Attending a Coroner’s Inquest

With the articling term nearing its end, I have many new experiences to reflect on. I have had the opportunity to attend multiple examinations for discovery, to speak in court, to attend a day of Small Claims Court trial, attend mediations, and settlement conferences. While these forms of advocacy are typically covered in the articling term at McCague, I was also able to participate in a coroner’s inquest. I had not heard of an inquest before receiving the assignment, so learning about the process was an entirely new experience.

A coroner’s inquest is run much like a trial, with examinations and cross-examinations of witnesses, and closing statements being delivered by the parties. 

There is no finding of guilt or fault at the end; the jury makes a finding as to how the death was caused and makes recommendations that will hopefully prevent similar deaths from occurring in the future. There is also a collaborative nature to the inquest, as the parties work together to ensure that all of the evidence is presented to the jury so that they can make productive recommendations for future improvement. The goal of the inquest is unique among other forms of advocacy, and it changed the way I viewed the evidence and my approach to the examinations. While the subject matter and evidence could be difficult to engage with, given the nature of the inquest, the goal of the inquest in making an improvement in the system was a useful anchor to manage how I felt about the evidence itself.

My main task was to review all of the evidence that we received from the coroner’s office and to sort the facts based on how they affected our client’s position. It really challenged me to think about all of the different ways that the evidence could be perceived, and often it was not a simple “good” or “bad” answer, but one that could be viewed in multiple ways. I worked on finding a way to concisely communicate the various ways that the evidence could be viewed, while also trying to make a decision as to what the most likely or overarching message of the evidence was.

In addition to reviewing all of the evidence, I was also able to attend the inquest and take notes on the witnesses’ evidence. This allowed me to witness many different lawyers and their styles of cross-examination. Overall, it was a learning experience that I never expected to have about a form of advocacy that isn’t as common as our typical mediations, discoveries, and settlement conferences. The skills that I learned in reviewing the evidence and engaging with our client and the other parties will translate to the other forms of advocacy that I will engage in at the firm, and I look forward to applying them in the future.

Emily O.

Interacting with clients and serving as an advocate

When I started articling at McCague, I expected to spend much of my time learning the law through pleadings, research, and drafting. What I did not fully anticipate was how central client interaction would be to my development as an advocate. Over the course of my articles, I have been asked, on more occasions than I can count, to interact directly with clients and potential clients through phone calls, emails, and meetings. 

These client interactions have become one of the most formative aspects of my articling experience.

One of the first client-facing tasks I encountered was handling intake calls from potential clients.  Initially, this felt daunting. Calling somebody you have never spoken to, often about stressful or unfamiliar legal matters, requires a careful balance of professionalism, empathy, and confidence. Over time, I learned that preparation is everything. Understanding the (potential) file, anticipating questions, speaking with the supervising lawyer for guidance, and being clear about the purpose of the call helped transform what felt uncomfortable into an opportunity to build trust, rapport, and my own confidence as an advocate. These conversations with warm calls reinforced the idea that advocacy begins well before any courtroom appearance, as it starts with how you communicate with the client.

Following up with clients on active matters further developed this perspective. Clients are often navigating uncertainty, and even brief updates can provide reassurance and clarity. Through these interactions, I learned the importance of translating legal developments into plain language, ensuring that clients feel informed rather than overwhelmed. Being mindful of tone, timing, and responsiveness taught me that effective advocacy includes managing expectations and maintaining open lines of communication.

These experiences also outlined the responsibility that comes with being the point of contact on a file, as I have several Small Claims Court files where I am the primary point of client contact. As an articling student, I benefit from a strong support system provided by the firm's supervising lawyers. They not only oversee my work at each step of the process but also serve as mentors. Being able to work with various lawyers and devise a plan of attack before each task allows me to grow and learn in a safe environment that ensures efficiency and promotes development.

Working alongside lawyers at McCague, I observed how strong client relationships are built over time through consistency, honesty, and professionalism. This encourages me to take ownership of client communications while knowing support is always available when needed. When a new issue arises that I am unsure how to navigate, I am always comfortable speaking with the supervising lawyer, where we work together and talk through the potential options. These candid sessions, where I get to consult with supervising lawyers, have been a cornerstone of my time at McCague. This balance, where I am given independence while always having a mentor supervising my work, has allowed me to grow more confident as an advocate.

Ultimately, my articling experience reinforced that advocacy is not limited to written submissions or oral arguments. Advocacy is present in every phone call, email, and follow-up. Learning to engage with clients thoughtfully and effectively through the strong mentorship and supervision provided at McCague has been instrumental in shaping my understanding of what it means to be a lawyer. As I move forward and get called to the bar in June, the lessons learned from these early client interactions and strong mentorship opportunities will remain integral to how I approach advocacy, both inside and outside the courtroom.

by Jordan J.

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.