Students

Students are involved not only in researching the law, which often includes novel and topical points, but also participate in many of the practical and necessary aspects of practice such as meeting with clients, interviewing witnesses and assuming responsibility for the preparatory work required prior to an actual hearing or trial. Students at our firm are regularly involved in cases from beginning to end and are strongly encouraged to attend at hearings of matters in which they have shared some of the responsibility. In this manner, students gain a real and beneficial understanding of the practical and legal aspects of practising law in the labour field and share the sense of achievement which comes with seeing a matter through to a successful conclusion.

Mentors/Rotation Program

Objectives 

1. To ensure that articling students are exposed to all aspects of the practice of labour law (e.g., OLRB proceedings, arbitrations, negotiations and individual employment law matters such as wrongful dismissal and human rights).
2. To ensure that students receive proper training and guidance.
3. To ensure that the workload and quality of work done by the students is monitored.
4. To ensure that the people who make the decisions with respect to the hiring of articling students as associates have an opportunity to evaluate the work of the articling students.
5. To provide for communication between students and lawyers regarding the quality of the students' work and with respect to their overall articling experience.

Framework

In light of the growth of our firm and the diversity of the practice, we have concluded that a rotation system is the most effective way to ensure that the foregoing objectives are met. Each articling student's year is divided into four rotations of approximately three months' duration (based on the current articling period). During each rotation the student is assigned to one or more Senior Partners, and specified Intermediate Partners. Three of the firm's lawyers, Carl Peterson, Frances Gallop and Donald Jarvis, act as Articling Co-ordinators for all articling students throughout the year.

Description of Responsibilities

(a) Senior and Intermediate Partners

• Try to ensure that the student is exposed to a broad range of that partner's practice.
• Ensure that the student is exposed to the preparation and presentation of arbitrations, cases in front of the Ontario Labour Relations Board, opinions and other essential areas of labour and employment law.
• Assess the student's work throughout the rotation.

(b) Co-ordinators

• Monitor the student's workload to ensure that the student does not have an excessive workload or that the student is not underutilized. This may entail refusing to assign certain work to the student, despite another lawyer's request, and directing that request to a student in another rotation. It may also involve actively seeking out work for the student.
• Ensure that the student is, in fact, being exposed to many aspects of the practice of labour law. This may entail speaking to the Senior Partner to ensure that the student is involved with certain types of files or it may entail assigning work from the Co-ordinators' workload (or other lawyers within our firm) to the student to "round out" the student's experience.
• Periodically discuss the student's performance (both positive and negative). At such meetings it is expected that the student and the Co-ordinators review the types of work which the student has been doing and weaknesses or strengths in the work.
• Meet with the student at the end of the rotation and review a written summary prepared by the student of the types of work which the student has been involved in during the rotation. This written summary is passed along to the Partners in the rotation system. This is not a performance evaluation. Its purpose is to assist the Co-ordinators in ensuring that the student is exposed to a broad variety of work.
• At the commencement of a rotation, Co-ordinators are responsible for reviewing the types of work to which the student has previously been exposed, so that any gaps are adequately dealt with during that rotation.

(c) Other Lawyers in Our Firm

• Other lawyers in our firm assign work to students through the Co-ordinators who are responsible for that student. The other lawyers in our firm are also prepared to assist students with problems which the student might encounter.

Remuneration

In recognition of the high standards upon which we insist, our firm's policy is to provide salaries and benefits that are competitive with those provided by the major Toronto law firms. Articling students are covered by an excellent extended health care plan, as well as a group life insurance plan.

Retention

Our firm is committed to the concept of growth from within and in five of the last seven years, we have hired one or more of our three to four students as associate lawyers. We are also proud of the fact that most of the students who have not joined our firm have been able to pursue a career in the field of labour law.

London Office

In August 1993 the firm opened an office in London to service its clients in southwestern Ontario. Although articling students are based in Toronto, they may be asked to assist the London Office as required.

Who Are We Looking For?

We are interested in engaging articling students who have a superior academic background and are interested in specialization in the labour law field. While labour-related courses at law school are an asset, we are impressed by those who have demonstrated their ability in handling demanding courses. An interest in and aptitude for advocacy is necessary.

As students are involved in dealing directly with clients and often work closely with various members of our firm, importance is attached to an individual's interpersonal skills and ability to be comfortable in both formal and informal settings.

Student Resources

Each student has their own office and is computer linked with our Windows-based local area network. Students can access our in-house database as well as on-line services such as QuickLaw and Lexis-Nexis from their desks. We also have direct access to the World Wide Web. Students are given computer training as part of their orientation and regular seminars throughout the year concerning important labour topics.

Application Procedure

Our firm adheres to the Law Society of Upper Canada guidelines for articling. Applications, accompanied by a resume, should be sent to one of the following addresses:

Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP
Barristers and Solicitors
Suite 2601, Box 32
150 King Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M5H 4B6
Attention: Christopher M. Little

Please ensure that your resume includes a listing of your law school and undergraduate academic grades. The resume should also indicate a telephone number and address where you may be contacted during the summer.

We will be hiring three articling students for the coming year for our Toronto Office. Christopher Little is the partner organizing the interviewing and selection process. In the course of the interviewing process, students will have an opportunity to meet other members of the firm. You are encouraged to contact Frances if you have any further questions.

Conclusion

A career in labour law offers individuals an opportunity to practice in a rapidly expanding area of the law. Labour lawyers are involved in major and topical issues with far-reaching legal and social ramifications.

For a student interested in labour law, we believe that Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP offers an exciting and rewarding articling program, with excellent opportunities for personal and professional growth.