At Lerners, we are constantly evolving our environment to encourage professional and personal development.
Since 1929, we have been training lawyers in our articling program. They learn the ins and outs of legal practice that focus their talent and energy on being the best lawyers they can be.
We hope to earn a place on your shortlist and look forward to talking with you about the opportunity to work with our team.
Successful students demonstrate an interest and aptitude for advocacy. We’re looking for exceptional attention to detail and a consistent ability to remain organized and manage your time so you can enjoy a life outside of work.
Our Toronto office has all the excitement of a big Bay Street firm, but it also offers the comfort of close working relationships and the friendly atmosphere of a smaller workplace. Here, students will broaden their skills and knowledge under the guidance of some of Ontario’s most experienced litigators. Please use the menu at the bottom of this page for quick access to information about specific topics.
Summer and articling students in Toronto are paid a competitive salary comparable to that of Toronto firms. We review salaries regularly to make sure that our students are fairly compensated.
Articling students will also be paid for 15 days in addition to their salaries while they are studying for and writing their licensing examinations.
Summer and articling students in our Toronto office receive broad exposure to an exciting range of litigation: commercial disputes, specialty risk and insurance, professional liability matters, defence of medical negligence claims, personal injury claims, family law, securities litigation, employment law, shareholders’ disputes, investment dealer negligence claims, banking and insolvency law, class actions, civil sexual assault matters and, from time to time, issues involving Indigenous rights and constitutional law, to name a few.
Our students perform research assignments, draft a wide range of litigation documents such as pleadings, facta, motions and mediation memos, prepare motion records, assist with trial preparation, handle small claims court actions, assist on trials and appeals, and appear in court on contested and uncontested motions. They occasionally help lawyers prepare articles for publication and papers for presentation at continuing legal education seminars.
We encourage our students to accompany lawyers on court proceedings as often as they can—examinations for discovery, inquests, mediations, motions, trials—so they can see all aspects of the litigation process. Students attend and assist with tribunal proceedings. We also encourage students to attend appeals and regularly circulate a list of the upcoming appeals being argued by firm lawyers, so students can make plans to go.
To help our students take a break from work, we organise social outings for them from time to time. Activities have included wine-tasting dinners, attending baseball and hockey games, and bowling and theatre outings. Students also participate in firm-wide social and holiday
events.
We encourage our students to help out as volunteers with local charities and community groups. They have volunteered in a school lunch program, collected donations for fundraising auctions, bowled, swam, ran and walked for pledges; and served on boards and committees of not-for-profit groups. They are not just trained to be lawyers, they are training to be outstanding contributors and leaders in the community, and we support them in achieving that.
Each student is matched with a junior mentor who is an associate lawyer and a senior mentor who is a partner. For articling students, their senior mentor will also serve as their articling principal.
Mentors periodically meet with their students for lunch or just a chat and are available when students are looking for advice or a friendly “sounding board.” They offer general support from litigation basics and practice management questions to career development. Student’s senior mentors also participate in their evaluations.
Students work directly with partners at all levels of seniority and associate lawyers. Students learn about the law and practice management by working with lawyers with years of experience in their field.
“At Lerners, I was given the opportunity to fully immerse myself in files and take ownership over my work. Throughout my articles, I was provided the opportunity to work on a file from the beginning to the end of the retainer, and was involved in every stage of the process. I was encouraged to take initiative and to voice my opinion, and because of this, I felt my perspective was valued by the team. I’m extremely grateful for the chances I had to meaningfully contribute to files, and for the learning that happened along the way.”
Courtney Edwards – Lerners Associate
2021-2022 Toronto Articling Student
Extensive initial training on the firm's IT systems, processes and procedures, and on tips and techniques for completing student assignments.
We offer in-house seminars on a wide range of topics, designed specifically for our students, as well as opportunities to attend in-house CPD seminars offered to our lawyers, and occasional external seminars.
The firm offers extensive print and electronic resources as well as Library and Research Services to assist with research.
Students receive informal feedback on an ongoing basis, and also have two evaluation meetings.
Articling students receive comprehensive medical and dental coverage. 100% coverage Generic drugs, 80% coverage Brand Name drugs. $200 vision care during articles.
Articling students are eligible for LifeWorks which provides employee assistance, confidential counselling services and access to resources on its extensive website.
Articling students are eligible for an annual allowance to assist with certain work-related expenses, such as fitness expenses.
Students are entitled to one paid sick day per month of employment.
The firm pays the Call to the Bar fee and the cost of court attire for articling students hired as associates with the firm upon the conclusion of articles.
We cover our articling students' fees for the Law Society licensing process application, articling program, and licensing materials and examinations.
Lerners is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in our workplace and beyond our four walls. See what Lerners is doing to contribute to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, the community and the legal profession.
In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation 191/11, accommodations are available, upon request, to support potential applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment, assessment and selection process. Should you require accommodation in order to fully participate in the process please contact us by emailing accessibility@lerners.ca, or by phone at 416-867-3076.
Tiffany Lau leads and manages the firm’s student program, beginning with the recruitment process and through all aspects of the students’ firm experience, including onboarding, training, mentorship, performance evaluations and career development.
Andrea Catlin has been a valued Lerners team member for over 20 years. In directing assignments to legal students, she considers their workload and the type of experience each student has or needs and assigns projects accordingly. Andrea’s approach ensures that by the end of their term, each student has worked with a variety of lawyers on different tasks and in most of the major areas of law we practise.
Manager, Student and Associate Programs
225 King Street West, Suite 1600
Toronto, ON M5V 3M2
Specialist, Professional Resources
88 Dufferin Avenue
London, ON N6A 1K4
2025 Toronto Summer Student Recruitment Timeline:
June 3, 2024 – Applications can be submitted through viLawPortal.
July 22, 2024 – Deadline for Applications at 5:00 pm.
October 22, 2024* – Calls for interviews to successful applicants begin at 8:00 am.
November 4-6, 2024 – Interview days.
November 6, 2024 – Offer calls to successful candidates begin at 5:00 pm.
Lerners adheres to the Law Society’s Toronto Summer Student Recruitment Procedures.
* Lerners will be participating in OCIs at select Ontario law schools in September and October 2024 but will consider applications from all eligible candidates.
Our 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 Toronto articling student positions have been filled.
Lerners adheres to the Law Society’s Articling Recruitment Procedures.
