It’s a time to reflect, as both of Canada’s French common law programs have recently celebrated their 30th anniversaries.

In the Prairies, it takes eight months to do the bar course and it has no exams. Sound odd? For articling students in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, it’s the norm.

The sounds of ruffling papers and scribbling pens have largely been replaced in Canada’s law school lecture halls by the tapping on laptop keyboards.

Canadian Lawyer 4Students wanted to know how managing partners in the country got to the top and what advice they could offer aspiring young law students with partnership ambitions. We asked the following questions:

If you thought first year was bad, wait until the stress hits in second year. After all, this is when most students apply for those oh-so-important summer jobs that will invariably chart the course of their future career.

As another year begins and a new group of potential lawyers walks through the doors of law schools across the country, many will ponder the opportunities available to them outside of the regular course load. 

Not many young lawyers have performed at hip-hop concerts across Canada or appeared in a music video. Salman Rana has done both. In hip-hop circles, the 30-year-old law school student is known as YLook.

PRACTISING IN ST. JOHN’S

 

STACEY GRANT
McInnes Cooper    

Pros:
• The bar in St. John’s is relatively small and collegial. As a result, lawyers encounter each other much more frequently than in larger cities. This allows lawyers to be more social with each other, and often lends to more agreeable professional relationships and less confrontation on files.

There is no doubt that law and politics are inextricably linked. The study of political science is often regarded as an obvious trajectory to law school, while Canadian law schools seem to overwhelmingly serve as a launching pad to political life.

The Law Society of Upper Canada’s licensing and accreditation task force released a consultation report in June. It’s an interim report providing four options for the future of licensing lawyers in Ontario. The task force was spawned from the fear of having too many law students and no place to put them. Students without articles tend to end up on the doorsteps of the law society asking for (or in some cases, demanding) help. The simplest option is to make it clear from the very beginning that there are no guarantees in life — if you can’t find an articling position, at least you knew that up front before you racked up a student loan and maxed out your credit line on an education. At the other end of the spectrum is abolishing articles altogether — a fairly drastic step, but one that works in other jurisdictions. Needless to say, the final report will be a very interesting read (it’s set to be released sometime in the fall).

All this talk of how to get the title of “lawyer” got us thinking about the bar admission process in general. Most provinces use a fairly standard method of an exam-based  course along with an articling term. Things are a bit different in the West. Our cover story, “Evaluating CPLED,” (page 16) takes a look at how the program operates and whether it’s been working out. I have to say, it seems to be a bit burdensome on students to expect them to manage a full-time career while trying to complete assignments on the side for eight months. Nevertheless, those running the program are optimistic; consultations are taking place and changes are being implemented to make up for some of the criticism.

Many of you are just starting your first year of law school. I was in the same boat three years ago, so I understand what you’re going through. (Keep an eye out for an upcoming feature on alternative careers in the legal profession.) My main advice to you would be: make good friends, keep your focus high, and give it your all — but have a life outside the legal world. The contacts you make may prove more valuable than the grades you receive, so don’t beat yourself up over your first C. If you want some input from the real professionals though, have a look at our “Tips from the top” (page 13) story.

Anyone who’s been in a law school classroom will have thoughts on laptops. Since my keyboarding skills are much more refined than my handwriting, I cringed when I read about some American law schools banning them from lecture halls. Canadian Lawyer 4Students spoke with professors and students here to see how they are managing the issue. I know that many of my peers were typing away on their resumés and cover letters during the less interactive courses. If you’re one of those people, and trying to find a few ways to bulk up your accomplishments, be sure to read our feature on the benefits of enrolling in a competitive moot (“A moot point,” page 29).

This publication is for you and about you. To keep it relevant, I need to hear from you. Feedback is always welcome, as are story ideas and information on upcoming events and accomplishments. Drop me an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with anything you’d like to share. We’re also expanding our web content, so be sure to check it out at www.canadianlawyermag.com/4students for weekly updates.

 

Jeffrey H. Waugh, LLB
Managing Editor