Law Firms – think about hiring an LPP Placement instead of an Articling Student

It’s summertime and that means it’s time to think about hiring Law Students for 2017. Wait, that’s not what summertime means?

For law firms, this is the time of year that students apply, interview and are hired for their mandatory work experience after they have completed their law degree. Traditionally, this has been a 10 month work placement called Articling. The law firm is responsible for teaching the Ethics Component of licensing to its’ Articling Students and providing meaningful work for the student.

This obligation has become more and more onerous over the years and as a result, many law firms stopped hiring Articling Students. As a result the Law Practice Program (LPP) was created as an alternative and it’s fantastic.

The students undergo a four month “virtual” work experience where they are not only taught the Ethics Component of licensing, they are responsible for files in a variety of areas of law and are taught the business end of how to run a law firm. After these four months the students have a mandatory four month work term.

Law firms used to Articling Students who are prepared to learn, but not prepared to “work” will find it refreshing to hire LPP candidates who know how to docket, write a reporting letter and tackle meaningful research. They’ll also find it cost effective to have a four month term, rather than ten month term of employment; it’s a win win situation.

So. It’s summertime, what are you waiting for? Go to http://www.lpp.ryerson.ca/?page_id=288 and put your firm’s name down to hire an LPP candidate.

Inga B. Andriessen JD