2021-2022 Articling Students
London Office
Brooklyn Hallam, 226.213.7385, [email protected]
Denise Eades, 226.213.7341, [email protected]
Laura McFalls, 226.330.0447, [email protected]
Robert Carnevale, 226.330.0448, [email protected]
Stephanie Adams, 226.330.0449, [email protected]
Toronto Office
Katherine Shapiro, 416.594.4390, [email protected]
Student recruitment is key to Siskinds’ long-term success. Our students are the future of the firm. We hire law students with the hope and expectation that they will become associates and then partners. It is therefore important that we recruit a group of highly skilled and diverse students.
We recognize that there is always room for improvement and have implemented a number of measures to ensure that we continue to develop a strong and diverse workforce.
2022 Summer Student Positions (London & Toronto)
Our summer law student program runs from the end of May to mid-August. The program begins with scheduled sessions with senior lawyers with the goal of providing our students with the key skills required to transition from being a law student to a valued associate at a law firm.
For our summer program, our students are not assigned to specific practice groups or rotations. However, our students in our Toronto office will focus on class actions with some exposure to other areas of law.
Students obtain work directly from lawyers and are encouraged to seek out work in areas of interest. Student work is overseen by the lawyers directly. Each student is also assigned a senior mentor and a junior mentor who are available to answer questions and assist the student to integrate into the firm. Siskinds will also host appropriate activities during the summer program to help integrate the students into the firm.
If you are applying for a summer law student position, we will only be accepting applications electronically and you must submit your application through the viRecruitPortal (viglobalcloud.com)
Key Dates
London
Application Deadlines: Monday, January 17, 2022
Call Day: Thursday, January 27, 2022, no earlier than 8:00 a.m.
Interviews: Monday, February 7, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. to Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.
Offers: Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 8:00 a.m.
Toronto
Thank you for your interest in Siskinds. Our 2022 Toronto summer student position has been filled.
We encourage applications from students at other law schools. For 2L students attending schools that participate in OCI’s and in which we are participating, you will hear directly from your law school as to whether or not you have been offered an OCI.
Post OCI’s, for those students who attend schools that do not conduct OCI’s or whose OCI’s we are not participating in (as well as for articling applicants), we will advise you in advance of Call Day if we will be inviting you to the firm for an interview and will provide you with further particulars regarding our process at that time and in accordance with the LSO Guidelines.
Our Articling Program
Our pursuit of excellence begins with our Student Programs. We view each new student hired as a future associate and partner. Our goal is to see students grow with us and become part of our future success. At Siskinds, we realize that we are only as good as the people who work with us. We encourage individualism and creativity while providing a work environment that is enjoyable as well as rewarding.
Thank you for your interest in our Articling Program, we have filled all of our 2022/2023 Articling Students positions.
Our Students
Even in an era of specialization, it is important for new lawyers to have a broad foundation of exposure to many different areas of the law. Our articling program gives students an opportunity to explore a broad range of areas of the law during the articling year. We also attempt to take students’ specific interests into consideration to provide an opportunity to develop areas of personal legal interest.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Please view the page, In Our Firm, for detailed information about our initiatives related to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Program Structure
Siskinds is proud of its wide range of practice areas that encompass both business law and litigation. During articles, our students are exposed to:
- Individuals & Families
- Family Law
- Immigration
- Real Estate
- Estate Planning and Administration
- Estate Disputes
- Civil Litigation
- Professionals
- Business
- Commercial Litigation
- Commercial Real Estate
- Insurance Defence
- Intellectual Property
- Labour & Employment
- Environmental
- Municipal
- Privacy, Cyber & Data
- Class Actions
- Securities
- Price Fixing
- Product Liability
- Consumer Protection
- Environmental
- Pharmaceutical Litigation
- Humanitarian
- Personal Injury
- Car Accidents
- Back & Spine Injury
- Head & Brain Injury
- Accident Benefits Claims
- Slips & Falls
- Medical Malpractice
- Recreational Vehicles
- Assault
- Other Injuries
Our lawyers welcome the opportunity to involve students in interesting and unique cases to further their practical experience. Students work closely on more complex projects which may include civil motions, trials, administrative hearings and labour arbitrations, as well as mediation and arbitration hearings. They are encouraged to function as independently as possible, taking into consideration their own comfort level and that of their supervising lawyer. They also handle Small Claims Court files from start to finish where they are expected to meet with clients, develop a management plan and see the file through to completion.
Feedback and Mentors
Each student is matched with a mentoring team composed of a partner and an associate. The teams meet regularly with the student to discuss workload, provide feedback and monitor the student’s exposure to the areas of law within the various departments. This structure promotes two-way communication where students are encouraged to provide their mentors with feedback relating to their experiences in the articling program.
Student Lecture Series
At the beginning of each articling year, a series of skill and knowledge building sessions are arranged on a variety of subjects. The topics cover all of our areas of practices as well as practice management. There are approximately 35 skill- and knowledge-building sessions throughout the year. Beyond providing valuable information, these sessions give our students a great opportunity to meet with many of Siskinds’ top lawyers in a small group setting.
Library and Research Support
Students receive direction on their research from a variety of sources. We have a full–time Manager of Information, Research & Knowledge, Information Technology and maintain a substantial library of in-house materials. We also subscribe to various computer research databases. Students are also encouraged to make full use of the MLA library and the UWO law library.
Our Technology
Siskinds is committed to continually updating its technology to enhance all aspects of our legal practice – from communications to sophisticated litigation support and extensive information resources. Our advanced technological culture and top-of-the-line computer systems are fully supported by our Information Systems Department. We utilize a wide range of software, including imaging systems and databases, public and private research databases, calendar systems and remote access systems. Our high-speed, firm-wide internet access, custom databases, intranet and internal knowledge base have all contributed to our ability to easily and cost-effectively manage our data.
Compensation
Compensation packages are competitive with the top firms in Southwestern Ontario and include a comprehensive benefits package with two weeks’ paid vacation during the articling term.
Involvement
We encourage students to become an integral part of our firm. Students are invited to share in such activities as our firm dinners, summer B.B.Q., Memorial Boys’ and Girls’ Swim-A-Thon as well as our holiday celebration. Once a month, all lawyers and staff at Siskinds are invited to attend a catered lunch to socialize and get to know each other.
Fitness
At Siskinds, we support and encourage the physical well-being of all members of the firm. As such, we offer a fitness credit to all articling students which may be applied towards an annual fitness membership or class.
Hire-Back Procedures
In early spring, the Articling Committee presents its recommendations to firm management and students may be offered positions at that time. Our hire-back ratio is competitive with the other top firms in Southwestern Ontario.
Articling Committee
Anthony O’Brien, Partner, 416.594.4394, [email protected]
Anna Szczurko, Partner, 519.660.7784, [email protected]
Christopher Sinal, Partner, 519.660.7710 [email protected]
Jill McCartney, Partner, 519.660.7858 [email protected]
Michael Polvere, Partner, 519.660.7708, [email protected]
Monique Basso, Articling Co-ordinator, 519.660.2099, [email protected]