Programs & Rewards
Real world law. Real choices. A real future. At Cassels Brock, we pride ourselves on the flexibility of our student programs. We have designed our summer and articling programs to help develop and encourage our students' goals, taking into consideration our students' individual strengths and personal aspirations.
Welcome to real world experience.
Summer Program
The summer program is designed to meet the students' personal learning objectives. Students are encouraged to work in all of the firm's practice areas. In addition, a number of our summer students have participated in secondments.
Each summer student is assigned a mentor, who introduces the student to the demands and busy pace of a downtown Toronto law office and ensures that the student receives interesting and stimulating work. Mentors are also responsible for providing students with evaluation and feedback.
Regular social events are scheduled for our summer students to give them the opportunity to get to know the firm and each other.
Articling Program
At Cassels Brock, we are flexible and tailor our articling program to develop and encourage each student's goals. Evaluation and feedback are core parts of the program.
Each of our students completes three rotations working on various files with different lawyers. The three rotations are chosen from a list of five, as follows:
- Business Law; Information, Communications and Entertainment; and Tax;
- Financial Services and Real Estate;
- Securities;
- Advocacy and Municipal/Environmental; and
- Secondments.
Secondments
Cassels Brock's secondments give our students the opportunity to learn what it takes to solve legal problems while developing and strengthening partnerships outside of the firm. Generally, we offer two types of secondments:
- with an administrative body, e.g., the Ontario Securities Commission; or
- in-house with one of our clients.
Client Secondment Program
Over the years, Cassels Brock has developed a highly successful client secondment program that provides our summer and articling students with an opportunity to work within the legal department of one of our clients. Our client secondment program is a unique learning opportunity for students to acquire practical experience and gain first-hand knowledge of what our clients expect from their legal counsel. These placements allow for a deeper understanding of a client's business and culture, as well as provide excellent networking opportunities for our students. For example, the Canadian Recording Industry Association was ably assisted by one of our students who had prior experience and knowledge about rights owners in the entertainment industry. She helped the CRIA prepare for pivotal hearings on the Copyright Act. Other recent client secondments included CanWest Global, the Ottawa Senators, Teranet and Canadian Tire.
Secondment to Administrative Bodies
Recently, our students completed secondments at the Ontario Securities Commission in Toronto and Copyright Board of Canada in Ottawa.
Michael Noonan completed an external rotation at the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) as an articling student. When asked to describe his experience, Michael stated, "I had a wonderful experience at the OSC. I was seconded to the Corporate Finance Branch where I was involved in reviewing prospectuses, continuous disclosure documents and applications. I was also involved in policy matters and the rule-making process. As well, I was involved in topical research involving possible rule changes related to the Asset-Backed Commercial Paper (ABCP) credit crisis. The lawyers, accountants and all the staff at the OSC were extremely friendly and approachable."
Michael thought the secondment was valuable: "I was able to gain insight into the inner workings of the Commission. I learned the process by which the OSC staff reviews applications and disclosure documents. I can apply this knowledge to my work back at the firm so that I can draft applications and documents more efficiently and effectively."
Student-Led Secondments
Cassels Brock is receptive to student-led initiatives to create new secondment partnerships that offer the appropriate learning experience. For example, one articling student had been interested in energy law since her first year of law school, and wanted an opportunity to learn more about the industry and the type of legal work available. She suggested a placement with the Independent Electricity System Operator in order to learn how the energy markets are run in Ontario. She continued to use this knowledge after becoming an associate.
Evaluation & Feedback
Performance evaluations are critical to ensuring that our students become excellent lawyers. Evaluations are completed on a regular basis to ensure that students:
- understand their strengths and weaknesses; and
- obtain assistance if they need to further their education.
Articling students receive performance evaluations at the end of each rotation. Summer students receive performance evaluations approximately six weeks after they begin work, and again toward the end of the summer.
Students are evaluated against the following criteria:
- Legal Analysis and Decision Making Skills
- This includes the ability to marshal relevant facts; identify legal issues; apply the correct law; and develop practical solutions to legal and non-legal problems.
- Communication Skills
- This includes the ability to communicate well as a writer or a speaker, whether it be internally or with clients. Students will also be evaluated on their ability to be clear (plain language should be the norm), concise, and prompt in providing information or responses.
- Organizational Skills
- This includes the ability to process work quickly and effectively; prioritize and resolve conflicting demands; manage files in an orderly fashion; and record instructions.
- Personal Skills
- This includes the ability to treat staff and peers respectfully; be tactful; act responsibly; show initiative; accept constructive criticism; and demonstrate integrity.
At their performance evaluation, students meet with their mentor and the Assistant Director of Student Programs. They also receive a written summary of their performance evaluation.
Salary and Benefits
Our compensation package includes salaries at the leading rate of large downtown Toronto law firms. Articling and summer students' salaries are currently $1,450 a week.
Articling students also receive:
- dental and prescription coverage
- extended health and life insurance
- two weeks' paid vacation
- membership in the Canadian Bar Association
We contribute $5,000 to third year law school tuition and pay tuition for the Bar Admission Course. Articling students' salaries are paid during the Licensing Process.