Vancouver
Articling Student Programme
Hiring
The Vancouver office normally hires 2 additional students for its articling programme (depending on the number of summer students returning to article).
Rotations/Student Experience
Our students are exposed to a wide variety of experiences during their articling year. Students spend about five months in each of the solicitors’ and litigation departments. Students are given the opportunity to, among other things, assist and accompany lawyers to discoveries, hearings, trials, mediations, commercial deal closings and client meetings.
During the litigation rotation, our students: help with the preparation of trials; junior at trials; appear as counsel at trials in Provincial Court (including Small Claims); appear as counsel in Chambers; attend with lawyers at examinations for discovery; meet with clients; assist lawyers on large litigation cases; and conduct research. Students are given full responsibility for Small Claims files — they learn to deal with clients directly, attend settlement conferences, negotiate settlements, interview witnesses and conduct the trials. This is done under the supervision of experienced litigators.
During the solicitors’ rotation, our students: prepare documents for buying, selling and financing business ventures; prepare wills; assist in the probate of estates; draft agreements and letters of intent for commercial contracts; review and research taxation issues; help with the preparation of construction contracts and research construction-related issues; assist in the conveyance of real property; support due diligence efforts in securities underwritings and other commercial transactions; attend at closings of transactions; participate in client meetings; and conduct other general research.
Social & Charitable Events
We encourage our students to participate in all aspects of firm life, including social activities and student-specific activities. In the past, we have arranged both social and charitable activities, which include our annual summer party, golf tournament, Christmas party, monthly “Third Thursday Gatherings”, specific student/principal events, Sun Run, and other various in-house and fundraising events throughout the year.
Mentoring
Students are paired with a partner who acts as their principal and an associate who acts as their mentor. We make every effort to assign a principal and associate mentor who fits well with the student’s interests and background.
Feedback
We evaluate our students’ progress through two formal evaluation processes, one at the end of each rotation. We also conduct an informal review at the mid-way point of a student’s rotation to gather constructive feedback.
Professional Development
Throughout articling, students continue their professional development with additional continuing legal education programmes designed specifically for them. Students are invited to attend all firm-wide and practice-specific continuing legal education seminars. We also provide students with on-going training and seminars to develop their practical and legal skills using seminar formats specifically designed for students.
Junior Associates Available for You to Contact
The following junior associates are available to answer any questions you may have about our articling program. They are available to contact via the information below.
Joanna Dawson
604.643.1270
jdawson@millerthomson.com
Richard Truman
604.643.1243
rtruman@millerthomson.com
Kelsey Thompson
604.643.1259
kthompson@millerthomson.com
Brendan Burns
604.643.1216
bburns@millerthomson.com
Victor Ing
604.643.1294
ving@millerthomson.com
Stephen Rukavina
604.643.1277
srukavina@millerthomson.com