When I was a kid, I used to romanticize commuting on the train. I dreamt of taking the train to work, getting off at Union Station, and hustling in my heels to a high-rise office in the heart of downtown Toronto. And although that is exactly what I am doing now, the novelty of the train has worn off—along with the skin on my feet.
While the journey to work isn’t as glamourous as I had envisioned, working in person at McCague Borlack LLP as a summer student is everything I imagined.
Our orientation was via zoom, which made sense because we (the Toronto students) were training together with the Ottawa students. As well, MB lawyers from offices across Ontario logged in to speak to us on various topics.
However, the true benefit of working in-person became apparent the moment our assignments were handed out during the second week.
We are seated in adjoining cubicles, allowing us to communicate freely and openly. Thankfully, we are far enough from the lawyer’s offices to speak candidly—even when asking questions that might seem “dumb” given our collective experience.
With no one having any actual experience with the work we were taking on, any tidbit a lawyer provided to one student benefited us all as it was usually within earshot.
As time progressed, we began to accumulate more information that we could share with one another. From day one, sharing a small point about how to dial a number out of the office—to day 10, sharing whole precedents of finished damages briefs, notice of subrogation letters, and affidavits of documents—the in-person experience enabled us to connect and impart our newfound knowledge without restraint. By actively communicating with my fellow summer students, we have created a bond that feels like we’ve worked together for years.
Further, if we want facetime with various lawyers at the firm, they are only a minute walk through the office. This convenience has allowed me to reach out to people I may not have otherwise met or spoken to. Furthermore, it has allowed for greater efficiency. I only having to take a few steps to ask a question that I would’ve otherwise ruminated on until I got a call or email back.
Overall, though I have only been at MB in a summer student role for just shy of a month, the experience of working with my fellow students, the office staff, and the firm’s lawyers has allowed me to gain more confidence, comfort, and knowledge than I think working online could have ever afforded. Being a student that did at least half of my undergraduate degree remotely, this learning opportunity is irreplaceable to me.
So maybe I don’t mind commuting so much after all…
by Claudia P.