When I told a friend that I would be articling at a full-service litigation firm in the heart of Toronto, he did not hesitate to respond with "Enjoy standing behind the photocopier all day!" While that may be many people's perception of what students do in firms like MB, here it could not be further from the truth.
While nervous at first, I knew the detailed training I received
was more than sufficient but more importantly that help is ALWAYS
one phone call away (or within a few feet).
Fast forward to today, and looking back at that moment, I can
clearly see how many different skills I learned in such a short
time. Even though it's only been a few months, I've had a
chance to be involved in and observe multiple court proceedings
including pre-trials, Examinations for Discovery and even Trials,
one all the way in London, almost 200 kilometres away from my
desk.
On any given day, I may walk into the office with my morning coffee
and draft claims where we represent the plaintiff. Then after
lunch, I shift gears and now I'm drafting documents or
preparing for proceedings where we represent the defendant. This
diversity makes it possible to learn not just the craft of
litigation but to experience both sides of it without the need to
change seats! It also makes it possible to learn by doing in a more
effective manner. It feels kind of like being a double agent
because when I write a defense, I can not only refer to all our
resources but also what I was thinking when I was drafting a
Statement of Claim and vice versa. Something only possible in this
setting.
All of this is while the work is meaningful. Coming from the legal
aid clinical environment, I was used to seeing the impact of my
work both in the form of the matters proceeding and the direct
impact it had on clients. While there is a learning curve with
literally anything a student does, the lawyers are more than happy
to go the extra mile by letting the student do the tasks and be a
part of the process. Making students a part of the file allows us
to see how certain actions taken lead to the next steps. We can
also see the different paths a particular case can go with the
benefit of the context I got from being involved in its previous
stages.
A benefit of being a student in this environment is there is plenty
of room for self-reflection. I remember how long it took me to
draft my first Statement of Claim versus how much faster I am
today. That said, I still need to figure out where they keep the
photocopier because I've been too busy becoming a
litigator!
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