Learn more about student life at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.
2. What kind of students is STLaw looking for?
3. What can I expect as a student at STLaw?
4. What type of training and mentorship can a student expect?
5. How is work distributed?
6. How do the students receive feedback?
7. What is the firm’s policy on hire-back
8. How does the firm promote equity, diversity, and inclusion?
9. What is the social life like at STLaw?
Do you hire Summer Students & Articling Students?
Yes, we hire both summer students and articling students. Our summer student recruitment typically focuses on 2Ls, but we do occasionally hire 1Ls.
What kind of students is STLaw looking for?
We are looking for students with a specific interest in employment and/or disability and injury law. These are our areas of focus at the Firm and what we are known for across Canada. If you have an interest in another field, or if you are unsure what field you may be interested in, we recommend that you consider applying to other law firms or organizations.
We hire from universities across Canada, and beyond. We are a litigation firm, so we look for students who want to be litigators and are looking for hands-on experience. We are also a boutique firm, so if you are looking for a full-service rotational program, our program is not for you. Our program is unique in that our students enjoy hands-on training and a high level of responsibility and autonomy in their positions. Students are assigned file work and are often interacting with our clients to solve legal issues in a strategic and pragmatic manner. The qualities we look for in students include advanced communication and organizational skills, attention to detail, superb analytical skills, a team mentality, as well as independence and initiative. In addition, we pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service to members of the public (as you can tell from our Google reviews), so time management and prioritization of tasks, as well as responsiveness, are key to success at our Firm.
Finally, the Firm operates as a team, both in and outside of work, so we look for students who can work cooperatively and who want to participate in the Firm’s many social events and functions. We look for students who love working with people, who take initiative, and who are ready to put in the necessary effort to grow themselves as future litigators.
What can I expect as a student at STLaw?
Summer and articling students get a similar experience at the Firm, with articling students having more opportunities to take the lead on appearances at Small Claims matters, attending motions, and supporting lawyers at various proceedings such as discoveries, mediations, pre-trials, trials, and appeals. You will learn to be strategic and pragmatic in solving real world legal issues. You will interact with our clients, side by side with our legal team, and you will make a difference.
The student experience is hands-on. The point is to provide you with relevant and practical experience and prepare you to become a litigator. Students are asked to assist on a variety of files in both the employment and disability/injury practice areas. Typical student tasks include drafting demand letters, drafting claims, preparing questions for examinations and questionings, researching points of law, and participating in strategy meetings. In addition to work assignments, students will also have many opportunities to shadow lawyers and paralegals at various appearances such as examinations for discovery, questionings, hearings, motions, mediations, case conferences, pre-trials, trials, and appeals.
Aside from file work, the Firm provides additional learning experiences such as in-house seminars, office hours, as well as regular department meetings throughout the year. Students are always encouraged to attend and participate in these meetings.
What type of training and mentorship can a student expect?
During their first week, students attend an orientation and receive training from myself and various members of the Firm’s management team, as well as our top-rated practitioners in a variety of subjects, covering topics like Employment Law 101, Disability Law 101, and Common Task training.
Throughout the term, students work directly with legal professionals on various assignments, giving them the opportunity to develop mentorship relationships naturally. We treat every assignment given to you as a mentorship opportunity. Again, our objective is to help you, in every way that we can, become a great litigator.
How is work distributed?
To foster the best mentorship experience, students are assigned work directly from our legal professionals. Work is assigned through a distribution list or to individual students directly. Time management and responsiveness are skills that we expect our students to either already possess, or develop early on, as they are expected to respond to requests, prioritize tasks, and communicate effectively with the assigning lawyers to meet their deadlines.
The work assigned to students is not limited to one jurisdiction. As a national firm, students will be able to take on work in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, and possibly in other jurisdictions as well.
How do the students receive feedback?
Our program is structured in such a way that students interact directly with assigning legal reps before, during, and after each assignment. Each assignment is treated as a mentorship opportunity, with our practitioners taking the time to provide feedback at the completion of each assignment. Typically, we also engage a more formal feedback process at intervals throughout the term.
What is the firm’s policy on hire-back?
Put simply, we hire students with the intention of hiring them back as associates. That is why we look for students that possess the necessary skills, attitude, and fortitude required to become successful litigators at our Firm. We invest significant time and resources in each of our students, with the goal being that summer students will return for articling, and articling students will return as associates. Although hiring decisions depend on the needs of the Firm at any given time, if the past is indicative of the future, we will continue to grow our legal team, preferably from within.
How does the firm promote equity, diversity, and inclusion?
Equity, diversity, and inclusion are principles that come naturally at our Firm. The following are just a few examples that demonstrate how the Firm is committed to EDI:
- We promote an inclusive environment by rejecting a hierarchical structure. All staff members, whether they are students, lawyers, assistants, or accountants, are treated with respect.
- We have a diverse group of people and an environment in which individual strengths and needs are respected and accommodated.
- The firm has a Women in Law group that meets every month to discuss issues facing women in the legal profession and come up with meaningful solutions to address these issues. This group was instrumental in developing the Firm’s parental leave policy.
- We operate as a meritocracy. Our hiring practices and promotion criteria ensure that all applicants are given a fair chance.
What is the social life like at STLaw?
Working with people is great; working with people you like is even better! We’ve found that the best way to foster a collegial work environment is to make it easy for staff to socialize and build relationships. We hold many social events throughout the year, some in person and some online. A few examples include Nintendo Switch nights, the STLaw book club, holiday parties, Whitewater rafting, running events, apple picking, and more. Students are invited and encouraged to participate in all the Firm’s social events.
