Vancouver Articling Student Program

Hiring

Please note the Vancouver office has hired back our summer students for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 articling student terms. We will not be hiring additional articling students or participating in the articling recruits. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

Our objective is to hire students who have the qualities that enable them to become associates and, eventually, partners. We look for candidates who have achieved academic distinction, are committed to professional excellence and are willing to take an active role in business development, community activities and firm promotion.

Student Experience

Our students are exposed to a wide variety of experiences during their articling year.  Students will work within the areas of  Business Law, Labour & Regulatory, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Real Estate and Tax.  Students are given the opportunity to, among other things, assist and accompany lawyers to discoveries, hearings, trials, mediations, commercial deal closings and client meetings.

On the litigation side, 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.

On the solicitors’ side, 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, annual holiday 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 serves as their principal and an associate who serves as their mentor.  They each help the student integrate into the firm environment and provide invaluable guidance and support throughout the articling term. The Professional Resources team and other firm members are also available to support students.

Feedback

During the articling term we evaluate our students’ progress through two formal evaluation processes. 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 programs 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 summer student and articling programs. For a list of current students please visit Our Students.

Baljinder Bains
Thompson Rivers University
604.628.2882
bbains@millerthomson.com

Michelle Boatter
University of Victoria
604.628.2886
mboatter@millerthomson.com

Jason Fitzpatrick
University of Victoria
604.643.1254
jfitzpatrick@millerthomson.com 

Thomas Ghag
Allard School of Law, UBC
604.628.2931
tghag@millerthomson.com

Christie McLeod
Osgoode, York University
604.628.3689
cmcleod@millerthomson.com 

Julia Thielmann
Allard School of Law, UBC
604.628.2915
jthielmann@millerthomson.com

Matthew Wray
Thompson Rivers University
604.643.1265
mwray@millerthomson.com 

Caitlin VanDuzer
University of Ottawa
604.643.1206
cvanduzer@millerthomson.com