Career Development Office (CDO) news

We would like to send you our warmest regards on behalf of the Career Planning Service (CaPS) and Development and Alumni Relations (DAR).  Your hard work, dedication and perseverance have paid off; you should be very proud of your accomplishments. Many doors will be opening for you as you take the next steps in your career.

We were delighted to learn that among the Quebec 53 lawyers who were designated Lawyer of the Year 2012 by the editors of Best Lawyers, 20 are alums of McGill’s Faculty of Law.

The Faculty of Law is pleased to announce the creation of two new research: the Peter MacKell Chair in Federalism, made possible by a $3 million bequest from Law graduate and former member of the Faculty Advisory Board, Peter MacKell; and the Katharine A. Pearson Chair in Civil Society and Public Policy, made possible by a generous $3 million gift from the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation.

Jodi Ettenberg, BCL/LLB’02, (leftmost on photograph) left a flourishing career at a firm in New York City in 2008 to travel the world. What was initially intended to be a year-long journey has turned into a much bigger undertaking. She writes about the influence of her legal background on her experiences.

What does one do with a law degree these days? The Faculty’s Career Development Office takes the question in its broadest sense and offers up a multitude of possibilities, addressing how the economic climate and changing legal landscape affect the search for a job. (Our cover article for this month)

Drawing on his education and experiences at McGill, John Haffner, BCL/LLB ’06, currently a renewable energy executive based in Asia, argues that American law schools could benefit from “more expansive and globally enriched curricula.” (Originally published February 8, 2011, in The Huffington Post.)

In response to the increasing demand for specialized courses in international arbitration, an International Academy for Arbitration Law will be launched in Paris in July 2011.

University residences are a good place to start when looking for summer housing. On the right-hand side of the screen, you'll find two attachments. One is for the University of Ottawa residences and the other is for the University of Toronto residences. Students should also consult the NALP 2011 Apartment Exchange. Visit www.nalp.org and follow the link to the Apartment Exchange.

If you completed a Kaplan or Princeton Review course in preparation for the LSAT and benefited from the experience, there are similar courses to help you prepare for the Ontario Bar Exam. CanBarPrep (www.canbarprep.com) is an example.

A criminal law shadowing program provide opportunities for Law students to catch a glimpse of the humanity and the reality of the legal process. Students follow prosecutors or legal aid lawyers throughout the day, and get a feel for the work, from procedures to salary, work hours and more. Article by Victoria Leenders-Cheng.

In this handbook (see attachment), you will find information about selected clerkship programs offered throughout Canada. It is compilation of data contained in brochures produced by the courts as well as research, advice and comments from judges, past and present clerks, law professors, students and career offices. This edition also includes information from a wider range of Canadian courts.

Graduate students who are seeking funding should consult the following links: http://www.mcgill.ca/law-studies/funding/ http://www.mcgill.ca/gps/students/fellowships/

See attachment for information on clerkships with the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal for 2012-2013.

Attached (see right-hand column) is an information sheet regarding applications for Supreme Court of Canada Clerkships for 2012-2013.

Those participating in Toronto OCIs should have a look at this article.