Life skills and career tips for Canada's lawyers in training
Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/50715
You're only allowed to make offers on a certain day of the week. You're not supposed to be winking at candidates suggesting, 'You're going to get an offer.' — Ludmila Herbst, Farris Vaughan Wills & Murphy LLP adds, as bigger firms have larger numbers of associates as well as professional devel- opment people on top of the high volume of articling applications, things have, by necessity, become more businesslike. While Herbst says Farris was reluc- tant to move to the more businesslike approach, the stack of applications and the need to be competitive in hiring make it a necessity. "It's a bit less rough and ready on both sides," she says. At the same time, lawyers say firms are still looking for a fit when choosing candi- dates. But the definition of fit seems to have changed. A holistic approach Now, according to recruiters and law schools, firms are looking at the poten- tial articling student in a more holistic way. As a result, they want candidates who bring life experience as well as the ability to do the job and contribute to the firm's business to the table. In ad- dition, firms are now also asking ques- tions to test a prospective articling stu- dent's behavioural compatibility and to find out what areas of the law a student might be interested in to see if there is a fit with its business or practice groups. But, Herbst says, this approach is "a little more cookie cutter . . . a bit more corporate." While she's not keen on the word "fit," she concedes it's a key con- sideration. "It's important to get enthu- siasm and dedication." Therein lies a key piece of advice from many recruiters. Their suggestion is to do your due diligence on the firm, know where you want to go with your career, and, most importantly, be your- self. But, adds Anne Mundy-Markell, director of student and associate affairs for Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP in Ottawa, a formalized process does not mean firms are looking for a specific type of person. "I would encourage stu- dents to be themselves and let that shine through the process," she says. "Perceive this as a great opportunity to invest in themselves. The student who is not do- ing that is misrepresenting themselves." However, says Mundy-Markell, the level of formality in the process depends on the employer. Firms in smaller mar- kets are likely less formal than big-city ones, while government employers have much stricter guidelines to follow. "Government would have a very sub- stantial set of questions that would be asked in exactly the same way." But, no matter the level of formality, students need to be "engaged and engaging." Indeed, while interview questions about marks and a connection between firm recruiters and articling students are still integral, the system has shiſt- ed as the concept of fit has expanded. Herbst says marks and academics are definitely a part of the process but holds out a warning that students shouldn't rely on them. "They really are indicative that you take exams well and you're able to repeat what the prof says. They're not necessarily the be-all and end-all of a good lawyer." "It's not just about marks. It never has been. It has been a holistic ap- proach taking into account a lot of fac- tors looking for a well-rounded lawyer," says Gowlings' Vancouver partner John Leckie. Here are links to some resources for students on the hiring and articling process: The Canadian Bar Association's Articling Handbook oba.org/en/students/student_en/ ArticlingStudentMembership.aspx The Canadian Bar Association's Articling Students Survival Guide cba.org/CBA/national/Students/ Student03.aspx Vancouver Bar Association Articling Interview Guidelines tinyurl.com/VBA2011 The Law Society of Upper Canada's recruiting guidelines and other articling information: tinyurl.com/LSUC-articling Beyond marks Volunteer work in the law and other areas may earn a gold star from interviewers. Herbst cautions that while volunteer work is highly commendable, she is concerned that young lawyers might feel pressured into doing it in order to sell themselves. "We don't overlook people who have done volunteer activities . . . but we try to get a whole range of personality characteristics as well," she says. Another aspect of preparing for ar- ticling interviews is taking advantage of law school advisers. They know the shiſt- ing territory and the demands on stu- dents. "Career development officers turn themselves inside out [to help]," Mundy- Markell says. Pamela Cyr, director of career servic- es at the University of British Columbia C ANADIAN Lawyer 4STUDENTS F all 2011 9