Our Students' Experience

Summering at Osler was the best way I could have started my legal career. From day one, summer students were integrated into Osler’s supportive, inclusive and friendly environment. Through social events, day-to-day office interactions, and the occasional ping-pong game, we were exposed to and became a part of Osler’s culture of camaraderie and collegiality. As well, Osler lawyers were truly invested in providing top-tier mentorship, and exposing students to as many new learning opportunities as possible. As a result, I was able to work on interesting and challenging files while learning from the best. The highlights of my summer experience were conducting legal research into novel issues, participating in Osler’s diversity and inclusion initiatives and playing on Osler’s beach volleyball team!

Hannah Goodridge

2022 Summer Student, Vancouver

My experience at Osler has been amazing! Osler planned comprehensive and educational training sessions that made me confident for when I would start my rotations. The student program and professional development teams truly care about the student experience and ensured we felt welcomed and integrated into the firm from day one. The rotational program at Osler allowed me to hone-in on my interests and work in practice areas that I wanted to learn more about. In addition, I was not strictly limited to my rotations and was encouraged to pick up a file in another practice area of my interest that I was not rotating through. This flexibility illustrates Osler’s commitment to ensuring students have opportunities to grow and learn in different and meaningful ways. All the lawyers have been so kind and patient and taught me more about not only what the task at hand is, but also its importance in the bigger picture of the file. My tasks included, but were not limited to, assisting with closings, generating documents, drafting key contracts, reviewing key documents, communicating  directly with clients, writing memos and researching. From my formal mentors to my informal mentors, everyone has been extremely approachable. I am very happy to be working at Osler and I am excited to come back here next year!

Sanpreet Dhillon

2022 Summer Student, Toronto

My experience at Osler this summer exceeded my expectations. From meeting friendly faces throughout the firm, to getting involved in exciting legal matters – I felt Osler provided me with a well-rounded introduction to law in a full-service firm. I’d describe the firm as nothing but warm and welcoming from the first day of orientation. Throughout the summer I met lawyers who wanted me to succeed and find my place at the firm. After numerous Professional Development sessions and one-on-one coffee chats, I feel equipped to begin my legal journey and inspired to test my capabilities as a student. Being a student at a firm like Osler is a truly rewarding experience – and the lunchtime views aren’t bad too!

Jasnit Pabla

2022 Summer Student, Toronto

My experience at Osler exceeded my expectations. The training was comprehensive and delivered in a manner that provided opportunities to practice my new skills. They created an environment that was comfortable to learn in, with instructors that genuinely cared about my success. Following training, I was given ample work at an appropriate skill level. My mentors, associate buddies and assigning lawyers answered questions promptly and took the time to walk me through cases or teach me about niche areas of law. I was exposed to a bevy of interesting legal situations including transaction negotiations, regulatory reform roundtable meetings and mediations. Most of all, the team at Osler is very warm and welcoming. I enjoyed every moment working alongside my colleagues.

Erica Barrett

2022 Summer Student, Toronto

I got everything I wanted out of my summer student experience at Osler. Going into the summer, I knew that I wanted to learn as much as I could about the practice of law. It was not just about learning how to draft specific documents, how to research memos, or other practical skills, but also about learning how to work with other lawyers and develop meaningful relationships. At Osler, I was exposed to all of these experiences. The lawyers at the firm think deeply about how students can be involved in the work they do. While on files, lawyers explained what my role was and how it fit into the bigger picture. I received feedback on my work and opportunities to take on greater amounts of responsibility as the summer went on. The lawyers and other summer students are all bright and great at what they do, while at the same time being kind, supportive and willing to help out. I am eager to continue to learn and progress in my career at Osler.

Alex Green

2021 Summer Student, Toronto

My experience as a student at Osler has surpassed all of my expectations! Throughout the summer, I have had the opportunity to work and learn from incredibly talented lawyers who always took the time to explain the big picture of files and to answer all of my questions. As a student, I was given real responsibility from day one, and was treated as a valuable member of the team. Osler’s culture is very collegial and supportive, and everyone at the firm goes above and beyond to ensure you have the opportunity to grow and succeed. The firm is committed to mentorship, and I found myself continuously learning from both my formal and informal mentors. I had a fantastic summer at Osler, and am excited to return for articling next year!

Julia Villeneuve

2021 Summer Student, Toronto

My summer experience at Osler has been fantastic. The structure provided by the rotational system, coupled with the robust mentorship and professional development programs, has allowed me delve deeper into my interests while gaining valuable knowledge and skills.

Kiana Blake

2021 Summer Student, Toronto

Before joining Osler, I heard about the Firm’s extensive (but fun) training program, esteemed (but approachable) lawyers, and challenging (but rewarding) array of files. I can earnestly say that Osler strikes a perfect balance across all fronts. In the legal world, I believe you’d be hard-pressed to find another employer that sits comfortably in the middle of all three conceptual Venn diagrams.

While students invariably contribute substantively to the Firm, many lawyers I’ve worked with have gone out of their way to make these contributions a pedagogical experience. It is clear Osler invests in its students, and I’m proud to be one of those investments. Despite working remotely during the summer, I developed several close relationships with my colleagues here, and I genuinely can’t wait to return as an articling student!

James Dunn

2021 Summer Student, Toronto

My summer at Osler was a great experience. The summer student program was well thought out and the lawyers and student coordination staff were exceptionally supportive. Osler prioritizes student development. Our summer program began with a comprehensive series of technical training sessions to familiarize students with the firm's tools and practices. These sessions equipped students with the requisite knowledge to assume work assignments and integrate into the firm's practice areas. The work assignments I was given were interesting, meaningful, and contributed directly to the business of the firm. I was often asked to draft essential transactional documents, review these documents before they were finalized, and to communicate directly with clients. Lawyers trusted students with essential tasks but always made themselves available to answer questions. This spirit of support was one of the things that stood out to me most during my summer. It wasn't just the assigning lawyers that made themselves available to facilitate student development. The support staff, IT staff, and student coordination team were always available to assist. I feel privileged to be returning to article at a firm that values learning and prioritizes employee development.

Jake Wildman-Sisk

2021 Summer Student, Toronto

Osler's training and mentoring initiatives went above and beyond my expectations. Our first two weeks at the firm were devoted to a wide array of training sessions, ranging from research workshops to affidavit-commissioning simulations. Every aspect of our training was thoughtfully designed to prepare us for meaningful, high-level work. I also greatly appreciated Osler’s multi-level mentorship system, where every student is assigned an Articling Buddy, and Associate Buddy, a Tag-Along Partner, and an Advisor. These connections provided invaluable support and guidance on both matters big and small. Altogether, my summer at Osler has been a testament to the firm's investment in its students, and its commitment to providing us with the skills essential to a budding legal career.

Maryna Polataiko

2018 Summer Student, 2019/2020 Articling Student, Toronto