Student Articles

Most lawyers start their careers working at a law firm and later transition to in-house roles. I began my legal career articling in-house, where I spent 10 months in the legal department at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada. I am sharing my reflections to help those beginning their legal careers in-house or considering a transition into this type of role.

This article traces my shift from a litigation-centred understanding of dispute resolution toward an appreciation of arbitration and ADR as more collaborative and globally responsive systems of resolving disputes. I reflect on the academic, international, and practical experiences that first introduced me to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and shaped my growing interest in arbitration. Insights from the 2025 Queen Mary University of London International Arbitration Survey (conducted with White & Case) further reinforced this perspective, particularly concerns that the increasing adoption of litigation-style advocacy, “guerrilla” tactics, and overly adversarial conduct may undermine the efficiency and collaborative ethos that arbitration seeks to preserve.

This article addresses a persistent stigma in the Canadian legal market: that students who pursue law degrees abroad did so because they could not gain admission to a Canadian law school. It pushes back on that assumption by examining the legitimate and varied reasons people choose the UK path, and demystifying the NCA licensing process. The argument is this: studying abroad is not the easier route, and understanding that before you leave makes all the difference when you return.

From the first day of law school many of us walk in with the same goal in mind: secure an articling position. We study into the night to get good grades, join student clubs and moot competitions, all in the hopes of standing out during interviews. But once you finally land your articling position, a new question arises, how do you actually prepare for the transition from law student to articling student? In this article I share my experience navigating the shift and offer practical advice for both students and supervising lawyers to help make the articling term a successful and meaningful one.

Are you a 3L and still have not lined up your articling position? You are not alone. Finding an articling position takes creativity, perseverance, and planning ahead. Many in-house organizations and small firms often don’t know a year in advance whether they need an articling student, so they may not participate in the formal recruitment. Job postings by career development offices may not always list all of the available positions. This article shares tips and personal anecdotes from Hanaa Ameer-Uddin, articling student at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada.

For decades, the global response to environmental destruction has been a complex web of regulatory frameworks. These systems, detailed and often technocratic, have primarily operated on a principle of licensing harm and penalizing infractions with fines. But what happens when those fines are simply absorbed as a “cost of doing business”? The result is a system that has, by and large, failed to stem the tide of widespread, long-term environmental damage.

The Bora Laskin Faculty of Law marked a truly historic moment on November 17 and 18, 2025, as it welcomed the Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) to campus as part of the Court’s 150th anniversary celebrations. The visit, which concluded the SCC’s national anniversary tour in Thunder Bay, Ontario, was both a celebration of Canada’s highest court and an unforgettable experience for students, faculty, and staff.

Nicole Bedford's documentary highlights the resilience of women facing tragedies like the École Polytechnique shooting and milestones in Canada’s gender equality, such as the 1929 Persons Case. Despite progress, violence against women is rising. The film stresses the impact on children and the need for trauma-informed legal practices. Breaking the cycle requires open conversations and lasting change.

This short article provides an overview of discussions from the 23rd Annual Charter Conference, focusing on recent developments in Canadian Charter litigation. It covers court cases involving educational institutions on issues like free speech, property rights, and privacy. It also addresses the Federal Court's decision on the Emergencies Act concerning the 2022 convoy protests and highlights the need for public engagement by legal professionals to combat misinformation.

The Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act in Ontario and the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act in Australia aim to bolster labour standards and safeguard workers. Australia's amendment strengthens flexible work rights and dispute resolution, addressing work-life balance, gender equity and legal protection. Ontario can learn from Australia's reforms to improve its own labour laws.

ESA plays a crucial role as the minimum safeguard for employees in Ontario, such as the minimum wage (Part IX) and notice of reasonable period (Part XV). Despite being the “floor” of employee protection, many ESA provisions fail to offer sufficient safeguards for their working arrangements.

Once back in Canada (after graduating with a Bachelor of Law from the University of Liverpool and spending a summer basking in the warm English sunshine and reveling in the World Cup celebrations), reality set in, and the need to chart a course became apparent. The first step was to understand the National Accreditation Committee (NCA) and navigate the process of successfully passing the NCA exams. Regrettably, my initial plan was met with unexpected obstacles.

Last year, I was that ‘swamped’ law-school student – exhausted, perplexed about my desires, identity, and the secrets to navigating the unfamiliar terrain of the 1L recruitment. Yet, I emerged successfully, and through this article, I aim to divulge the insights gained, the retrospective wisdom I've acquired, and the mindset I would embrace if I were to do it all over again.

Are you looking for law school experiences that could influence the rest of your life, or trying to find those that could lead to lifelong memories? Well, if you are debating between what opportunities to participate in during your law school journey, I would strongly urge you consider signing up for an exchange.

Olivia passionately calls for a legal education revolution, urging practical training to break access to justice barriers. She champions students' role, emphasizing competent graduates as cost-cutting justice advocates.

Through informed advocacy and collaboration with technologists and policymakers, lawyers must be ready to navigate the complex realm of AI, ensuring that as technology advances across sectors, so does justice.

Alanis Ortiz Espinoza, secretary - Ontario Bar Association, Student Section Executive, shares her journey as a law student in the United Kingdom, her approach to gaining legal experience while building a professional network in Canada, and some helpful advice for NCA students.

A transformative program presented by the OBA’s Student Section and Young Lawyers Division offers timely tips for a successful transition from academia to law practice.