A Day in the Life of a Student
Associate, Business
2007 Call (2005 Summer, 2006/2007 Articles)
While working on a large closing and income trust conversion, I got to attend our client's shareholder's meeting held at the Toronto Stock Exchange and witness presentations by the President and CFO, and the subsequent vote on the income trust conversion. After the meeting, it was my job to be certain that we got all the signatures from the VP, President, Corporate Secretary, etc. Getting one-on-one face time with the 'people' behind our corporate client was really amazing and very educational. After working many weeks on the file it was rewarding to really feel like a part of our team, and to see the fruit of our work on a successful file.
2006 Summer Student; 2007/2008 Articling Student
Even the most senior lawyers at Ogilvy Renault have always taken an interest in ensuring that I remember that, as a summer student or an articling student, I am still primarily engaged in a learning process. As a result, I have been able to take an active role in high profile transactions while never feeling pressured by unreasonable expectations from the lawyers working around me. This environment truly makes articling an opportunity to try new and challenging things with the benefit of a support structure to ensure that there is no risk of failure. It is just such an environment that allows a motivated student to succeed to the highest degree.
2006 Summer Student; 2007/2008 Articling Student
The best features of my articling term at Ogilvy Renault have been the variety of work and being treated as a member of the 'team'. I have had the opportunity to draft motions materials, letters to clients, legal research memos as well as attend meetings with clients, motions and examinations for discovery. A highlight has been working as a 'junior' on a litigation file with one of our senior intellectual property litigators. Not only have I been able to observe and participate in a litigation matter as it goes through the various stages of an action, I have also been given real responsibility in terms of preparing for and assisting with all aspects of the file. Throughout, the lawyers have taken time to explain the steps in the process and the strategies used. They have treated me as part of the team from the start and are truly interested in my learning and development.
Daniel Leduc
Partner, Labour and Employment Law
1998 Call (1996 Summer, 1997/1998 Articles)
I began my career as a summer student in the Montréal office of Ogilvy Renault in 1996 after completing my second year of law school at Université de Montreal. When I graduated with my civil law degree, I decided that I wanted to expand my horizons and chose to pursue my common law degree at Osgoode Hall in Toronto. Although the Firm had expected me to complete my articles in 1997, they were very supportive of my decision to study in Toronto and delay my articling period for one year.
I chose Ogilvy Renault because it offered depth of expertise and promoted real interaction between individuals, a combination that is not easily found in other law firms. There is an open door policy and practice even with regard to students. This was true then and it's still true all these years later.
Associate, Employment and Labour
2007 Call (2005 Summer, 2006/2007 Articles)
One of the best parts about my articling experience with Ogilvy Renault is that I was offered a lot of flexibility and opportunity to figure out which area of law would be the right fit for me. I never felt any pressure to narrow the scope of my learning experiences. Instead, I felt encouraged to get involved in a variety of different areas and develop a broad range of skills. Also, the lawyers I worked with really had a contagious enthusiasm about their work which made the decision to return as an associate an easy one.
2006 Summer Student; 2007/2008 Articling Student
One of the things that I like best about articling at Ogilvy Renault is the approachability of the lawyers and their willingness to give you different experiences. There is no such thing as a closed door at this firm - the lawyers are always willing to answer any questions that you have and you are not denied the opportunity to work in an area of law just because you have not studied it in the past. Better still, the lawyers I have worked with value my opinion, welcoming ideas and encouraging me to speak candidly with them about strategy and interpretation of the law. The open-mindedness of Ogilvy Renault has allowed me to dabble in numerous areas of the law, to draft an array of legal documents and presentations, and to even conduct a trial in the Small Claims Court.