Articling Program Overview

Last updated on January 24, 2024

During their articling year, students will have the opportunity to experience many of the areas of law that the Legal Services Branch (LSB) daily advises on and litigates. To ensure students have a balanced experience during articles, they will rotate through a number (typically eight to ten) of legal practice groups, focusing on both barrister’s and solicitor’s work. These practice groups cover wide-ranging topics such as Constitutional challenges, labour and employment issues, cannabis legislation, information and privacy law, and administrative and environmental law. Students will work with subject-matter experts in these areas to develop their research, writing, and advocacy skills, as well as to develop skills in client management and time management. 

Students also have conduct of small claims files, which allow you to see litigation files in various stages and as the opportunity arises, present your client’s case in court or in a settlement conference. In working in these dynamic areas of law, you will come to rely on your colleagues, your peers and your mentors.  We take great pride in ensuring that you will be well-supported in your articling year and that you have all the tools at your disposal to thrive in the practice of law. Each year we develop and run a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program geared specifically for the articled students, to introduce them to various subject matter experts and areas of interest.

Summer Student Program Overview

LSB typically hires between two to three students to “summer” with LSB after their second year of law school. Summer students are temporary articling students.

Similar to articling, summer students work with lawyers and professional staff in a variety of legal contexts. Unlike articling students, summer students do not rotate through different legal practice groups. They are primarily responsible for civil litigation and small claims civil litigation files. 

Summer students have many opportunities to work on a diverse range of files in all practice groups.