Q: From which schools does Davies recruit?

We accept applications from all law schools across Canada.  While our attendance at campuses at some schools may vary from year to year, we consistently recruit from all six Ontario law schools, McGill, Dalhousie, UBC, Victoria, Alberta and Calgary.

Q: When is the summer or articling application and interview period?

Specific dates for applications and interviews are established by the Law Society.  Students should check with their school's Career Development Office or refer to recruitment procedures at www.lsuc.on.ca.  Generally, Ü first year summer applications are due in late January with interviews in late February Ü second year summer applications are due in early September with on-campus interviews in October Ü articling applications are due in mid-July with interviews in mid-August

Q: How many summer or articling students does Davies recruit each year?

We have no hiring quota and our practice is to make offers to all those who meet our high standards, so the number of students hired varies slightly from year to year.  Our goal is to hire approximately 15-18 second year students while our first year program is very limited (approximately 1-3 students).  We typically top up with an additional 2-3 students each August for an articling complement of 18-22.

Q: What is it like to work at Davies?

Davies is a very dynamic, fun and rewarding place to work.  Students work closely with lawyers who have a passion for everything they do, including the law.  Students quickly become members of the transaction and litigation teams, working on some of the most challenging and interesting matters at the firm.

Q: Is there a specific number of hours that students are required to work each week?

No. We have no billable or non-billable targets for students or lawyers. This is one of the major differentiating factors of our firm.  No one will be counting hours or watching when people arrive and leave each day.  At Davies, it's the quality of work not the quantity of hours logged that is key.

Q: How is work assigned?

We believe it is important for students to have a say in the work assignments and for students to work directly with lawyer(s) involved on the file.  Accordingly, we do not have a "dispatcher" who hands out work to students.  Generally lawyers contact students directly for assistance but students are also encouraged to seek out work in areas of interest to them and ask their mentors for help in locating work if needed.  Every Monday morning the Student Committee also meets with the students to determine availability for the week and to address any issues of being over or under utilized.

Q: If I have a particular interest in a specific area of law, can I focus my work in that area?

Yes.  We do not have set rotations so students can focus on practice areas of interest.  We also recognize many students will not know in which area of law they wish to practise, so we encourage students to try their hand at many different areas.  This also ties in with our generalist approach.

Q: Are social events mandatory?

While we host a number of events so students can socialize with fellow students and with mentors, we recognize the need to maintain a good work-life balance so attendance is optional "on an RSVP basis".

Q: What does Davies look for in a candidate?

In addition to strong academics, we look for students who are well-rounded and passionate about their interests and the law.  Our students and lawyers have diverse education and work backgrounds, and we do not expect our lawyers to fit into any one mold.  We all take our work responsibilities seriously, but many of us are also actively involved in community service, have traveled extensively, or have significant personal achievements.  We appreciate that everyone contributes in his or her own unique way.

Q: Will I be assigned a mentor?

Yes.  In fact, we assign a mentor to students before they join the firm.  As an incoming student, this gives the student access to one of our lawyers during most of law school.  Students typically have one or two designated mentors as well as having one member of the Student Committee act as an unofficial mentor to provide an additional source of "mentoring", advice and support.

Q: How does the mentoring program work?

Mentors are a valuable resource for advice and are available to help students set a path to success.  Mentors help students to become integrated into the day-to-day activities of the firm and provide career guidance, advice regarding work and managing workload.  Mentors are also great resources to learn from, whether it be about the law, the firm, our culture or our values and mentors are key to providing students with feedback.  Many students will also develop informal mentoring relationships with other lawyers in the firm who offer valuable guidance about the practice of law.

Q: What is the work-life balance like at Davies?

It is critical to maintain a balance between work, family, personal commitments and recreational activities and we are here to help students achieve that goal.  However, law is not a "9 to 5 job" and we all learn to manage the peaks and valleys.  Ultimately, practising law is a service business, and there are times during a transaction or case where we all work late hours with the rest of the team in order to meet a deadline.

Q: How many articling students were offered associate positions last year?

We offer associate positions to all students who we believe will become partners of the firm.  Accordingly, our hireback number varies from year to year but our foremost commitment is growing the firm from within – i.e. our student program is our primary source of new lawyers.  Our hireback ratio in recent years has been over 90%.

Q: How much will I be able to interact with the lawyers at the firm?

Students have ample opportunities to interact with lawyers while working on transactions and cases and during firm social events.  Students work directly with lawyers at all levels of seniority allowing them to benefit from that wisdom and experience.

Q: On what basis are students evaluated at the firm?

We do not evaluate students based on number of hours worked but on a range of attributes. We look for well-rounded people with a sense of intelligence, responsibility, initiative, sound judgment and a creative mind.  We want team players who can be relied upon to do their best.  We do not expect students to know everything there is to know about the law, but we do expect students to do the best work they can and be motivated to learn.

Q: What type of work will I be doing as a summer student?

Summer student work does not differ greatly from articling or young lawyer work.  Summer students work on all types of client files and do all kinds of work, depending on their level of experience, areas of interest and the needs of our clients.  For example, students interested in litigation may draft pleadings, meet with clients and help develop litigation strategies and arguments, while students working on a corporate transaction might draft agreements, participate in negotiation sessions and attend client meetings and manage closings.  Summer students are likely to have sole responsibility for some smaller matters, while working as part of a larger group on bigger transactions and cases.  Ultimately, we have no pre-conceived notions or checklists of what students can or cannot do.  We encourage students to be proactive and take on whatever responsibility they are comfortable with.  Naturally, we recognize this level of responsibility will increase as knowledge and confidence grows.

Q: Is there a dress code at the firm?

There is no official dress code at the firm.  We are generally "business casual" every day but remind students that they could be called into client meetings or hearings on short notice so it is critical to always dress professionally and appropriately.

Q: Will I have client interaction?

Yes.  We believe it is important for students to learn how to work with clients early in their careers.  Students often deal directly with clients resolving day-to-day issues and attending meetings as part of the team.

Q: What opportunities are there for professional development?

We strongly believe in the value of professional development and it is a core part of our student program.  Each year, the Director of Professional Development develops a curriculum that includes seminars and workshops on ethics and professionalism, law practice management, professional practice and skills development.  Firm-wide and student-focused substantive and business skills programs are also held throughout the year.  Students are also encouraged to attend our scheduled practice group meetings which focus on current legal issues.

Q: What is different about Davies?

- Membership on A Team since there is no B Team at Davies.  - Unique partnership structure which provides early opportunities for career advancement. - Horizontal structure where 80% of lawyers are partners so no "them" v. "us" mentality. - No billable targets: merit and ability (not quantity of hours) are determinative of advancement. - Non-competitive firm culture where a cooperative spirit and sense of community prevails. - Generalist training and lack of specialization produces well-rounded lawyers. - Flexibility for students to customize their summer or articling experience to do what interests them.  - Unparalleled learning opportunities to do meaningful work immediately. - Success is pride of being on winning team, not glory derived from individual competition. - There is no single model for success.

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