At Paterson, MacDougall, we offer our students the opportunity to obtain practical advocacy experience in a setting that combines the collegiality of a smaller firm with the diversity of litigation practice areas usually seen only in the very largest downtown firms.
Unparalleled Advocacy Experience
Articling students at Paterson, MacDougall have the opportunity over the course of the year to work with all the lawyers in the firm and to deal with cases in each of the firm’s major practice areas, including aviation, media law, professional liability, municipal liability, employment/wrongful dismissal and general commercial litigation.
Our approach is to assign students ongoing roles in the carriage of client files, as much as possible, rather than to delegate isolated tasks as they arise. Our students gain hands-on advocacy training through their conduct of motions and small claims trials as well as by assisting lawyers in other proceedings. Our students typically become involved in preparing for and attending on at least one major trial in the course of their articles. Students also gain extensive experience in conducting legal and other file-related research, legal drafting, dealing with clients and opposing counsel. Paterson, MacDougall does not have a formal articling rotation system. Students are expected to communicate their preferences for the sort of experience and involvements they hope to have in the course of their employment. We are usually able to accommodate student preferences of this sort given the size of our firm and the flexible nature of our articling program.
Compensation
Paterson, MacDougall pays its students a salary competitive with other firms of a similar size located in downtown Toronto. Articling students are also eligible for the firm’s group benefits plan which includes supplementary medical coverage.
Hiring
Paterson MacDougall has historically hired two articling students each year. We have also hired one or two summer students in the recent past.
The articling program is the primary vehicle for our recruitment of associates. Over the past five years, Paterson, MacDougall has enjoyed a hire-back rate in excess of 50% of our articling students.
Paterson, MacDougall does not participate in the student match program.
Contact us
Applications and inquiries can be directed to:
Carol McCall, Administrative Partner
Paterson, MacDougall LLP
Barristers and Solicitors
One Queen Street East
Suite 900, P. O. Box 100
Toronto, Ontario
M5C 2W5
Tel: (416) 366-9607
Fax: (416) 366-3743
Email: cmccall@pmlaw.com