This is Sparta!!!

Before attending law school, the thought of working at a Bay Street firm the size of MB was only a dream and nothing more – but here I am, a month later, and I still can’t believe this feeling of energy and excitement.

At the end of the work day... you realize you would not trade this profession for any other out there.

Every morning is the same for me – I wake up, eat my breakfast and take the same route to work. However, every evening is different – I might leave the office at 6:00 p.m. with time to socialize or stay until 11:00 p.m. with barely enough time to get home and sleep. Whichever it is, at the end of the day when I walk out of the Exchange Tower onto the busy street filled with honking taxis, enormous skyscrapers, and various people hurrying to their next destination point, I realize I would not trade this profession for any other out there.

Now let’s talk about the variety of the work itself. One day, I get to work on settling a small claims file that is worth a couple thousand dollars, the next, be assisting a partner on a matter that is worth millions; I might work on a subrogation file, assist a lawyer on a labour and employment file or tag along to mediation on an accident benefits file.

The work itself is distributed in three ways:

The Rotation List
This default way is, just as the name suggests, the law students are rotated in as the work assignments flood the e-mail account.

The Walk-In
This second way means that you did work for a lawyer, while in rotation, and they liked it and now request you directly, either because you are already familiar with the file or you are just so good at what you do!

Area of Interest
For the purpose of this blog I will call this third way “area of interest” which means that you found a specific area of law interesting and you approached lawyers from that practice asking them to keep you in mind for any upcoming assignments.

When Worlds Collide
So what happens when I am next in line on the rotation list, a walk-in assigns me a task directly, and three lawyers are e-mailing me with "area of interest" assignments, and all are due that same day? At that point excitement really kicks in and you jump on your desk and scream at the top of your lungs – “THIS IS SPARTA!!!” … Well kind of...  or maybe you don't jump on your desk and, okay you just whisper lightly under your breath – but you get the point.

The assignments are interesting, complex, and each unique in its own way. The lawyers are supportive, encouraging, and really take the time to explain the context of the file before leaving you to work on it by yourself. The only scary part about this summer experience is when you begin to realize just how much you like the work, the people, and the lifestyle at MB.

Bogdan M.