Life skills and career tips for Canada's lawyers in training
Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/50901
it's hard to generalize, but students at large fi rms perhaps need to make more of an eff ort to get to know lawyers from other practice groups so they increase their chances of a successful articling experience and for being hired back. "In a small fi rm, with say fi ve lawyers, you are going to see all of those lawyers on a day-to-day basis. In a large fi rm, you obviously need to be more proactive in connecting and meeting more lawyers in the workplace," she says. Beyond size, some fi rms focus on particular areas to which the students need to adapt and excel. "What we tell people right from the onset is that if you come work for us you should be interested in litigation," says Lewis. But he also adds when students do their ar- ticling they are still very early in their legal lives and should not feel they cannot shiſt gears if they fi nd out one particular area of law does not fi t their interests fully. Getting to know the fi rm you're work- ing for is particularly important for the students whose ultimate goal is being hired back. Each fi rm has its own cul- ture and priorities, so students should set priorities in being hired back so they can work toward that goal from the beginning, says Saturley. "Try to demonstrate that you are a good fi t within our fi rm. Every fi rm has its own culture that can be slightly dif- ferent," she says. "I think it can be hard to fi gure that out early on, but I think to the extent that you can, try to demonstrate that early on." She says law fi rms try to take a long- term view when they hire articling stu- dents. "We don't just hire bodies to get some work done in any given year. We are hoping that we are hiring people who are going to be with us for the long term and who are a good fi t," says the Stewart McKelvey partner. "And so we start very early on with the pro- fessional development program that teaches students . . . about the business of law." Keep things in perspective Th e articling year is a pressure cook- er, says veteran articling mentor and former University of Ottawa professor Stauff er, but it is vital students keep things in perspective. "Most students have always excelled at what they have done, and certainly the students we take on are very bright and hard- working," he says. "What I fi nd is that by about the fourth month, anxiety sets in because they feel they are not meeting their expectations, that is that they should get everything done on time to keep up to date and never lag on anything. Th at's part of the reality, and I want students to realize as they start, that they shouldn't expect to be superhuman. Th ey cannot expect they will be perfect." He says articling students, like other lawyers, need to fi nd a work-life balance that works for them, something that is benefi cial for both the students and the fi rms they work for. ■ Miller Thomson You. We believe that appreciation is the best motivation. Learn more about how we can add to your legal career! Added experience. Added clarity. Added value. Miller Thomson LLP millerthomson.com VANCOUVER CALGARY EDMONTON SASKATOON REGINA LONDON KITCHENER-WATERLOO GUELPH TORONTO MARKHAM MONTRÉAL Untitled-5 1 C ANADIAN Lawyer 4STUDENTS SPRING 2011 9 2/23/11 11:06:13 AM