Canadian Lawyer 4Students

C A N A D I A N L a w y e r 4 s t u d e n t s s p r i n g 2 0 1 4 29 AndReW FeLdsteIn, Feldstein Family Law Group PC, Markham, Ont. Practising in the 905 PROS: + • Family law touches almost everyone. e separation agreements we help clients with aff ect them for the rest of their lives. • Practising family law where your clients live, in the suburbs, makes sense. Family law clients are stressed because their relationship has failed and their whole world will change. In the type of law you want to practise, think hard about where your clients are and how far they want to travel to buy legal services. Greater Toronto is a big geography with lots of legal talent; clients have choices and they vote with their feet. • e women-to-men lawyer ratio is better in many small and mid-size fi rms. Meanwhile, this continues to be an issue for women lawyers in big Bay Street law fi rms. • Commercial real estate is less expensive in the suburbs than downtown, generally speaking. is is good for your bottom line: the cost of setting up an offi ce may be signifi cantly less in the suburbs. • Clients are increasingly sensitive to posh offi ces, as they realize that a portion of their legal fees are likely paying for luxurious offi ces. Smart lawyers are sensitive to the optics of their offi ce space to their overall reputation. • Traffi c and parking are easier than downtown Toronto. For lawyers wanting a better work-life balance, practising in the suburbs makes sense. CONS: – • You can see the other party while shopping in the neighbourhood. For example, you can get an order denying access and then see that person at the grocery store. is is much less likely in Toronto. • Family law is stressful and emotional for lawyers, too. Do not allow yourself to get into a negative headspace. You have to take care of your health, including your fi tness, to give savvy and balanced advice to your clients. Practising aboriginal law MICHAeL CLARK, MacPherson Leslie & tyerman LLP, Calgary PROS: + • e work can cover a broad range of legal issues, from corporate and commercial, to labour, employment, and litigation — and much more. • Very o en there is direct access to key decision-makers, even for junior lawyers. • e close connection with clients and the project-specifi c character of much of the work generally results in tangible outcomes infl uenced fairly directly by the lawyer. • e fi eld introduces the added complexity of jurisdictional issues to what might otherwise be routine commercial work, adding an additional level of challenge. • ere are signifi cant opportunities for growth in the practice area. CONS: – • Working on commercial developments within the confi nes of the Indian Act can slow processes compared to off -reserve projects. is can cause frustration for everyone involved. Still, there are opportunities to work around the limitations and succeeding here can be a very positive thing.

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