Social Event Photos
Our Students
Toronto
Our Toronto office is recognized for both its leadership position in high-end transactional work and for its rapid rate of growth since 2000. Today we have over 160 lawyers and business advisors. Our students can expect to work in bankruptcy, climate change, competition, M&A, commodity tax, international trade, corporate tax, public infrastructure projects, energy, financial services, IT, IP, litigation, environmental, fraud and real estate.
* Please note, we will not be conducting an external recruitment for articles for 2011/12.
Summer and Articling Program
Start Dates
Work Assignment/Rotation System
Mentoring
Professional Development
Feedback
Social Events
Salary and Benefits
How to Apply
Start Dates
Our
summer program
runs from early May to mid-August. While the dates have not yet been selected for 2011, in 2010 our summer students started on May 10.
Our
articling students
start in August. While the dates have not yet been selected for 2011, in 2010 our articling students started on 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 Toronto office, you will spend five months in our advocacy department (focusing on general litigation matters, securities litigation, health, environmental, tax litigation, fraud, IP and bankruptcy and insolvency) and five months in our business department (focusing on mergers and acquisitions, securities, banking, structured finance, real estate, environmental law, emissions trading, competition law, customs/trade law, technology and IP). We also offer a secondment at the Ontario Securities Commission (Enforcement Branch).
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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. Our Student Coordinator and National Director 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 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, Big Bike for Heart and Stroke, cooking classes and chocolate tasting.
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Salary & Benefits
Our summer and articling salary in Toronto is $1,700/week.
For articling students, we offer a tuition bonus and 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 anticipate hiring approximately 13 to 16 summer students for 2011.
We will not be conducting an external recruitment for articles for 2011/12.
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)
List of upper year courses
Reference letters (optional)
We encourage summer and articling applicants to
submit all application materials online
.
If applying by mail or in person, please send your materials to:
Joanne Clarfield Schaefer
3400 One First Canadian Place
P.O. Box 130
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5X 1A4
We will acknowledge receipt of your application by email. For summer applicants, if we are conducting OCIs at your school we will follow the procedures set out by your Career Development Office to advise if we are able to meet with you and for scheduling. We will also advise you by email prior to "call day" whether we will be contacting you to schedule an in-firm interview.
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