We are interested in well-rounded law students whose drive, resourcefulness, and leadership abilities are already evident in their professional and personal lives. Specifically, we are looking for students who demonstrate:

• A keen interest in advocacy, as shown through participation in moots, clinics, debates, community involvement or other opportunities;
• Strong analytical thinkers as documented through academic excellence and other accomplishments;
• Teamwork and the ability to contribute to the success of high performing teams;
• Strong work ethic, including the ability to be focused, organized and balance competing priorities; and
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

We are passionate about what we do, and seeking out others with the same passion is vital to the continued success of our firm.

At Lenczner Slaght, our articling and summer students play a vital role in the day-to-day life of our firm. Students work alongside our lawyers at all stages of the litigation process and will draft pleadings and factums, prepare motion records, and conduct legal research. Articling students attend court on opposed and unopposed motions, trials, appeals, arbitrations, and other hearings. All students meet with clients and witnesses, attend out of court examinations, and regularly accompany lawyers to every level of court and various tribunals.

Because Lenczner Slaght focuses solely on advocacy, our students do not “rotate” through departments. Instead, every student will be exposed to a wide variety of practice areas and lawyers while at the firm and any student who is interested in a particular type of file, or working with a particular lawyer or team, is encouraged to pursue those opportunities. Students take on a wide range of important responsibilities that share one common theme: intensive exposure to the litigation process.

The Social Network

Because Lenczner Slaght is a close-knit firm, students quickly become part of the professional and social fabric of the office. The collegial atmosphere is reinforced by a regular cycle of informal events designed to help everyone get to know each other outside of work. Our organized firm social activities include a summer celebration, champagne reception, and our end-of-year Holiday Party. We also host a barbecue for our summer and articling students, and throughout the year we organize pub nights, bowling tournaments, and other gatherings.

Once a month, our lawyers, students, clerks, and directors come together for a delicious “litigation lunch”. With no agenda or speakers, it's simply a chance to catch up on what is going on with your colleagues and often to engage in lively debate about the law. In the same spirit, lawyers regularly invite students out for lunch, coffee or dinner. Impromptu events are also often organized to celebrate good news, or just to break up a long winter.

Lenczner Slaght provides an orientation and training program for all students during their first two weeks at the firm. We introduce our perspective on the practice of law, with content ranging from an overview of the life of an action to more in-depth discussions of motions, examinations for discovery, undertakings and other litigation building blocks. We also focus on specific practical tasks, such as starting your research project, adding value to a client file and developing your professional "survival skills" – with presentations from firm lawyers at every level.

The learning continues – for students and lawyers alike – through our best-in-class education program, Lenczner Slaght Ignite, which provides training and professional development on a variety of subjects throughout the year, including advocacy, business development, and more. In addition, we encourage our students to attend continuing legal education programs outside the firm, many of which are taught by our lawyers.

We aim to give students the solid grounding they need to shorten the learning curve and achieve success – at our firm and in the profession.

Mentoring – Formal and Informal

We pair each new student with a formal mentor whose role is to ensure a smooth integration into the firm and aide in the student's professional development. Each mentor ensures that his or her mentee benefits from a diverse summer or articling experience, including regular opportunities to attend client meetings, pre-trials, discoveries, and court proceedings. Mentors also ensure that students have an opportunity to gain valuable experience in working with a wide range of Lenczner Slaght lawyers.

This mentoring program – which extends to lawyers in their first year with the firm – includes guidelines for both mentors and mentees that are designed to facilitate the relationship. Parallel to this formal arrangement there is also a very strong informal mentoring process that unfolds naturally as students and lawyers forge connections with one another.

As a student working at Lenczner Slaght, you can count on having the support you need to be successful. In addition to your standard-issue work tools – a smartphone and a laptop – you have the backing of a pool of experienced assistants who understand what your role entails and can both support and guide you. You can also rely on research guidance from our research lawyers, as well as continued support from our Legal Talent team for any questions or concerns that may arise as you settle into your role.

Compensation and Benefits

Lenczner Slaght’s summer and articling student compensation is competitive with other downtown Toronto firms. Summer and articling student compensation is currently $1,900 per week.

In addition to a competitive salary, students will benefit from the following:

• Dedicated mentor
• Extensive orientation and training
• Flexible fitness and wellness benefits
• Licensing and Call to Bar fees
• Individual offices
• Two weeks paid vacation (articling students)
• Extended health and dental benefits (articling students)

For more information about our student program, please visit our NALP profile.

Feedback and Reviews

As with our mentoring process, feedback is provided on a formal basis but also happens informally – we encourage our lawyers to provide comments on each piece of work that a student undertakes. For our formal mid-term and end-of-term reviews, students are provided with an evaluation template at orientation to ensure everyone is clear on the criteria.

Lenczner Slaght observes the guidance for recruiting summer and articling students set annually by the Law Society of Ontario.

• Communications – All applications are acknowledged by email. We will advise you in advance (usually about a week before) whether we're going to contact you on Call Day. Interview details are confirmed by email.
• "On-Campus" Interviews – The Lenczner Slaght lawyers you meet during OCIs are looking to get to know you. You can expect them to ask for more details around the academic and extracurricular activities summarized on your résumé. They will be particularly keen to know more about your interest in litigation and the qualities highlighted above. OCIs are also a great opportunity for you to ask questions and learn more about the firm. We participate in OCIs at the following schools: Dalhousie University, McGill University, Osgoode Hall Law School, University of Ottawa, University of Toronto, Queen’s University, Western University, Windsor University, Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as the Western Canadian and ITLANCA OCI processes.
• Call Day – You will begin receiving calls from law firms at 8:00 a.m. on the designated day to arrange in-firm interviews. If we call you, we will schedule your interview for the first day of the designated in-firm interview period.
• In-Firm Interview – You will meet with four or more of our lawyers during your interview, and likely also one of our articling students, who can answer any questions you may have about the student experience. There is no need to send thank you notes following your interviews as they are not expected.
• Offers – We extend formal offers by telephone at 5:00 p.m. on the date set by the LSO.

Your application package should include a cover letter expressing why you are interested in our firm, a résumé, a copy of your law school and undergraduate transcripts, and a list of your anticipated upper year courses. Reference letters, while helpful, are not mandatory.

Applications are accepted through the viLawPortal and should be addressed to:

Kyle Magee
Senior Manager of Student Programs and Professional Development
Lenczner Slaght 
130 Adelaide St W
Suite 2600 
Toronto, ON 
Canada  M5H 3P5
You can also reach us by email: kmagee@litigate.com