Friday 27 May 2016

Make the most of it

The bar call is just around the corner, marking the end of the articling term. But while the call to the bar officially means the end of our days as law students, the learning process undoubtedly continues well into our careers as lawyers. I believe articling serves as a very critical and foundational step in this career-long learning process, so if I had to give just one piece of advice about articling, it would be to learn as much you can during your articles. 

seek out and take every opportunity to try new things and to challenge yourself...

As an articling student at McCague Borlack, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to gain experience in a number of areas of law. I found this to be one of the most valuable aspects of articling, so I suggest you seek out and take every opportunity to try new things and to challenge yourself.  Not only will you gain knowledge and experience, you may also discover where your interests and strengths lie. Diversifying your assignments also allows you to sharpen your researching capabilities. It’s best to start mastering the art of legal research as early as possible, as strong research skills are essential to your success as an articling student, and you will continue to require and hone these skills as a lawyer. 

image courtey of freedigitalimagesSpeaking of research, another great way to maximize your learning as an articling student is to take the initiative to develop your own research assignments. Start delving into areas that interest you, or develop your knowledge in areas that you’re not as familiar with. Be inquisitive – ask yourself questions and look for answers. And for those questions that you can’t find answers to, ask someone. 

While it may not seem always feel like it, articling really does go by surprisingly fast. So make the most of your last ten months as a student, and get as much out of it as you can.
Shene H.