Taking a Lesson from Jon Snow

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” – Socrates

Also known as the Socratic paradox, this principle allegedly uttered by the Greek philosopher Socrates is a great lesson in humility, critical reflection, and—when using it as an excuse for the C-minus grade you got in one of your courses—self-referential humour.

Unlike my fellow articling students, I’m brand-spankin' new. I don’t just mean that I’m new to McCague Borlack... I’m new to the practice of law itself. That’s right, articling is my very first venture into the legal profession as a (now graduated) law student, after forgoing the traditional summer student placements during the completion of my JD.

While this has certainly been a learning curve for all of us students, it goes without saying that the articling experience has been quite different for me compared to my colleagues. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s harder or more challenging, it’s just different.

For starters, given my severe lack of prior firm experience and having taken no particularly relevant elective courses in law school, I knew nothing.

Honestly, that might be generous. I probably knew less than nothing, which is an even greater (or lesser?) amount of nothing than our old pal Jon Snow from Game of Thrones knew. It’s a weird flex, but I’ll tell you why it’s OK.

It’s because I knew that I knew nothing.

To know that you know nothing is incredibly humbling, especially in an industry that radiates (perhaps a little too much) confidence. It gave me no reason to inflate my ego or pretend to be someone I wasn’t because I knew that any attempts at the sort would immediately be recognized for what it was… BS. In that regard, it definitely wouldn’t have served me well to act like I knew how to do a task that I was assigned when I didn’t, lest I wanted to face the wrath of angry lawyers impatiently waiting for the drafted AODs or memos they asked for weeks ago.

But really, knowing that I knew nothing was an opportunity. It was an opportunity that allowed me to learn, ask questions, and grow, both inwardly and outwardly.

A month and a half into articling, I can positively say that I know more now than I did when I started. But at the same time, I recognize that I still know nothing. Because total knowledge isn’t achievable. There’s no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow because rainbows, fun fact, are a full circle. Knowledge is an endless journey that one must strive to retain, as there is always something new to learn. Suffice it to say, I look forward to seeing where this journey takes me next.

By Matt D. 

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. 

Speaking 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.