How I survived My Busiest Week of Articling (so far)

The articling experience is about learning to become a practicing lawyer and a significant part of it involves developing time management skills. This is critical for a litigator. What I am quickly realizing is that while you can try to formulate a plan to divide your tasks a few days ahead, it can often change so quickly. The key is to adjust and recognize that at McCague Borlack, you have a team of people ready to assist you.

"Our common goal is to always get the job done for the benefit of the client."

In the 8 to 10 months of an articling student’s term, there is bound to be at least one week where everything seems to come all at once. Last week just happened to be one of those weeks for me.

On Monday, I had come in early to plan out my weekly schedule. The prior week, I received numerous rush assignments. So naturally, the assignments I had planned on finishing way in advance had to be done this week instead. Thus, my schedule already had to shift from the start.

I created what I thought was the perfect schedule in which I would meet all my deadlines with time to spare. However, all of a sudden mid-week, a variety of new tasks came in on files I had worked on previously and needed to be addressed on an urgent basis. All my careful planning had to be set aside to complete these more urgent and interesting new matters.

Fortunately at MB, we have a student director, lawyers, and fellow students who understand that a litigation file can have many twists and turns and are always available to assist and work as a team for a common goal. With their help, I was able to meet all my deadlines and finish the tasks I planned for the week.

Lessons learned

The biggest lesson I learned from my busiest week is how to better manage my time and plan around unexpected rush assignments, as you never know when they will come. I will do this in the future by scheduling to finish the assignments I receive way in advance of the actual deadline if possible and being honest with the lawyers upfront about my capacity to deliver the assignment within their preferred deadline.

I also learned that fellow articling students can be your biggest resource during the articling term as they have been there for me when I needed them the most. I am so grateful to be able to have other articling students to reach out to for help during my busiest times. I could not wish for a better group of students to have been able to share this experience with. 

by Dominique M.

Five Habits of Highly Effective Law Students

It is that time of year where many eager first and second-year law students begin putting their job applications together. In preparation for your cover letters and practicing for interviews I give you The Five Habits Law Students should aspire to develop. I can confidently say they will assist you, as they have me and my colleagues, with the transition from 'law school' to 'law firm'.

These Habits will assist you with the transition from 'law school' to 'law firm'.

Habit #1- Organization
As any other student of MB will tell you…you do real work here. This means that you are given a great deal of responsibility on a number of files from the get-go. For example, a student’s typical to-do list will read:

• Complete an Affidavit of Documents, 
• complete a Motion Record, 
• call client, 
• get an invoice, 
• write a briefing letter to the expert, 
• research this issue, 
• summarize medicals and of course, 
• write a blog post.  

As you can imagine, without a game plan this list would be a nightmare and you would easily be lost, confused and inefficient. However, if one is able to chart out the above list and check their timelines and due dates with the assigning lawyer for the purposes of prioritizing assignments, the list becomes more manageable. In turn, you become more effective as a student.

Habit #2- Time Management 
As a student, you will soon become familiarized with the concept of “capturing your time”. Ultimately, what this means is that you should strive to make every minute of your workday count. In accomplishing this, it is helpful to create a self-imposed timeline for your tasks (when one isn’t already given that is). For example, when a lawyer assigns something without telling you when they want it back, you should ask “how long should something like this take me”? Even if the task was assigned on a no-rush basis, this will allow you to stay on track with regard to managing your time.

Habit #3- Be A Good Mentee But Don’t Forget To Be A Mentor As Well 
As a new student, you will quickly learn how little you actually know. This is normal (or so they tell me). At MB, everyone will be your mentor in one way or another. For example, you will always have guidance whether it is to show you the particular office you are looking for, how to use a particular machine, or to explain how to properly do a damages brief after already asking three times. That being said, as a new student you should always seek out opportunities to be a mentor yourself. This could not be truer of the students at MB, where we relish the opportunity to assist and guide each other.  This in turn will contribute to the collegial atmosphere of the firm.

Habit #4-Be Curious
As a student, you will see that it is easy to simply complete an assignment without really knowing the case or delving into the issues. For instance, a common assignment can be to ensure that opposing counsel has provided all of their undertakings. However, you will learn much more much faster, if you take the time to be curious. For example, after examining the undertakings, go back to the file and take a minute to read the Statement of Claim, Statement of Defence, or even the discovery transcript. This will allow you to see how the pieces of the puzzle fit together, and how your role as a student contributes to the assembly of that puzzle.

