TKNumber3

I recall as an articling student someone was clearly pleased with their new ipad/tablet cause their "markup" of a doc (forget if it was a ppt or word) was to convert it to pdf and then draw note on the pdf. One or two comments that way? sure. Significant revisions to bullets and text? - you would have been better off editing it yourself. For the poll - request word always. Bonus is if they refuse and you are feeling petty you can: print out - annotate edits by hand - fax to them.

There may be caveats based on your firm, but my guess is the compensation is non negotiable for students. There are lots of candidates for the limited spots, so it’s a bit of an employer’s market. Given the short term nature of the position, you won’t see enough of a bump to really notice it. ETA: it sounds like you’ve already accepted anyway, so it’s a fairly moot point. Maybe something you can try to get a sense of for returning in 2L or articling. You’ll have the benefit of knowing the system then too.

Pretty standard stuff in my experience, unlikely to be subject matter heavy given everyone knows you just started school. Types of questions typically include: -generally describe your pre-law program. -why the change to law? -why Ottawa? -why [law firm] -what interests you about IP? there will also be more conversation type questions. Over half the interview is just to get a feel for communication and social interaction. EG: -how has 1L been so far? What is new vs. Prior school? -how is zoom format treating you? (It’s ok to not like it, but preferably don’t crap all over it or any profs who haven’t handled it well) -how are you enjoying [city]? -tell me about X hobby/interest. For most of these, there is no “correct” answer. The focus is on learning what interests you, and how you were able to get that across. It’s also easy to spot overly rigid “canned” answers, so don’t memorize responses, or otherwise try to hit the right buzzwords just cause you read it somewhere (including on this board). Be yourself, get across why you are interested and what you think the field/firm might offer (it’s ok to not really know, but don’t have your only answer be “I have no idea what you do”). All that said, every firm has unique approaches and even within firms interviews are done by a larger panel so depending on who you get the process could vary. Just remember that you made the first cut, and the second is much more of seeing who you are as a person, getting a bit more info on your background, and how you interact in a semi-formal conversational setting. [caveat - it has been a while since I did this. Always possible firms are moving towards more formalistic interviews, but I’d be somewhat surprised if that were the case for any subject matter given you aren’t expected to know anything in early 1L]

My understanding is that once "off grid" officially there is still a largely "unofficial" grid. Technically no raise (or a very small one) is a possibility, or also a really big raise. I had understood that firms tend to have a small range that largely mirrors the existing ladder, but allows for some wiggle room on either end for good associates and their overall view on retention. Your firm may be unique, but I would be very surprised that your 6th yr salary became locked in thereafter. Unless that's the year that partnership decisions are made.

One of the reasons for the difference is that often out west the students do a summer after 1L, and then do not return to the firm for 2L summer (may be possible, or may get help landing an in house gig, but often they are on their own). This means the firms lock them up after 1L to return to articling, effectively moving the typical 2L process to 1L. In Ontario, 1L hiring is less common but it seems that most 1L hirings return to the firm for 2L, and then get an articling offer (almost) automatically as part of that process.

Also, it's not a credit card for your vacation bill. It's financing for a significant life event and (in most cases) a significant change in career trajectory. Yes, debt is scary. But nobody expects to pay off a mortgage in 5 years. It's a long term financing and everyone needs to make a cost/benefit analysis of what that looks like. Keeping your LOC low to start with is a good plan, by minimizing non-school expenses (ie., keep that tab on student bar night under control). After that, if people want to pay it down faster, all the power to them. There are lots of way of limiting expenses and putting more towards clearing that debt. The article is just doing basic math that I would hope people are already doing for themselves. If they aren't, and this helps them focus on it, then I guess it is a good article. Also, I can't really tell how the author handled it but many of these types of analysis err by including general cost of living as a "cost of law school". Cost of living is basically fixed, law school or not, unless you were living with your parents before moving for school and would have continued living at home for those 3 years. Given this article is using 18k/yr on the LOC, I assume that's school only.

Over the last couple days I’ve been getting a pop-up ad when viewing the site on my iPad (safari). Seems to only occur once per domain visit (possibly with a time factor as well) and the first link clicked causes the existing banner add to become a separate in screen pop-up window. Once cleared, it proceeds to the link. Does not appear to occur on desktop (chrome) or when using my phone (android and chrome). While it’s not devastating, it would be really great if it didn’t happen as it is annoying and sometimes a pain to clear (the X isn’t very responsive). Possible it’s just me, so would be good to know if anyone else has started seeing it. Possible it’s some weird issue on my end. @Morgan

Also, in my experience it's rare for exam questions to include unnecessary facts. If you didn't refer to a few facts as part of your answer, that suggests something was missed.

Do you get what's going on from the basic readings, class, and notes? If so, may not be needed. Are you confused about the topic, or why something went a certain way? Could be helpful. Profs usually focus on the recommended, but they didn't just choose the others at random. I know mine would refer to them as sources on specific points if there was confusion.

Is anyone buying statement pieces anymore? I wore a suit for the first time in forever today, and it’ll be a while till it happens again. Who goes “in addition to the basics, I need burgundy!”? Start advertising suits with a little extra room in the waistband and I might be up to, ahem, retire some older models.

How was this case allowed to happen this way? 194 days of trial!?!. 74 fact witnesses and 40!! Experts? I just don’t understand...

There’s nothing worse than a great argument where the judge is hanging off your every word, only for them to slowly slide the knife in between your ribs when you look down for a half second.

I’ll admit to having done this for a while for various reason, though the largest was a lack of an e sig that didn’t look like a pasted on cutout forgery. Fixed now in time for remote, thankfully.

Don’t have any specific examples, but I think most associate applications would follow the typical professional format. Students are different as it’s a bit of a “pivot” application. list your previous position, and highlight your role/exposure to likely key competencies at the new job. Eg. some manner of deal types, DD areas, reg guidance approaches, court experience and level, drafting experience.

A science background gives you a “leg up” for IP work (more specifically patent work) but it is by no means sufficient for a job. Every year Ottawa and Toronto hire a number of students for IP positions, and those applicants rarely have non STEM degrees, and lots of students aren’t able to get jobs. It’s a niche market, but that also limits the number of openings. A PhD and a law degree are relatively divergent pathways. It’s unlikely the PhD would give you much ground over the MSc in legal hiring, and the opportunity costs is fairly significant. I think you need to decide if you want to do the work of a PhD, or the work of a lawyer, and choose accordingly. Hedging your bets here only results in never ending school and debt.