Articling in Toronto

Looking for a hands-on, hearing-intensive, intellectually challenging articling experience?  This is the place for you!

Our Toronto office hires up to 6 articling students each year.

The Work

The primary focus of the articling experience in Toronto is on all aspects of labour and employment law. This includes labour arbitration, proceedings before the Ontario Labour Relations Board and Canada Industrial Relations Board, human rights and equity issues (including Charter litigation), collective bargaining, construction labour relations, pension and benefits law, workers’ compensation, disability claims, employment standards, wrongful dismissal litigation and occupational health and safety.

Students also assist our civil litigators with all kinds of civil litigation files, including court actions, applications, motions and appeals as well as proceedings before a variety of administrative tribunals. Students may also have an opportunity to assist the lawyers in our criminal law and Aboriginal law practices.

Under the supervision and guidance of lawyers, our articling students take an active role in all aspects of case preparation. Students interview clients, identify and interview witnesses, research the law and attend hearings. Students are also responsible for drafting opinion letters, legal memoranda, submissions, pleadings and/or factums. On occasion, students may represent clients in minor matters.

Student Rotation & Resources

We have a student rotation that is designed to evenly balance the workload between students and to allow students to work with as many different lawyers as possible over the course of the articling period. Students are encouraged to attend both 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.

Our Toronto office has an excellent law library containing numerous general, labour and human rights law reports and digests, as well as hundreds of 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 forty years, thanks to this former articling student. Students’ 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 Toronto;
• 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.

Applications

We have completed our recruitment process for the 2025-2026 articling term. We thank all law students who applied, especially those who interviewed with us. 

For anyone who did not end up with an articling position in this process: Do not despair. We read every application, so we know you are all highly qualified, amazing young professionals. Sometimes there are speedbumps on the path to the career you want; don’t let this speedbump get you down. Other positions will come up over the course of the next year. Keep your eyes open for them and stay positive. You will land on your feet and you will have a great career. 

For more information about the firm, listen to this episode of Objection!