Habit #5-Trust Yourself 
You should probably come to terms with it now; as a student, you can expect to sometimes be lost or confused. In these instances, from time to time, after you have asked all the right questions and got all the right answers, you should simply rely on and trust your intuition. It has led you to where you are now and through many obstacles (LSAT, 1L, OCI’s to name a few) and it will continue to do so (so I hope).

To the prospective students: these are some of the skills and habits I have found helpful in my transition from school to the workforce. Hopefully, they will help you too. Good luck with your applications.

Shayan K. 

The List: The Real Work has begun

Student work at the firm is distributed through a rotation system commonly referred to as “The List”.

It is our third week at the firm as summer students; the articling students have left and the “real work” has begun. Student work at the firm is distributed through a rotation system commonly referred to as “The List”.

The nature of The List means that on any given day, you may be asked to assist a lawyer with a motion record, an accident and benefit claim, a subrogation file, or even a damages brief. This is exciting since you are not aware of what interesting file awaits you when you arrive in the morning, also it means we have to practice excellent time management in order to keep up with all work assigned.

The strategy we have developed as a group -- and thank you to the articling students for this tip -- is to work together as a team on all new assignments. For example, due to the nature of The List, one summer student was able to complete a number of damages briefs. This is a complicated but essential document for any pending litigation and settlement discussions. If for instance, a damages brief appears on my desk tomorrow, and I have a few incidental questions, I know that I can always stick my head over to the next cubicle and the other student will not hesitate to assist me and pass on any suggestions that might be helpful. Beyond assisting each other on files, we have committed to regularly having lunch as a group to share helpful tips and best practices.

In addition to assigning work, The List also determines which student gets to accompany a senior lawyer on discoveries or motions. Last week, I had the distinct pleasure of attending a lengthy motion with a Partner and witnessed her zealously advocate for one of our clients on a very fine point of law. I left the courthouse with a better sense of what was expected of us as future members of the firm, and most importantly, I left with a greater appreciation for exemplary oral advocacy.

‘Til next time,

Mahdi H.

Discoveries, Mediation, and Time Management

My first day of “real work” I was asked to put together a motion record...

It’s been a few weeks since orientation ended and the real work rolled in at McCague Borlack LLP. I have just started to get used to the constant panic attack of not knowing anything, and begun to enjoy myself. I have also never learned as quickly in my life. That, I believe, is due to a combination of the hands-on real work that we as summer students get assigned to and the “field trips” we get taken on. My first day of “real work” I was asked to put together a motion record for an upcoming motion, to be done that very same day. Whaaaat? Luckily the articling students were still around for me to pester. At the end of it, I saw the pieces fit together and understood why I was doing what I was doing. What a great feeling.

When people picture lawyers chained to the desk, they probably haven’t met a litigator. Even though it has only been three weeks in, I have already had the opportunity to attend two discoveries and a mediation. It was fascinating to watch the different styles of various lawyers in examining the same witness. The choice of words and the line of questioning really showcased the position the lawyer was taking towards this witness as well as the amount of preparation done. It was remarkable to see the precise wording and focused questioning by the senior partner I went with.

It is also true that each file is very different from the other. While I attended two discoveries, one had involved an interpreter, while the other involved a witness who is a lawyer by training. Hence, I saw two very different atmospheres and responses from the witness. At the end of the day, the most riveting to see was the relationships between counsel when it’s “on” and they are advocating for their client, and when they are just chatting with each other and sharing battle stories.

Mediation, on the other hand, was very different. All parties and all clients are at the table with (hopefully) the same goal in mind – to reach some kind of an agreement. At the same time, stakes are on the table as this is someone’s case. After openings made by each counsel, it becomes a sort of numbers game, and trying to keep each other in settlement talks long enough to achieve just that. The costs and consequences of continuing the case towards trial always linger in the back of everyone’s mind. The best part was, of course, that we reached a settlement and everybody was relieved it was over and (somewhat) happy.

Having said all that, field trips are fun but it is largely about time management as a summer student. While it is exciting to be going in and out of the office, it is important to keep in mind what assignments and tasks need to be done for other lawyers and to keep on track with the small claims files. It is definitely a balancing act that we continuously work at!

Leona K.

Surf's Up... Are you ready?

Disclaimer: Contrary to the above misleading title, the following is not about my experiences surfing in Ottawa.

