Our Student Program
What will I be doing?
The primary purpose of the program is to provide a first-rate practical education to prospective lawyers. To this end, we have implemented several programs to ensure that the student develops competence in the application of legal principles learned in law school and self-confidence in his or her abilities.
Rotation System
For articling students, the aim of the rotation system is to enable each student to spend no less than three months in each of the firm's three main practice groups, on a rotation basis. A lawyer in each main practice group is designated to act as a student supervisor during the rotation period. To the extent that we are able, we try to accommodate the expressed desires of the students as to their expected areas of interest.
Summer students will be placed in one practice group for the summer. We will try to accommodate the expressed desires of the students.
Real Estate
The Real Estate Group, in addition to purchases and sales of real estate, is also involved in loan transactions on behalf of financial institutions, the development of residential and industrial subdivisions from the planning stage through to eventual sale of the fully developed lands, and the development of condominiums. The Real Estate Group also includes lawyers who specialize exclusively in commercial leasing, acting primarily on behalf of owners of shopping centres and major retail chains.
Corporate/Commercial
Our Corporate/Commercial Group includes a banking group which acts on behalf of financial institutions and a bankruptcy and insolvency group which is involved in, among other things, advising trustees, receivers and secured creditors. The Corporate/Commercial Group does mergers and acquisitions, as well as securities work. Students are expected to understand the deals they participate in. Our Tax Group is much more than an accessory to the other arms of the firm. Students who want to work in this area will be exposed to dynamic leading edge tax planning that brings in a diverse client base ranging from multinationals to prominent Canadian musical groups.
Litigation
The Litigation Group includes a civil litigation practice dealing with commercial disputes, mortgage remedies, construction lien claims and matters relating to negligence, professional and otherwise. The group also includes lawyers specializing in libel and slander and labour and employment law. Litigation students do not spend their rotation in the Library. Students working in this group have in the past argued their own small claims trials, attended at contested motions in Toronto and in other cities, and written facta for and/or attended at the Ontario Divisional Court, the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.
What We Expect of You – General Responsibility
We rely on our students to develop an accurate sense of their capabilities. Students' workload and the level of responsibility for matters assumed by them are to a large extent theirs to determine. Independence is encouraged but at the same time students should take advantage of our "open door" policy. This policy means that if the student is experiencing problems with a file or wishes to bounce ideas off the lawyers, associates and partners alike, he or she can feel free to do so. In general, capable students can expect to eventually have responsibilities similar to first year lawyers.
How Will I Know How I am Doing? – Evaluations
In the unfamiliar working environment, where students' legal skills are being tested for the first time, students often feel as though they are trying to find their way in the dark. We have found that a regular system of evaluations, both formal and informal, provide the feedback that is needed to alleviate such insecurity. The supervising lawyer is available to provide informal feedback at any time during the rotation.
There is a comprehensive evaluation conducted at the end of the rotation for articling students and at the end of the summer for summer students with the supervising lawyer.
At the Holiday season, the Articling Students are rigorously evaluated on their ability to participate as a cohesive unit in a life/career threatening environment: the Student Skit!
Prior to the end of the articling year, an evaluation is undertaken in order to review the student's progress during the year and, of course, to discuss employment prospects. For summer students, the summer will conclude with a discussion regarding articling prospects.
All That and a Pay Cheque, Too? – Benefits for 2008/2009
Salary: Reviewed annually. In 2008, at
$75,400 per annum for articling. In 2008, at
$1,450 per week for summer students.
Articling Students Only - Health Club: Up to $500 each calendar year
Articling Students Only - Benefits: Full Health and Dental, life insurance and long term disability
Articling Students Only - Vacation: 2 weeks
Skills and Professional Responsibility
Program: Tuition and salary paid regardless of hire back
Barrister and Solicitor Licensing
Examinations: Salary is paid for the full 14
days to study and write exams
Summer Students Only - Bonus:
Articling
tuition bonus
of $4,000
How Fast Does a Cheetah Run? –
Student Seminar Program
In addition to being an excellent source of a free dinner, the Minden Gross continuing education program is extremely diverse. All areas of the bar are covered. Student seminars are conducted on a regular basis on various topics, by different members of the firm who specialize in those areas.
Student Seminar Program 2007-2008
1. Shareholders’ Agreement
2. Real Estate Related Drafting Exercise
3. Personal Property Security Act
4. Wills and Estates
5. Incorporations, Amalgamations & Dissolutions
6. Commercial Leases
7. Corporate Related Drafting Exercise
8. Carnivores of the Central Kalahari and Western Sahara
9. Employment Law
10. Mortgage Financing & Remedies
11. Basic Tax Issues
12. Minutes Book Review
13. Ethical Considerations Involved in
Litigation
14. Bankruptcy
15. Ethical Considerations in Real Estate
Transactions
16. Drafting Pleadings/Affidavits
P.S. A cheetah runs as fast as 95 km an hour.
The Hartley Lunch and other Firm Functions
Firm luncheon meetings are held every
Thursday for all legal personnel. Each meeting
has a continuing legal education component which
rotates from general to practice-specific topics
about current developments in the law. The
luncheons also provide an opportunity for firm
members to learn more about each other by
discussing each lawyer’s type of practice, area
of expertise, areas that they are interested in
pursuing, clients served and industry served.
In addition, the three major practice
groups have meetings to address any department
specific issues.
Finally, Hartley Nathan, Q.C., will take the culinarily-uninhibited to explore the mysteries
of dim sum or the sub-continent on a sporadic
basis. Try not to ask what you are eating.
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The Hiring Criteria
Student Program