Note: This article was originally published in Beyond Big City Law, a publication of the CBA Alberta Branch Access to Justice Committee. It has been edited for length. It is reprinted with permission.
The biggest struggle for a student looking for articles is to find firms outside of the big cities that are interested in taking on students. As law students, we saw big city firms wine and dine prospective students. These firms sent out representatives to campus, sponsored events and gave out freebies. It was hard to imagine that there were other firms in Alberta’s regional and rural communities who might also be interested in hiring a student.
Put your firm on the (internet) map
Taking a day off to travel to a career fair on campus isn’t always practical for members of a small firm. If you want to create interest in your firm and attract a student, get a website.
- Post job offerings for articling students and associates online (use the CBA webpage) and link to your webpage.
- Put together information about the firm, the town, surrounding amenities, the court locations, and describe how and when court sits.
- Describe the firm’s expectations for students or young associates and the opportunities that your firm and community can provide in terms of community involvement and family life.
- Describe whether your firm pays for hotel and transport for CPLED classes.
- Provide information on housing, local realtors, show the affordability and how much further ahead a student can be if they come to work for you rather than staying in a larger, more expensive practice centre.
Pitch your firm
There can be great opportunities for lawyers in smaller centres to quickly develop a busy and exciting practice as well as a public and professional profile. Smaller centres recognize the importance of bringing in young professionals to maintain and grow their community. Let your firm know that students and associates are likely to have:
- Independence and conduct of own files early on;
- Possibility for rapid advancement;
- Team atmosphere; and
- Legal assistant and own office space.
Emphasize the assistance you are able to provide in growing and developing a practice, and say what it is about your practice and your community that will make it an enriching experience for articling students and associates. Students, especially those without a lot of experience with life in smaller communities tend to assume that the practice of law outside of large centres will necessarily be focused on family, criminal, and real estate law. They may also assume that they will not have the same opportunities to develop a practice or gain experience in business, commercial law, or civil litigation. Let them know that legal practice in smaller centres is varied, broad and challenging.
There is no question that practice in a regional and rural community is hectic. You only have so many hours each day, you’re dealing with a fixed judicial calendar in terms of judicial sitting, court days, you have to turn clients away due to case load and sometimes you end up with difficult clients. You may have to travel to neighbouring towns and cities to meet with clients and other lawyers. And, on top of that, you need to find time for your commitments to your family, community and hobbies. But it can add up to a very exciting practice that needs to be fully explained to any potential student.
While it can be difficult to develop a highly specialized practice, this is not unlike the challenges that a lawyer in a larger practice centre faces. The difference is that unlike simply being a number in a larger firm where you get pigeonholed into doing certain type of work, you’ll have no choice but to diversify your practice area when you live in a smaller centre.
Further, the local bars are often close knit, excited to see new young lawyers coming to the area, and are often willing to refer their overflow or files that they cannot take on to the new lawyer in town as soon as they are aware of your student’s practice areas.
Pitch your community
While it’s important that you pitch the firm’s opportunities, you must also pitch the terrific opportunities which your community provides. But be honest. Moving to a smaller community can be socially isolating at first and there is often a deficit of other young professionals with whom to network and develop connections. Recognize that unless your student is originally from that area and has friends and family there, they will lack social and support structures. Help them build connections with the community, invite them to community events, and help connect them with other young professionals. This will help them grow roots and make a strong connection with their new community. Here are some of the things you need to tell a prospective student about:
- Schools and childcare facilities;
- Social events (eg., annual rodeo, pumpkin festival, garlic festival, weekly farmers’ market);
- Networking and community involvement activities;
- The housing situation, particularly affordability.
- Community associations or volunteer organizations that could use a lawyer to sit on their board or become involved.
- Sports and other activities for children; the number of young families in the community; the community’s main social hub for families to meet and socialize.
Conclusion
The most important element in attracting potential articling students and associates to your practice is letting them know that you are out there. Having an internet presence is essential. If the students don’t know that you exist, they will never find you. You know that students practising law in a regional or rural community have exciting opportunities to develop their legal skills and build a practice. That’s why you’re where you are. Your job is to explain that to them.
About the Authors
Anna Choles is an associate at Pahl Howard LLP in Leduc, Alta., and Suzette Golden-Greenwood is an associate at Lamoureux Culham LLP in St. Paul, Alta.