I liken my first few months articling to my time surfing in Australia. I get the same pangs of excitement and nervous energy waiting for new assignments to come in as I do sitting on my board in a calm ocean, waiting for a set of waves to roll in. Every wave, like every assignment, is different, with its own set of challenges. You just don’t know what you’ll get until it arrives. That being said, you never want to be getting in the water without stacking the odds in your favour to make sure that you are able to perform confidently in the moment.

"You need a workflow tracking system that can save you from drowning in files."

Prepare for the Wave

You select the right gear and track the water conditions ahead of time so you are sure to take on waves that you can handle. Taking on new assignments is no different. You need a workflow tracking system that can save you from drowning in files.

At MB, we are very lucky to be given a high level of responsibility and even full carriage of our own files. While we have a great support network, through our Ottawa and Toronto offices, we are expected to keep on top of things, and when asked to take on an assignment, we’re all too familiar with assigning lawyers’ four magical words, “Do you have capacity?” Finding a tracking/tickler system has been key for me or I would be taking on more (or less) than I can handle. At each moment, I need to know each of my assignment’s outstanding tasks, its deadline as well as priority amongst other assignments. Keeping track would be daunting without a solid system in place.

Tried & True
Using Outlook’s calendar to manage assignment deadlines has been great, but for anything more than that, I needed to find an additional system. In my first week of articling, I prepared for the inevitable rush of assignments by testing various tracking systems. I tested out firm systems used by various lawyers and students from the Ottawa and Toronto offices including spreadsheets, tickler apps, scheduling apps and Outlook’s task manager. At one point I felt like the Rain Man of file management, and it got too complicated. So I simplified my approach and reverted to a ‘system’ I used during law school. It is a combination of the firm’s Practice Manager, my Outlook Calendar and some written lists.

Here is my advice to Law Student Groms (that’s surf lingo for young budding surfers), who are preparing for articling; find a tracking system that works best for you and consider how it can be applied in the future. When you start at the firm, put your system in place as early as possible so when your articling term picks up momentum and the rush of files comes through your door, you will be ready.

Catching a wave (aka new file), can be daunting, but if prepared, you will be able to handle what’s to come with confidence. As it approaches, take a deep breath; find your courage, commit, and find the sweet spot for what inevitably will be the ride of your life. To quote one of the greats, Michael Angelo (the Ninja Turtle) “Cowabunga!”

Shivaan dS. 

The Balancing Act

One of the most common phrases I heard in law school was “If you think you are busy now, just wait until you start articling – you will have no life!” I tried to ignore these negative cautions but was still more than a little apprehensive that I would have give up my life for the next 10 months to eat, sleep, and breathe at the office.

"...the key to maintaining a balance is learning how to manage your time efficiently in the office, so that you can get out of the office and back into the other aspects of your life."

Thankfully, my experience at MB has not been reflective of all the negative stereotypes surrounding articles. Although all articling students work hard (those of us at MB are no exception), we are also able and encouraged to find time to “play” and enjoy our lives. Personally, I find the key to maintaining a balance is learning how to manage your time efficiently in the office, so that you can get out of the office and back into the other aspects of your life. This is still something I have yet to master, (and I have definitely had to put plans with friends and family on hold because of work) but I am trying hard to find that perfect balance.

In order to have the life I want outside of work, I need to be aware of my own time limits when accepting work and keep in mind my goals for balance. While I want to take on as many assignments as I can and go to court as much as possible, it’s also important that I schedule in some “me” time, including horse-back riding, running, and dinner and drinks with friends. The most challenging balancing act I have faced so far was being in court for 3 full days last week. While it was a fantastic learning experience, being out of the office most of the day meant I needed to stay late each night after court, to keep on top of the rest of my work. So this week, while I was in court for my first (and second!) motion, because I knew what I could manage and worked around the schedule I set for myself, I was able to stay on top of my work and make it out of the office for dinner.

The bottom line is that while there are never enough hours in the day, time management is a skill we all need in order to succeed in this demanding profession. While I think law students generally overreact to the expectations of articling (as they do with other things, has anyone else been following the saga of pineapple appreciation at Osgoode?), the life of a lawyer requires long hours (and some sacrifices) and articling is no different. Creating a successful balance will allow you to enjoy all the things that matter most to you. Tonight, I have tickets to Avicii; tomorrow, I will be summarizing transcripts.

Alyssa C.