Life skills and career tips for Canada's lawyers in training
Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/50906
you an experience that you won't get anywhere else,'" he says of the legal aid articling program, "'and we'll give you the articling experience of your dreams. We'll give you all the work experience and the teaching you could possibly get.'" He has yet to be disappointed. A typical day is hard to describe, says Skinner, because there's no rigid struc- ture. He recently completed his criminal law rotation, which he says made him feel extremely involved. Normally, three days a week are spent travelling for circuit court. "I'm dealing with charges — everything from simple assault and mischief right up to working on two murder files right now, which I was assigned." He says by showing some initiative and interest, his principle searched out cases for him to get involved in. "It's just been an incredible experience," says Skinner. Because there's no routine, his time in the north is flying by, he says. "You're go- ing to work every day, but when you're showing up for duty counsel, it could be for anything." The morning flights into the various communities can be any- where from half an hour to two hours. "If there's any work to do, I can do it on the plane, or I can sit back and read a book or listen to music to compose myself or pre- pare for the day ahead of me," he says. Skinner says judges and practising lawyers don't look down on him and fellow articling student Lori O'Connor (also a Dal law graduate). "As arti- cling students within the organization [northern Manitoba legal aid], we're given great levels of respect, and re- sponsibility, and trust. But when we step outside of the office and go to court, we're treated in that same way by everyone else." During their first days in court, Skinner says the judge took them into chambers following the session to chat about how they had done, what their strengths had been, and how they could improve. "Not once have I had that feeling where I was like, 'oh, I'm just the lowly articling student.'" &D_4st_Mar_09.indd 1 To order the Big Case please quote code #90036-00 your 1-888-393-3874 dyedurham.ca 4STUDENTS SPRING 2009 23 2/25/09 9:33:38 AM source & 1-800-263-2772 PREFERRED SUPPLIER — Chad Skinner, articling student Skinner says living in a remote area can be tough, but fortunately he has frequent access to Winnipeg for seminars and the bar course. "I have to admit, it was incred- ibly terrifying, but at the same time, the ter- ror was good because I was in a position in my life where I wanted to challenge my personal limits, I wanted to see what I could handle, I wanted to see if I could do it." And then there's the weather. "The thing about northern Manitoba is that it's cold beyond my wildest imagination. The outfit that I wear to fly to circuit court is the same outfit that people on the Discov- ery Channel wear to go to Antarctica. "We still take the law very seriously in the north, and everyone here is working very hard and doing amazing work, but just the nature of where we're forced to do it makes for an interesting situation," says Skinner. Speaking of his circuit court locations, he says "it's all very professional and run very well, but at the same time, there might be a disco ball hung over the court party because there was someone's wedding social the night before." Need a hand?