The summer student program at Cassels is designed to meet each student’s personal learning objectives. Our summer students don’t have rotations. We encourage them to explore all practice areas we offer and to work with a broad range of lawyers so that they can confirm their areas of interest and/or develop new ones. That way, they know which area(s) they want to pursue during their articling period.
Mentorship
Each summer student is assigned two mentors – a member of the Student Committee and an associate. Generally, the two mentors are from different practice groups. These mentors introduce the students to the demands and busy pace of a downtown Toronto, Vancouver or Calgary law office. Our mentors ensure that our students receive interesting and stimulating work. They also help our summer students get to know a broader network at the firm and navigate any challenging situation that may arise.
Summer students and their mentors meet regularly for coffee or lunch, and their mentors attend many of the social events that take place throughout the summer. Student Committee mentors participate in all summer student evaluation and feedback sessions and ensure that their student mentees get all of the support that they need to be successful.
Our Perspective
Here’s what some of our summer students have been saying about why they chose Cassels to gain first-hand, real experience working in a law firm and the support and mentorship they have received:
I thoroughly enjoyed my summer student experience at the Cassels Vancouver office. In addition to interesting and challenging work opportunities, there were several charitable and social events throughout the summer. From an office sports day, to a Nat Bailey baseball game, to Friday afternoon “Tea”, there was never a dull moment! The welcoming and inclusive nature of the Vancouver team is what made these events, and my summer experience, so memorable. – Shayna Clarke, JD 2020 University of Ottawa, Returning Articling Student, Vancouver Office
When interviewing at Cassels, every person I met was someone who I wanted to work with, learn from, and spend time with. I wanted to work at a firm that challenged me professionally, and surrounded me with fun, outgoing, and authentically nice people. My summer experience confirmed that everyone at Cassels genuinely cares about student development, and about the preservation of the culture of kindness. Cassels is truly a fun place to work and learn. – Spencer Green, Dual JD/JD Windsor 2020, Returning Articling Student, Toronto Office
I chose Cassels not only for the people but also for the trust they have in the work product of their students. I had the opportunity to work in a variety of practice groups – ranging from securities to advocacy, real estate to intellectual property. But Cassels doesn’t just throw you off the deep end; I had wonderful mentors along the way. I knew I always had someone to turn to when a memo proved to be difficult or a research task hit a dead end. I couldn’t imagine summering anywhere else! – Olivia Ells, JD Dalhousie 2020, Returning Articling Student, Toronto Office
Summer at Cassels was a chance to get solid experience from a fantastic group of people. In addition to getting challenging work on interesting files, the most important thing I got was meaningful feedback. People took time out of their schedule to explain the larger context for assignments, and then give constructive feedback on how I can improve – giving me valuable insights and a chance to improve. – Thomas Neville, JD 2020 University of Calgary, Returning Articling Student, Calgary Office
I gained exposure to every practise group during my summer at Cassels. I worked closely with teams of lawyers on two transactions – the refinancing of a credit facility, and the acquisition of a public company. I also had the opportunity to represent a client in small claims court at a settlement conference. However, the best part about working in Vancouver was definitely the gorgeous ocean and mountain views from my office! – Lauren White, JD 2020 Western, Returning Articling Student, Vancouver Office
I chose Cassels because my interviewers made the extra effort to get to know me as a person during OCIs. They asked me questions that showed me that they had thought about my application at length and were interested in my long-term future at Cassels. It was immediately clear to me that Cassels was a people-based firm that would provide me with the support, camaraderie, and opportunities to build a successful legal career. – Alexander De Pompa, U of T JD 2020, Returning Articling Student, Toronto Office
Working at Cassels Vancouver was an overwhelmingly positive experience. Despite summer being a short term, everyone went out of their way to make sure we felt that we had a voice and were part of the team. One highlight of my summer was getting to travel to Victoria with a lawyer to meet with a client. It was a great learning experience and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to draft the subsequent document. – Angela He, JD 2020 Western, Returning Articling Student, Vancouver Office
At the beginning of my summer term, I expressed a keen interest in advocacy. My mentor immediately got me involved in a pro-bono case about misrepresentations and predatory door-to-door sales tactics. I helped draft the statement of claim, and ultimately, a settlement agreement which was a win for our clients! I also attended my first arbitration hearing this summer. The arbitration largely consisted of both sides advocating on what a provision in a contract stood for using principles of commercial contractual interpretation. I was involved in doing legal research, drafting closing submissions, and attending witness/client preparation before they took the stand at the arbitration. I’m looking forward to coming back to Cassels for articling! – Hardeep Dhaliwal, Western JD 2020, Returning Articling Student, Toronto Office