Labour Law Firm tour

On Friday I attended a tour that included Heenan Blaikie (management side of labour law), the Ministry of Labour, and Sack Goldblatt Mitchell (union side). If you've been following along, this is my fourth tour. Of course, I'm not super keen on every area of law. But it has been was very interesting to see the differences from one firm to another.

A lawyer at Heenan compared Bay Street firms to high schools. "You have firms that are known for athletics, some are known as artsy, while others are more academic." For students, the trick is to find a fit. Judging by the normal hours at these firms, I can see why it's recommendable that all the lawyers get along. I'd certainly rather be burning the midnight oil with a chum.

During an interview, an articling student recounted how they spent most of the time talking about baseball. Substantive law? Nay, leave that to government interviews. If you're aiming for the corporate world (or at least the "athletic" side of it), brush up on tabloids, gossip, and the latest from the locker room.

BTW, for those interested in the lifestyles of government workers, one woman said she worked from 8 - 4 when the office is busy. Normally, she works 8 - 3. (I should add that it seemed like the others on the panel worked more hours than her.)