SGM's Toronto office usually hires 3 or 4 articling students each year. We are interested in hiring students who are committed to the highest standards in the practice of labour and employment law from the union/employee perspective.
The primary focus of the articling experience in SGM's labour/civil areas of practice is on all aspects of labour and employment law, including labour arbitration, proceedings before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, human rights and equity issues (including Charter litigation), collective bargaining, construction labour relations, pension and benefits law, workers' compensation, disability claims, employment standards, wrongful dismissal litigation and occupational health and safety. In addition, students assist SGM’s civil litigators with all kinds of civil litigation files.
Under the supervision and guidance of lawyers, SGM's articling students take an active role in all aspects of case preparation. Students interview clients, identify and interview witnesses, research the law and attend hearings. Students are also responsible for drafting opinion letters, legal memoranda, submissions, pleadings and/or facta.
SGM has a student rotation that is designed to evenly balance the workload between students and to allow students to work with as many different lawyers as possible over the course of the articling period. Students are encouraged to attend both tribunal and court hearings with lawyers, in order to see cases through from start to finish and to witness a variety of styles of advocacy. On occasion, students may represent clients in minor matters.
SGM has an excellent law library containing numerous general, labour law and human rights law reports and digests, as well as hundreds of legal texts, periodicals and other resources. In addition, students have access to electronic research services and the firm's internal databases.
SGM's labour/civil students have been organized for thirty years. The terms and conditions of employment for labour/civil students are set out in a collective agreement between SGM and the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 343. Among many other things, the collective agreement provides for:
- wages competitive with other similar firms in Toronto;
- the ability to your articling salary reduced on a pro-rated basis to provide weekly pay for the period commencing 9 weeks prior to the first day of work. This allows a student to have an income while studying for and writing the licensing examinations;
- payment of the LSUC application and licensing process fees;
- a signing bonus equivalent to 30 working days' salary, payable in the week of the first LSUC licensing examination in June (whether or not the student elects to take that examination);
- extended health care benefits;
- child care allowance;
- reimbursement for health club, at-home internet and/or travel expenses.
Applications
SGM conducts all articling recruitment in accordance with the rules and guidelines of the Law Society of Upper Canada. Please check the LSUC website for information regarding application deadlines, the scheduling of interviews and the timing of offers of employment.
Law students who wish to apply for a labour/civil articling position should send an application to Vanessa Payne. Applications are accepted by mail, fax or email.
All applications must include:
- a cover letter;
- a résumé;
- all law school and university transcripts; and
- a list of courses you intend to take in 3rd year.
- Applicants may also wish to include written references in their applications.
For more information about Labour/Civil articles, contact Vanessa Payne.
Please note: students seeking an articling position in SGM’s Toronto office must apply either to the labour/civil law section or to the criminal law section; there are no combined articling positions.
