Articling Program

The Articling Program at Evans, Philp LLP is a vital part of our growing firm. We pride ourselves on providing a valuable and meaningful learning experience for aspiring members of the Ontario and Hamilton Bar.

Our Goal

Our program is not just a way to fulfill the requirements of being called as a member of the Bar, but an opportunity for you to become a member of a growing and motivated team of professionals. If you are excited about the opportunities and experiences associated with practicing in a litigation-focused, mid-sized firm, then Evans Philp is the place for you.

Ultimately, as a new member of our firm, our goal is to help you explore your interests and allow for easy integration into the social and professional structure of both the firm and the Hamilton legal community.

The Firm

Evans, Philp is a litigation boutique. The firm acts on behalf of insurance companies and their insured clients, only. The practice often involves torts, civil procedure, administrative law, contracts, and statutory interpretation. We represent our clients in both the court and tribunal settings. As one of our articling students, you will obtain exposure to all aspects of insurance law, under the supervision of your Principal and the Student Committee.

The firm’s commitment to excellence extends to the practice of law behind the scenes. We use leading-edge information technology, which allows us to practice at the highest level. Our students develop their skillsets accordingly.

The Work

The firm provides a fluid and ever-changing work environment. No day is ever the same! The work you are assigned will be dictated to some extent by the needs of our clients. In addition to assignments coming from throughout the firm, our Student Committee works with our lawyers and students to provide a broad and expansive experience in terms of the type of work you are assigned (and the events you attend).

We do not assign specific billing targets or workload requirements to our articling students. We feel it is more important that you focus on your development as a professional, an advocate, and an academic during your articles. We do expect you to be present during the regular work week, aside from your allotted vacation and study time. This, however, is an area in which we continue to review – particularly as the pandemic has led to hybrid model approaches of working off and on-site as appropriate.

Here is a sample list of the tasks and opportunities we’ve provided to students in the last three years:

· Legal research and the preparation of legal memoranda

· Drafting legal opinion letters, pleadings, motions, advocacy briefs, and a number of other documents for review and approval by other members of the firm

· Attend and argue at contested interlocutory motions

· Try matters before the Small Claims Court (with appropriate supports)

· Client contact and development

· Find, locate, and interview fact witnesses in circumstances appropriate to the student’s skill level

· Attend educational programs through the Advocates’ Society, Hamilton Lawyer’s Club, the Canadian Defence Lawyers and the Hamilton Law Association

· Assist with preparation for Superior Court trials and appeals, and observe proceedings

· Observe examinations for discovery and private mediations

What’s Involved?

Mentoring

The Law Society of Ontario mandates that every articled student is assigned a principal who is a member of the Ontario Bar with at least five years experience. Your principal at Evans, Philp LLP will be primarily responsible for you during your time at the firm. In addition, the Student Committee provides regular guidance, resources, and mentorship. Beyond these formalized supports, you will have access to the many lawyers at the firm with a variety of expertise. We hope that you will make use and seek out the knowledge of our professionals.

Support

The firm provides appropriate secretarial and administrative support so that you can focus on your academic and professional development rather than on clerical or non-legal tasks. Your principal will also take steps to ensure that you are assigned tasks that are appropriate to your increasing level of expertise and skill set.

Remuneration

We offer competitive salary and benefits packages and promote a healthy balance of professional and personal life. We strive to ensure our salary and benefits package is competitive. In conjunction with this goal, the salary and benefits package of our Articling Students is reviewed on an annual basis.

Hire Back

The hire-back at the firm varies from year to year. Although not every Articling student that has worked at Evans, Philp LLP has been offered an associate position, our overriding philosophy with respect to hire-back is to make positions available for students who have demonstrated during the course of their articles that they are an asset to the firm. The partnership of Evans, Philp is aiming to achieve ongoing growth and we continue to be one of the largest firms in the Hamilton area (even while being a litigation boutique.)

Evaluation

Your primary evaluator will be your Articling Principal. Almost all of our lawyers will have the opportunity to assign work to you. Input is obtained from all levels of the firm on your performance. There will be formal evaluations throughout your articling term, although informal updates as to your progress will also feature in the learning and evaluation process.

The Interview Process

You should set aside approximately one hour for your interview at the Firm. Interviews are usually conducted by two or more lawyers currently employed at Evans, Philp LLP. We will not be asking questions about substantive aspects of the law. Rather, the focus is on you – what motivates you and what sets you apart.

Please note that – pandemic-permitting – there is an entire week dedicated to interviewing articling candidates in the Hamilton area, including a cocktail party at the Hamilton Club, and you may be requested to attend events on days other than your scheduled interview date.

What We're Looking For

We are interested in finding out what has inspired you to seek out a career in law, what you are hoping to achieve in your articles, a broad picture of your goals, and above all, what makes you unique. We strive to find intelligent, interesting, and compelling people who will bring something special to our diverse group of lawyers and add to the existing firm culture. We hope to identify individuals who possess an entrepreneurial and creative spirit, and who will also be able to exceed the ever-changing and complex needs of our diverse client base. We are looking for tomorrow’s litigators.

Application Deadlines

Articling Application deadlines are established by the Law Society of Ontario.

Please note that Evans, Philp LLP adheres strictly to the Guidelines set by the Law Society of Ontario.

Telephone 905-525-1200 | Fax 905-525-7897