Articling program in Edmonton

Thank you for your interest in articling with us.

Articles at Dentons Edmonton feature two rotations with a duration of approximately six months each. The program is designed to give you the opportunity to work on files from various practice areas while being flexible enough to allow you to pursue your own specific interests as well.

The program begins with an orientation to acquaint you with our office, management and methodologies. Orientation for articling students starts on day one with approximately one week of comprehensive training covering all aspects of Firm systems and procedures, including our computer systems, library and research tools, as well as practical training with respect to time entry, use of our word processing department, how our benefits work and so forth. Mixed in with this training are welcome functions, including a welcome luncheon, a student survival lunch with the current articling students and a meet-and-greet event with the associates.

After completing your initial period of orientation, a supplemental training program will be in place for the months to come, including time set aside for shadowing lawyers in court and sessions to improve your research and memo writing skills. Regular lunch seminars for articling students will provide you with continuing legal education on a number of substantive legal issues or practice-oriented matters throughout the year. Lawyers lead the presentations and discussions, and guests from the community are sometimes invited to speak on current issues. Our Dentons Edmonton University program, open to all students and lawyers in the Firm, focuses on the practical side of law with emphasis on business development, marketing and networking skills. Articling students and lawyers are encouraged to develop skills in areas of practice that are of interest to them which results in training programs tailored to a particular individual.

Our program

With a dynamic team of more than 90 lawyers in the Edmonton office, we provide a formal two-rotation program that allows students to gain firsthand experience in Litigation and Corporate practices. Each rotation is for a six-month period, during which you will work on specific matters within that broad area of practice, including the following areas of law:

Working closely with lawyers from each practice group, you will have an opportunity to be involved in all facets of any particular file, including conducting research, interviewing witnesses, meeting with clients, drafting documents and making court appearances. As a team, we will make a concerted effort to encourage and accommodate your interests so that you gain valuable experience in areas that matter to you most. The ongoing support of our Student Committee and your principal ensures that the communication lines are always open so that you receive the best articling experience possible.

We take our roles as mentors very seriously. Firm members will expose you to as many aspects of the practice of law as possible. Your principal will be your primary mentor during your articling year and beyond; however, upon entering a practice area after your articling year, you will be assigned a further mentor within that practice area to assist with the development of your career.

Evaluations

Evaluations are a key component of our articling program. They are best viewed as creative opportunities to address your performance and ensure that you are on track for retention by the Firm. During your articles, you will receive two formal evaluations and can expect to receive feedback and informal evaluations from the lawyers you will be working with.

Our hireback policy

At Dentons Edmonton, we strive to only take on as many summer students as we can realistically hire back for articles, and as many articling students as we can take on as associates.