"They say articling is like riding a bike. Okay, maybe no one says that but so far it’s been true."
Having returned to the office, I'm surprised at how much
I’ve retained from my summer student experience.
After being completely remote for the past two years, I am excited to say that the articling program is nearly entirely in person! Going into the office every day means that we finally get to put faces to names, and it has also provided a new avenue of getting work outside the list serve. Lawyers can now drop by our desk which increases the flow and variety of the type of files and assignments we receive. Already, it has made a difference in building relationships and receiving guidance from the lawyers when you can just pop by their office.
In the few weeks since articling started, I’ve had a diverse array of assignments including drafting statements of claim, motion records, and preparing affidavit of documents just to name a few. Similarly, I’ve received work in various practice areas including construction, subrogation and defence work. Compared to the summer term, I am noticing more opportunities to stay involved with files longer. Given that articling is ten months compared to three in the summer, assignments now come with follow-up assignments. This often includes research, communicating with opposing counsel, or the opportunity to assist with further drafting assignments. It has been an amazing experience to begin to see a file through from start to finish.
It
is safe to say, the articling program at MB is full of hands-on work, and we
will not spend the entire year doing research assignments.
While the pace of articling moves faster than being a summer student some things
remain the same. Namely, our biweekly student check-in meetings and
the students from different offices still enjoy getting together for Friday
lunch over zoom!
One month down, nine to go!
by Winona F.