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 F A L L 2 0 1 5 11 changing world," she says. "I went to a fantastic law school that I loved that did pretty much nothing to pre- pare me for practice, other than perhaps I got used to having high standards of work- ing hard. And I had absolutely no idea about any of the things that you do in real life. I took contracts because it's one of the basic courses you take in first year, so you learn all these basic contract doctrines, like how is a contract formed and what consti- tutes breach of a contract and what are the remedies. ose things still apply today. "But an actual contract? What a real con- tract looks like in the world I worked in? Having done a year of reading cases about somebody selling somebody a horse in 1857 was no help." e new course, Lawyering in the 21st century, forms one elective element of a three-year law degree, and Sykes admits she hopes it will help put ompson Riv- ers on the legal education map. With high- powered firms focused so heavily on hiring top-notch graduates from established law schools, it's good for students to get some- thing that will set them apart from their peers, she says. "is law school is not Canada's most prestigious law school. We're the new kid on the block, and we don't have the reputa- tion, the alumni network, the endowment," she says. "I could imagine that my students might on average be the ones who come up with an entrepreneurial idea because they might be less likely to be hired by a Blakes or a McCarthys. Maybe the ompson Rivers students are going to be the ones who in 20 years are the bosses. at's what I want to convince them of. Opportunities are there for non-traditional ways of doing things that are going to increase." ompson Rivers is not alone in work- ing on ways to equip students better for life aer law school, and Sykes says she took in- spiration from legal consultant Mitch Kow- alski, whose book Avoiding Extinction: Rei- magining Legal Services for the 21st Century is on the reading list for her course. U.S. law schools, including Harvard and Stanford, are also looking at innovation. e modules ompson Rivers stu- dents will work on include drawing up a memo on an alternative business struc- ture for their company, as well as blogging about activities and using cloud-based practice management systems. Discussion points include a look at the threats to the traditional law firm model, the death of the billable hour, and a mission statement that Sykes defines as "how not to have a bullshit job." "At L21C we want to do things better — for our clients, for the wider community and society, and for the people who work here," Sykes writes in her introduction to the new course. "Our vision is to find ways to serve clients better; to bring down costs so that real people can afford us (and so we beat the competition); to practice our pro- fession ethically, based on deep reflection about what ethical obligations require of us in a changing world; and to do all of this while also living good and fulfilled lives." ■ New Edition Going It Alone: A Start-Up Guide for the Sole Practitioner, Second Edition Wendy E. Oughtred Read this before hanging out your shingle Order # 804722-65203 $75 Softcover approx. 170 pages September 2014 978-0-88804-722-9 Shipping and handling are extra. Price(s) subject to change without notice and subject to applicable taxes. 00222RY-A45939 Available risk-free for 30 days Order online: www.carswell.com Call Toll-Free: 1-800-387-5164 In Toronto: 416-609-3800 Ready to hang out your own shingle? Then bone up fast on the very practical, administrative aspects of running a business. Turn a profit and safeguard your sanity. It's not something you ever learned in law school Going It Alone: A Start-Up Guide for the Sole Practitioner, Second Edition contains must- know information for fledgling entrepreneurs who want to create their own work opportunity. This thoroughly updated manual on becoming your own boss gives you all the nuts and bolts for setting up shop. The Second Edition • Walks you through every step towards your goal of being a sole practitioner • Shares helpful tips and strategies in a concise, informal, easy-to-read tone • Provides short checklists of materials or resources needed to efficiently set up and run your firm • Discusses how to maintain your mental health, not just your professional standards

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