In the Blink of an Eye: First Day vs. Last Day

With the blink of an eye, the summer term has now come to a close. As the articling students return and we wrap up our assignments, we all have mixed feelings about heading back to our final year. During our short time here, we probably learned more about the practice of law than we have in law school so far. That is not to say that law school was futile, but rather, this summer, at McCague Borlack, we saw it come to life.

... we all have mixed feelings about heading back to our final year.

Those four criteria of negligence? Yes they are important, but there is so much more to it. What does it really mean for the client when you cannot prove damages? What does it mean when causation cannot be shown? Well it might mean that you recommend a client abandon their subrogation claim. When there are more than one defendants on a file, the smallest fact, like what exact spot the plaintiff actually fell, may mean that your client should not be implicated in the action.

When I look back at all that I have learned this summer, I realize how much more I have ahead of me. Be it understanding the legal practice, the nuances of client management, the practical aspects of file carriage, or even construction terminology, or medical injuries, the learning will never stop in this practice. I will forever be a student and continue to learn from others.

Needless to say, our summer here has not just been about legal research and drafting, we all have had our fair share of field trips, client interactions and carriage of files. We have also discovered what it was like to work in downtown Toronto and the realities of work life. Here is what everyone had to say:

Alex R.
Day One: Could not imagine docketing every minute, of every hour, of every day.
Today: The timer and I are one.

Aryeh S.
Day One: I wore a tie
Today: No flipping chance.

Navid G.
Day One: Got lost in the PATH, got lost in the office, and took 10 hours to do his first motion record
Today: Still gets lost in the PATH, but finds his way around the office, and can now do a motion record with his eyes closed

Christine L.
Day One: Standard food court lunch
Today: Takeout from every nice sit-down in sight

Bogdan M. 
Day One: Thought Subrogation was a car part
Today: Settled 2 Subrogation files and now calls it “subro”

Michael G. 
Day One: Arrived with a conservative look
Today: Wears polka dot socks

Carol-Anne W.
Day One: no idea that damages brief existed
Today: has drafted countless damages briefs

Leona K.
Day One: Did not know what a motion record looked like; what wood shims were for; or what was open late in the PATH. Also thought I would not have time for anything else.
Today: Have a few motion records under my belt, can give you a primer on wood shims, and some dinner options in the PATH. Also managed to keep up with my yoga and gym routines and explore Toronto’s dining scene.

Leona K.