Articling in Ottawa
Looking to article at a progressive law firm in the nation’s capital? Consider our Ottawa office!
Our Ottawa office hires one or two articling students each year.
The Work
The primary focus of the articling experience in Ottawa is on all aspects of labour and employment law. This includes labour arbitration, proceedings before federal and provincial labour relations tribunals, human rights and equity issues (including Charter litigation), and pension and benefits law. Students may also have an opportunity to get involved in public interest litigation, including cases involving international trade and the privatization of public resources.
Under the supervision and guidance of lawyers, articling students take an active role in all aspects of case preparation. Students interview clients, identify and interview witnesses and research the law. Students are also responsible for drafting opinion letters, legal memoranda, submissions, pleadings and factums.
Articling students have an opportunity to work with all of the lawyers in the Ottawa office, as well as with some of our Toronto lawyers. Students are encouraged to attend tribunal and court hearings with lawyers, in order to see cases through from start to finish and to witness a variety of styles of advocacy. On occasion, students may represent clients in minor matters.
Resources
The Ottawa office has an excellent law library containing numerous general, labour law and human rights law reports and digests, as well as legal texts, periodicals and other resources. In addition, students have access to electronic research services and the firm’s internal databases.
The Collective Agreement
Our articling students have been organized for over thirty years, Their terms and conditions of employment are set out in a collective agreement between the firm and the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 343.
Among other things, the collective agreement provides for:
- wages competitive with other similar firms in Ottawa;
- an election to have the articling salary reduced on a pro-rated basis to provide weekly pay for the period commencing 9 weeks prior to the first day of work. This allows a student to have an income while studying for and writing the licensing examinations;
- payment of Law Society application and licensing fees;
- a signing bonus equivalent to 30 working days’ salary, payable in the week of the first Law Society licensing examination in June (whether or not the student elects to take the licensing examination at that time);
- extended health care benefits;
- child care allowance; and
- an allowance for health club, at-home internet and/or public transit expenses.
During the course of the articling term, students and their COPE 343 representative negotiate with the firm for the renewal of the collective agreement.
For more information about articling in our Ottawa office, contact Fiona Campbell.
For more information about the firm, listen to this episode of Objection!