Summer Law Student and Articling Student Programs
Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP is one of Canada’s leading environmental, Aboriginal and energy law firms. Willms & Shier has represented lawyers and industrial, municipal, institutional, First Nations and Métis clients for almost 40 years. We are a small firm of 17 lawyers, six of whom are Environmental Law Specialists, certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada.
Each year, Willms & Shier selects summer law students and articling students, giving preference to students who have demonstrated an interest in the environmental field and have knowledge of current environmental issues.
T0 be considered for our summer law student positions or articling student program, please email a cover letter, resume and transcripts to Josephine Schembri, Managing Director, Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP at jschembri@willmsshier.com.
SUMMER LAW STUDENT PROGRAM
Our summer law students work with our lawyers on a variety of tasks and client matters. Tasks could entail legal research; updating leading legal texts and memos; attending client meetings, hearings, motions, mediation or examinations for discovery; and writing articles for publication online or by external legal and industry publishers. We encourage students to participate fully in matters, interact with others, contribute and generate ideas - whether the student is sitting in on conference calls and meetings or reviewing files.
Willms & Shier appoints a mentor to each student. The mentor is instrumental in helping the student identify areas of interest to them and identifies various assignments for the student. As a boutique firm, Willms & Shier's lawyers also approach students directly to assign work. Our lawyers are eager to challenge students, help them develop legal reasoning skills and provide ongoing guidance and feedback during and after each assignment.
Our summer law students gain valuable hands-on experience, obtain a good understanding of what it is like to practice environmental, Aboriginal and energy law, and enjoy working in a supportive and friendly environment.
Willms & Shier interviews and selects candidates in accordance with the Law Society of Upper Canada's Recruitment Procedures, although we do not participate in the fall On Campus Interview (OCI). For more information please click here.
ARTICLING STUDENT PROGRAM
Willms & Shier’s articling student program ensures that students assist with some or all of the firm’s practice areas:
- Environmental transactions
- Environmental civil litigation
- Environmental regulatory defence of prosecutions
- Environmental appeals
- Energy law, and
- Aboriginal law.
As there is no formal rotation or work allotment system, we appoint both a mentor and a principal to each students to assist with work assignments, answer questions, offer guidance and provide advice. Willms & Shier's lawyers who work with students also provide direct feedback.
We interview and select candidates in accordance with the Law Society of Upper Canada's Recruitment Procedures. For more information please click here.