ention the idea of virtual articling and some, like Ottawa lawyer David
Debenham, would say that's "as silly an idea as virtual parenting."
But Carolyn Grogan and her articling principal Jason Morris of the
cloud-based law fi rm Round Table Law beg to diff er.
Grogan wakes up most mornings to go to work in her home of-
fi ce. She and Morris are the pioneers of virtual articling in Alberta.
Grogan, a mature student, has a background in educational technol-
ogy and a keen interest in the tech-reliant future of law practice. Morris is
an early adopter of legal tech and runs his virtual fi rm from his own home
offi ce. e two, you could say, were a match made in the cloud.
Grogan says her articling experience is going "incredibly smoothly," and
she gets opportunities to meet with both clients and her principal face to
face. Still, the idea of articling without leaving home most days is a new
concept, and like most new concepts in the legal industry, it's controversial.
Small law fi rms and solo practitioners are more likely to consider bring-
ing on a virtual articling student. Space and cost constraints o en mean
these fi rms cannot take on students, but some say a bit of creativity, open-
mindedness, and willingness to embrace technology can make it happen.
If you're a law fi rm or a student considering this option, here are some tips
that could help you.
M
virtual articling
THE PRACTICE OF LAW IS EVOLVING
AND THERE'S NO REASON FOR A DIGITAL
DIVIDE IN THE ARTICLING WORLD.
BY YAMRI TADDESE
How to:
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C A N A D I A N L a w y e r 4STUDENTS AUGUST 2016 49
ILLUSTRATION
BY
CHRIS
MADDEN
