In Their Own Words – Summer Students

Current and former students are one of the best resources for you to find out what a firm is really like. Here’s what our summer students have to say about us and their experience at Aird & Berlis LLP:

Cheryl Boyd, 2009 Second Year Summer Student (University of Western Ontario)
“I have nothing but wonderful things to say about my experience at Aird & Berlis. After working as an assistant for four years during the summers prior to becoming a first year summer law student, I knew Aird & Berlis was the right place for me. The staff, students and lawyers are always there to help out and answer any questions you may have. Aside from the extremely friendly environment at the firm, the quality of work I received was outstanding. The flexible rotation system allows students to seek experience in the areas of their interest while still being exposed to multiple areas if they choose. This enables students to have the opportunity to experience a variety of different types of law, as opposed to a strict rotation system which limits a student’s experience to only a few areas. As a result, I was able to do work in almost every practice area this summer and found out that I really enjoyed litigation! Overall, choosing to work at Aird & Berlis was one of the best decisions I have made. I look forward to returning next year as an articling student!”

Alexander Demner, 2009 Second Year Summer Student (Queen’s University)
“The fact that I was a summer student at Aird & Berlis made this one of the best summers I’ve ever had. The people I worked with were extremely friendly, relaxed, and affable, and created such a broad network of support that I felt very comfortable appearing for work in the morning. The work was extremely interesting at most times, and the frequent student outings were the perfect way to hold a work-life balance that enabled me to fully appreciate what being a lawyer would be. I came in with an idea to work in a few different areas, and by the end I had tried so many different files it completely reshaped my outlook for what I wanted to experience in-depth during my articling year. And one of the best things about Aird & Berlis was that there were lawyers from all different areas of law who were genuinely interested in giving work to students, and also to guide us to ensure we learned as much as possible. I came with the mindset to learn as much as I could, and working at A&B was one of the best choices I’ve ever made.”

Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, 2009 Second Year Summer Student (Queen’s University)
“I have now worked for two summers at Aird & Berlis, and I look forward to being back beyond the summer when my articling year begins. Any law firm necessarily demands a certain amount of professionalism, yet Aird & Berlis also manages to provide a very comfortable working environment. The lawyers always have their doors open, they are always willing to answer questions, and they value both the work and the opinions of the students. Two things about Aird & Berlis stand out in particular. First, students are given a great amount of responsibility, and certainly enough to make the work rewarding. Second, the people are great to work with. The mentor program immediately provides each student with two lawyers that they can go to for support, other lawyers inevitably take on a similar role without being so designated, and the summer students always become close enough that they are there to help each other.” 
 
 Jacqueline Goslett, 2009 First Year Summer Student (University of Windsor)
“As a first year student I was not sure if the “Bay Street” experience was what I wanted for my first summer. I was told all of the usual Bay Street myths and horror stories which included everything from working unimaginable hours to going on coffee and donut runs for lawyers; but I was determined to find out what the experience was like for myself. With these thoughts in mind, I went into my interviews with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised with what I found at A&B. I was looking for a firm with a great reputation and a student program that allowed its students to gain broad exposure to a wide variety of legal areas, while at the same time working on files in depth and learning from lawyers who are experts in their field. I found all of these things and more at A&B! The associates, partners, student mentors and staff were welcoming to students and worked hard to ensure that we were learning as much as possible during our summer. The lawyers were excellent at getting students involved in their work and often entrusted us with a great deal of responsibility. Working at A&B has peaked my interest in areas of the law that I never imagined I would be interesting in practicing and I am looking forward to another superb summer at A&B.”

Ajeet Grover, 2009 Second Year Summer Student (University of Windsor)
“Summering with Aird & Berlis was an extremely rewarding experience, both professionally and personally. On a personal level, I was pleaseantly surprised to discover that many A & B lawyers became enthusiastic mentors to me, always willing to act as a sounding board to help me navigate through new experiences or to provide more general advice about making the adjustment from school to private practice. I also became great friends with my summer colleagues. The firm does a fantastic job of selecting students from a wide range of backgrounds and interests. A & B also provided numerous after-work social activities throughout the summer which were terrific opportunities to get to know each other. I never know “laser-tag” would be such an effective team building exercise! On a professional level, I was impressed with the autonomy and responsibility given to summer students. Often I worked directly under partners who are renowned leaders in their fields. I came to the firm interested in exploring a couple of niche practice areas, and found that the firm embraced my enthusiasm to find me work in those areas, as well as provide excellent assignments from a wide range of other disciplines. I can’t wait to return for articling next year!”

Alyssa Keon, 2009 Second Year Summer Student (University of Windsor)
“There is no “typical day” at A & B. Each day is a new experience.  I had the opportunity to work with many different lawyers taking on a variety of tasks. Some of the tasks included research, memos, writing an article, attending client meetings, attending a discovery, due diligence, and working on closings. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had, working and learning from lawyers who are leaders in their field. I found it valuable to be able to accept work from the variety of groups at A & B rather than being in rotations. You are able to seek out work that interests you and figure out the direction you want to go into. Everyone at A & B, including the most senior partners to the associates are very helpful and understand what it is like to be a student. Most importantly, you have the other students for support and that makes for a great work environment.”
 
