Life skills and career tips for Canada's lawyers in training
Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/50904
my year of call do now. I am my own assistant. I do everything myself: letters, faxing, photocopying, filing. This takes some of my time away from doing the legal work. There can be times of high stress — the stakes are very high for my clients. I am aware that the quality of my work and the end results affect their basic human needs. That's pressure! Achieving a work-life balance in Winnipeg is possible; we have shorter commutes, lower costs of living, etc. The established lawyer base in Manitoba is aging and not enough young lawyers are staying to replace them; this provides, and will continue to provide, young lawyers who do choose to continue to practise in Manitoba lots of op- portunity. A judiciary that takes an active interest in improving the legal system (e.g. the provincial court's award-winning Do- mestic Violence Front End Project) and in fellowship events with the bar. Owing to the law society's self-insurance initiative, we have extremely low insurance rates — $115 this year. The cases are very fact-based. In preparing my cases I spend most of my time interviewing witnesses and constructing examination questions. Sometimes I miss the more academic side of law. I am often frustrated with administrative tribunals. There are some serious flaws in the system, which is sad given it is here where most regular people have their interaction with the justice system. - CONS: The bar in Winnipeg is small, and bad news travels fast, so preserving your reputation as professional and integral is essential. Winnipeg lawyers are not remunerated as handsomely as lawyers in other capital cities, but money isn't every- thing. There are fewer options available for specialization. As a result of overregulation, a bloated public sector, and a shrinking private sector, there are few new private business starts. There are no interprovincial firms. THE PLACE TO BE FOR A CAREER IN IP LAW Untitled-5 1 C ANADIAN Lawyer 4STUDENTS S EPTEMBER 2008 41 2/25/08 11:28:54 AM