Articles 2020

As a young lawyer, I shied away from the idea of using ADR. I held the mistaken belief that time in court was the sole way to develop the necessary skills to be a litigator. My misperception changed quickly when I shadowed several ADR files. ADR is not only beneficial for the client and the backlogged courts. ADR also provides young lawyers with many additional benefits, four of which are described in this article.

While you may be inclined to prioritize sleeping over socializing after a long day at the office, there is a reason that “networking” is so vigorously encouraged. The legal community is close knit and building relationships with your peers will benefit you personally and professionally in the long haul. Here are five quick tips for making the most of your networking experience.

How do you maintain serviceability while managing the expectations of multiple “internal clients?” In the spirit of the New Year, I consulted with some of my colleagues and came up with the following strategies to assist you to continue to meet expectations while not compromising the quality of your work. Here are some strategies that have proven useful over the past few years.

“Where are you from?” Have you been asked this question before? If so, who asked you? Was it someone you just met? Was it at a networking event, a client meeting, a job interview, or something along those lines? Did the person who asked you the question look anything like you? The question “Where are you from?” remains prevalent, which I find troubling. Here is why.

After you start practising law, is it ever too late to change your practice area? In this article, the author shares her experience changing her specialty as a litigator from insurance defence to family law. By emphasizing transferable skills and experience, you can make a successful transition. Read on for more details about how one lawyer shifted her practice and found her fit.

The job search can feel like a roller coaster ride, especially for new calls looking for their first job as an associate lawyer. In this article, author Mandy Ng offers seven tips to land a job as a new call.

Like many practice areas, there is no typical day in procurement law. The area of procurement law can provide a great opportunity to work with clients in a variety of industries such as defence, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, and manufacturing.

The first year of practice is challenging. As the calendar year comes to an end, many first year associates will take a breath during the holidays to reflect on their first few months of practice. Here are five key areas of self-reflection for the new year.

While I thought I was fully equipped from my law school days to practice family law, there are a number of things that I quickly learned I had no clue about. For me, they were new learning opportunities and challenges; however, these new experiences often made me think, I wish I learned this in my Introduction to Family Law class. Here are the top three things law school did not prepare me for in my practice of family law.

"Innovation". "Wellness". These are two of the most common buzzwords in the legal profession these days. It might seem like the two concepts don't bear much relation to each other. What does legal technology have to do with the fact that lawyers aren't eating well enough, exercising often enough, or sleeping - well - enough? Can technology fix that? How can technology fix that?