Written from the perspective of someone with insider knowledge, this book provides insight into the way Canadian law firms recruit. Wendy Griesdorf, former director of career services at Osgoode Hall Law School, reveals everything aspiring and new lawyers need to know about securing summer, articling, or associate positions, including how to research a law firm job, how to apply and interview, and how to succeed once hired. The book offers detailed information on the different recruitment cycles in Canada (including on-campus interviews), guidelines on the preparation of an effective resumé and cover letter, strategies for developing successful interviewing techniques, and tips on networking. It includes resumé and cover letter samples, examples of interview questions, as well as a personal workbook designed to help students and associates analyze their skills and interests and formulate their career goals.

A must-have for law students and new lawyers.

Contents

Chapter One: Preparation

• Resumés and Cover Letters
• Core Messages

 Chapter Two: Interviews

• Fifty Points on Interviewing
• Professionalism in Interviews
• Physiology and the Interview

 Chapter Three: First Year

• Recruitment Cycles for First-Year Law Students
• Legal Research and Writing

 Chapter Four: Second Year

• Second-Year Summer Jobs
• On-Campus Interviews (OCIs) for Positions with Law Firms
• Other Second-Year Summer Jobs

 Chapter Five: Third Year

• Beginning Your Articling Job Search
• Articling in Another Province

 Chapter Six: Articling

• How to Excel at Articles

 Chapter Seven: Associate Positions

• A Framework for an Associate Job Search
• The Associate Job Interview

 Chapter Eight: Practice Management & Organization

• Reduce Stress
• Professional Liability
• Increase Efficiency

 Chapter Nine: The Release Hatch: Leaving Law and Finding Another Job

• Analyzing Why You Want to Leave Law
• Building a Budget
• Finding a New Industry
• Repackaging Your Skills
• Drafting a New Resumé

 Chapter Ten: Samples

• Sample Resumé and Analysis
• Cover Letter and Analysis
• Sample Cover Letter Sentences
• Sample Interview Questions
• Sample Practice Areas
• Law Office Structures and Traditional Law Careers
• Organizational System
• Sample File List
• Sample Telephone Log

Chapter Eleven: Personal Workbook

• Personal Background
• General Areas of Interest
• Emerging Areas of Interest
• Advanced Areas of Interest
• Research and Information Integration
• Network Building
• Work Environment, Work Style, and Career Goals
• Tactical Strategies for Improvement
• Budget
• Deadlines and Send-by Dates

Praise for the First Edition

“Wendy Griesdorf’s book on law firm recruitment is like having a law school career development office, an outplacement service, a law firm director of students and associates, and your mother all rolled into one neat, little, portable package. It is a terrific resource for law students and lawyers who want to control their professional career paths, providing very practical advice on the logistics of keeping their careers on track.”

— Anne Mundy-Markell, Director of Student & Associate Affairs, Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP

“Law Firm Recruitment in Canada: Job Search Advice for Law Students and Associates provides revealing and honest advice to law students entering the recruitment process and associates searching for legal positions. Wendy Griesdorf draws on her considerable experience as the Director of Career Services at Osgoode Hall Law School, as well as her experience as a practising lawyer, to walk the reader through the preparation of resumés and cover letters, recruitment processes, interviewing skills, and practical tips. The excellent advice and information are presented in an easy-to-read, chronologi­cal manner and provide a comprehensive resource for law students and associates who are making important choices concerning their career paths.”

— Nancy J. Stitt, Director of Student Programs, Goodmans LLP

“I found Wendy Griesdorf’s book to be an extremely thoughtful, comprehensive, and well-organized guide to the recruit­ment process for students. It is filled with a vast amount of sound, practical advice that demonstrates quite clearly that the author understands what is important to us as lawyers and student recruiters. I highly recommend the book to any law student who wishes to perfect his or her job search and interview skills.”

— Robert M. McLennan, Alexander Holburn Beaudin & Lang

“This is an excellent resource for law students. It is packed full of useful information and tips and contains a practical personal workbook. Through this book, law students will gain a better understanding of Canadian recruitment processes and an edge when they apply for competitive articling and summer positions.”

— Maryanne Forrayi, Career Advisor, Faculty of Law, University of Calgary