Our Students
Calgary
Please send your material to:
Lisa Ricketts
Manager, Professional Development and Student Programs (Alberta)
4500 Bankers Hall East
855 - 2nd Street S.W.
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2P 4K7
rickettsl@bennettjones.com
Our Calgary office was founded in 1922. Initially, our reputation in Alberta was built upon our work in the oil industry. While this work is still prominent in our Calgary office, students can also expect to work in bankruptcy, climate change, competition, M&A, commodity tax, customs/trade, corporate tax, public infrastructure projects, energy, financial services, IT, IP, litigation, environmental, fraud and real estate. Calgary remains our largest office with over 190 lawyers and business advisors.
Summer and Articling Program
Start Dates
Work Assignment/Rotation System
Mentoring
Professional Development
Feedback
Social Events
Benefits
How to Apply
Start Dates
Our
summer program
runs from early May to the end of August. Our 2010 summer students started on May 3, 2010.
Our
articling students
start in mid-June or early August (your choice). The dates for 2010 are June 21 and August 9.
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Work Assignment/Rotation System
We believe that the summer is a time for you to experience as much or as little of a practice area as you desire. As a
summer student
, you are free to work deeply in an area of your choosing or accept work from multiple areas.
During
articles
, we employ a rotation system. In our Calgary office, you will spend five months in our advocacy department (focusing on general litigation matters, tax litigation, medical malpractice, administrative/tribunal work, bankruptcy and insolvency and labour and employment), five months in our business department (focusing on mergers and acquisitions, securities, banking, structured finance, real estate, tax law, environmental law, emissions trading, competition law, technology and IP), and the final two months in the rotation of your choosing (students generally select the practice area they wish to return to as an associate).
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Mentoring System
Each
summer student
is assigned a mentor who is an associate. The role of the mentor is to act as your host and introduce you to the firm and to assist with your workflow and work assignments.
Each
articling student
is assigned one principal (a partner) and one mentor (an associate) whose job is to help you integrate into the firm and assist with your workflow and file management. In order to provide you with as much insight into the firm as possible, your principal and mentor will practice in different areas (one in business law and one in advocacy). Our Student Coordinator and Manager of Student Programs also work closely with you to ensure that you receive individualized attention and career planning assistance/guidance.
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Professional Development
Through our own
Bennett Jones University
, we offer a series of in-house seminars and programs to supplement your articles and ongoing professional development. This begins with an in-depth orientation and continues with regular programs designed to build your practice management skills and provide you with introductions to specific practice areas. We also encourage our students to attend BJU sessions designed for associates.
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Feedback
We recognize that feedback is essential to your development. Our articling/summer students receive regular informal feedback from assigning lawyers, principals and mentors and also receive formal written reviews during the summer and during each articling rotation.
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Social Events
Our students are encouraged to take part in social events at the firm. Our events focus on our commitment to the community and building lasting relationships amongst the students. Past events have included BBQs, associate and practice group dinners, a family ski weekend in the Rocky Mountains and, of course, Stampede events.
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Benefits
During articles, we pay all course fees and salary during the licensing process.
During articles, we offer a comprehensive benefits package including extended health care, vision, dental, employee assistance plan, short and long-term disability and a fitness subsidy.
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How to Apply
We hire both first and second year law students for the summer. For 2011 we anticipate hiring 10 to 15 students. Please contact your school to confirm deadlines for delivery of summer applications. Offers will be made in November 2010 for summer student positions in 2011.
We anticipate hiring 14 to 18 articling students for 2012/13. The deadline for your application for articling 2012/13 will be in mid-May 2011.
Our students have prepared
What We Wish We Had Known
, a guide to the application and interview process. We invite you to review the guide as it may answer many of your questions.
Applications should include:
Cover letter
Resumé
Undergraduate transcript (photocopy of original transcript)
Law school transcript (photocopy of original transcript)
Reference letters (optional)
We encourage summer and articling applicants to
submit all application materials online
.
If applying by mail or e-mail, please send your materials to:
Lisa Ricketts
Manager, Professional Development and Student Programs (Alberta)
4500 Bankers Hall East
855 - 2nd Street S.W.
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2P 4K7
rickettsl@bennettjones.com
We will acknowledge receipt of your application by email. After reviewing all applications we will further advise whether we are able to grant an interview.
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