student truly incredible.

One of the main differences between summering and articling so far has been being able to actually stay on a file and work on different assignments within one matter. It’s incredibly interesting to be able to assist with various moving parts of a file and being able to see them come together. For example, an affidavit drafted over the summer may end up being revisited in order to pull correspondences out to help draft a 30.10 motion, but at the time of drafting the affidavit, certain emails may not have seemed that important. It’s also fascinating to help prepare mediation materials, or motion materials and then be able to actually attend and see how those materials contribute to the litigation.

Another big difference while articling is the mix of confidence, being able to return with familiarity of expectations for certain assignments, but also the autonomy we now have on assignments. Obviously almost every assignment still comes with what feels like a thousand questions, but being trusted to draft materials where I’m the one looking at productions and making an opinion, or being asked to research a topic from scratch and putting together an argument for a factum makes me feel as though I’m starting to get my footwork figured out in what it actually is like to practice law. Of course, the safety net of having a ton of resources and support is always still there, but the environment is very conducive to promoting our confidence as soon-to-be lawyers!

The first (almost) six months of articling have been full of incredible experiences and assignments, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of articling has to offer!

by Lauren M.

A Night to Remember: The Art of Connection Beyond the Office

The night flowed like champagne—smooth, sparkling, and a reminder that articling isn’t just a professional chapter, but a shared celebration of growth and connection.

Last week, our firm hosted its annual client appreciation party at Roy Thomson Hall, welcoming more than a hundred guests. It was one of those rare evenings where suits traded in their serious tones for laughter, clinking glasses, and endless trays of hors d’oeuvres that seemed to appear out of thin air. Lawyers and students from all of our regional offices came together that night, making it a true firm-wide celebration of connection and camaraderie.

As articling students, it was an opportunity to see the people behind the email signatures—clients, insureds, adjusters, and counsel who make up the community we work with every day. 

We dressed up, mingled, and swapped courtroom war stories for conversations about travel, family, and baseball (more on that later).

The night didn’t end at Roy Thomson. Like any great story, there was a lively epilogue: a group of us gathered at a nearby pub, still in our formalwear, watching the Blue Jays in the championship series with the kind of collective energy only a close team can have. Between cheering, laughing, and sharing fries under dim bar lights, the lines between “colleague” and “friend” blurred in the best possible way. It wasn’t just a party—it was a reflection of what it means to be part of this firm. It’s the reminder that while we work hard on our files, we’re also part of something larger: a team that celebrates together, supports one another, and makes even the busiest articling year feel a little like home.

Some nights stand out not because of the venue or the menu, but because of the people. This was one of those nights—a perfect snapshot of what it means to belong here.

by Tiara B.

The Adjustment from Student to Articling Student

 

I was a full-time student for 20 straight years. Over time, I found a comfortable routine and enjoyed the rhythm of academic life—especially having summers off. Without a doubt, my favourite part of being a student was the flexible schedule. Law school amplified that flexibility: some days I could sleep in, and other days I had long gaps that allowed me to take walks around the city or meet up with friends. 

I thought life as I knew it would come to an end when I began articling. But I’ve worked hard to organize my new routine in a way that fits my lifestyle.

I am a morning person. Late-night studying was never my thing, so early in my articling term, I started coming into the office an hour before the office day officially began. That quiet time has become one of the most productive parts of my day.

Staying connected with friends has also been a priority. It’s easy to get caught up in work and then retreat into solitude after a long day. But I’ve found that making plans to see friends after work is one of the best ways to recharge and stay grounded.

With a full-time schedule, work-life balance is essential. With my early start, I have time to get to the gym or take a run before dinner. I play ice hockey on weekends and squeeze in a round of golf whenever time permits. Staying active is essential—not just for my physical health, but for managing the stress that comes with working in a busy law office.

While many colleagues enjoy working remotely, I’ve found value in being in the office daily. When my schedule aligns with other students, we take short walks to Parliament for fresh air—echoing the walks I used to take as a student. We also share lunch breaks in the lunchroom, catching up on work and life outside of law. Sometimes, other lawyers join us, adding to the camaraderie and conversation. These moments of connection add satisfaction to the day.

Transitioning from student life to articling has been significant—but not in a negative way. By preserving the routines and relationships that kept me grounded as a student, I found stability and joy in my new role. Change can be daunting, but it also brings opportunity. With intention and self-awareness, it’s possible to carry forward the best parts of your past while embracing the growth that comes with new beginnings.

by Matthew B.