Karen Levin, 2009 Second Year Summer Student (University of Ottawa)
“Spending my last two summers at Aird & Berlis has been an incredible experience.  The people at Aird & Berlis - lawyers, students, and staff alike - are all very helpful and immediately welcoming.  The flexible structure of the summer student programme has allowed me to pursue my interests in a wide variety of practice areas, as well as learn from lawyers who are leading experts in their fields.  The firm has a very strong mentorship programme for students, and this year, I was fortunate to have two outstanding mentors who were not only easy to talk to, but who also ensured that I was enjoying the work that was assigned to me.  I have truly enjoyed spending my last two summers at Aird & Berlis, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to return next year as an articling student.”
 
Matthew Liberatore, 2009 Second Year Summer Student (University of Toronto)
“The summer program at Aird & Berlis LLP has been one of the more rewarding experiences I have ever had.  I chose Aird & Berlis LLP because I felt that the environment was both welcoming and dynamic.  After having completed the summer program I can say that my first impression of the firm was exactly right.  In addition to meeting a most wonderful group of lawyers I was also able to work directly with them on a wide range of practice areas.  It became clear early on that the student program at Aird & Berlis LLP is important to the firm and time and attention was given to each and every student to ensure that high quality work was being completed.  The lunch and learn seminars were particularly useful as various areas of practice were introduced to the students allowing for a better understanding of how to go about completing a task in each area.  On every file that I worked on, I was always given specific instructions and felt that I could approach anybody at the firm with questions in order to complete the task.  This sense of teamwork made for a wonderful work environment and for an experience that I will not soon forget.”
 
Piper Morley, 2009 First Year Summer Student (Queen’s University)
“There are many benefits associated with having no formal rotation system.  While some prefer to get broad exposure to many areas of law, others can seek out the type of work they are most interested in.  My summer at A&B has provided a great work experience in this regard.  As a person with a particular interest in one area, I was able to gather experience in one field while still maintaining an understanding of other areas of law.  I received valuable work from Municipal and Land Use Planning and Litigation.  I did a variety of tasks including editing and drafting materials for publication, researching and drafting memoranda, statements of claim, affidavits and motions materials.  I was also very fortunate to be asked to assist at a major tribunal hearing this summer. My experience at A&B provided a fantastic opportunity to explore a particular interest while also giving me exposure to other areas of law.  The work I received this summer was rewarding and I look forward to returning next year.”
 
Gary Pattison, 2009 First Year Summer Student (University of Ottawa)
“With there being no formal rotation system, the summer students at A&B are encouraged to seek out work from a variety of practice groups.  This level of freedom and flexibility was certainly something I capitalized on.  As a result, I received work from the Municipal and Land Use Planning, Litigation, Tax, Corporate Commercial and Corporate Finance groups.  Consequently, I was assigned a wide range of tasks, each providing invaluable insight into what it means to practice law in a particular area.  My tasks included editing materials for publication, drafting articles, memoranda, statements of claim, affidavits and motions materials, conducting research, contacting clients and government agencies and providing general assistance on corporate transactions.  However, no summer program would be complete if it did not allow for some time away from the computer to experience lawyers and the law in action!  At A&B summer students will find there are many opportunities to witness – and in certain instances, take part in – legal proceedings.  In fact, the highlight of my summer was witnessing a successful mediation in its entirety.  All that said, what made the summer truly rewarding for me was having the support of the entire firm.  The open door policy at A&B means that every member of the firm community, from the students to the most senior partners, is available as a resource to you and is committed to ensuring your summer exceeds expectations.”
 
Matthew Zuk, 2009 Second Year Summer Student (Queen’s University)
“The defining feature of A&B’s summer program is probably the flexible and open ended manner in which students seek out and receive work.  With no formal rotation system I felt free to look for any and all kinds of work that I was interested in from anywhere in the firm.  While the majority of work comes from lawyers who you have requested to work with, there are also frequent emails sent out to the students as a whole.  As well, the nature of the work itself was extremely diverse and offered a variety of experiences and challenges.  The greatest distinction in my mind was between billable and non-billable work.  While working on billable matters, I loved that I was meaningfully contributing to the resolution of a client’s problem or trying to craft creative approaches to meet a client’s needs.  However, I also enjoyed the many non-billable projects I worked on, which often involved writing articles or updates addressing a particular legal issue affecting a broader class of clientele.  Over the course of the summer I had the pleasure of working in a variety of fascinating and distinct practice areas, including corporate/commercial, securities, litigation, bankruptcy, technology and municipal law.  All of these areas have provided me with a very different perspective on how lawyers “ought to practice law” and have greatly improved my research and writing skills through challenging and meaningful work. “