SUMMER 2009

It is no coincidence that Gowlings ranked among the top employers on the 50 Best Employers in Canada List in 2009. From the moment I started my summer, I was overwhelmed by the spirit and collegiality embodied by the firm. Students are strongly encouraged to introduce themselves to other professionals at the firm, and to benefit from the knowledge and wisdom of experienced practitioners. I was most impressed with the amount of resources available to students. Whether I needed a book from the library, help with the computer database, binding and printing assistance, or help finding my way around the office, I could always rely on the helpful staff for support.

As a summer student in the advocacy department, I had exposure to many different areas of law, including commercial, tax, tort, criminal, labour, family, administrative and health law. All of my work projects were interesting and challenging and I was entrusted with a high level of responsibility. I had the opportunity to manage my own small claims files, argue a motion, attend a settlement conference, draft pleadings, prepare damages assessments, participate in conference calls, have meetings with clients, attend firm-wide seminars and assist in an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. I was also encouraged to watch trials and motions at the nearby courthouse.

Gowlings does its best to make sure that the summer experience is even more rewarding by organizing various social events throughout the summer. Top-karting and rowing were among the most memorable experiences for me and I have made some amazing friends with whom I will continue to keep in touch. Gowlings is a great firm and I am very grateful for having had an opportunity to be a part of it.

As a student eager to learn and develop my intellect and knowledge in corporate/business law, the work I was exposed to was first class. From my first day of work until my last, I was continuously engaged in various business law projects. From conducting preliminary research on business law matters for inclusion in memorandums to conducting a due diligence review of a professional hockey team I was always challenged with interesting business law practices. Not only was the work excellent, but the mentorship I received allowed me to gain the confidence needed in any law practice.

While the work was great, the people I was surrounded by on a daily basis really made the summer fly by. The professionals were always willing to extend a hand, explain legal matters, or join students at events and dinners. The support staff was tremendously helpful and always ready to assist me with any questions I had throughout the summer. We had a great group of students and whether it was going for lunch together, going for drinks, going rowing or go-karting, I sincerely enjoyed the people I worked with and because of this I enjoyed coming to work everyday. I look forward to coming back as an articling student in 2010.

My two summer terms at Gowlings were full of fantastic professional and personal experiences. I am really looking forward to returning for articling.

In the Intellectual Property (IP) department I did meaningful work related to various areas of patent, trade-mark and copyright law. Working closely with some of Canada's top IP lawyers was extremely rewarding. I was often entrusted with significant aspects of the files that I was working on, and Gowlings professionals were always friendly, helpful, and genuinely concerned with providing me with a first class learning experience. I learned such a great deal after my first summer at Gowlings that I felt as though I could teach certain parts of my Patents course the following semester!

Meeting an exceptional group of students made my summers at Gowlings truly enjoyable. The student program was well organized and provided many opportunities for students to come together and have a great time. Whether collaborating on a last minute deadline, or enjoying some of Ottawa's finest shawarma at lunchtime, it has been a great pleasure getting to know my fellow Gowlings students.

If loving Gowlings is wrong, I don't want to be right. I highly recommend the Gowlings student experience!

SUMMER 2008

I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to summer at Gowlings. At Gowlings, no two days are alike as every day and every assignment present new challenges and learning opportunities. My experience and professional development with Gowlings has been first-class. Looking back, I am amazed by how much I have learned in such a short period of time. From the first day of training to the last day of work, not a single day went by where I didn't learn something new.

Gowlings takes great care in selecting their students and it is perhaps for this reason that professionals at Gowlings place such a high level of trust and confidence in their students. As a student I enjoyed a great deal of responsibility and independence and was impressed by the quality of work that I was exposed to. While the learning curve is steep, Gowlings provides students with the resources and support that are necessary to rise to and meet any challenge. My experience with Gowlings has truly been invaluable.

Within a week of the start of my summer at Gowlings, I was immediately impressed with the amount of responsibility with which students are entrusted. I felt I could make a meaningful contribution to the work to which I was assigned, and I was often able to see how my work benefited the file. As an example, one of the first tasks I was given was to draft, serve and file a motion with the Federal Court. The assignment seemed daunting at first, but when it was done I had developed a multitude of skills that I could never have learned in the classroom.

The mentoring program provided the perfect environment for intellectual and professional growth. I got the impression that Gowlings puts a great deal of care into pairing students with mentors and my mentor was a perfect match. Through working with my mentor I was able to more fully solidify the direction I want to pursue in my career.

Overall, my summer with Gowlings gave me confidence in my ability to practice law and led to relationships which will continue to grow through my articling year. I have great confidence that my articling experience will be equally rewarding.

The first thing that struck me on my tour of Gowlings (Ottawa) was the friendly small firm feel, combined with the energy and resources that only Canada's largest firms can offer. After a summer working there, this impression has only been confirmed. It still marvels me that you can work in this large Firm, on the most exciting pharmaceutical litigation files and most interesting trademark issues, while still being part of an enjoyable team environment.

The Partners and Associates at Gowlings treat the students as equals, joking and discussing the work with us as they would with any of their colleagues. We are an integral part of their team. The significance of my work only dawned on me when I was reporting my findings to a senior Partner, and realized that my opinion was going right to the client. Everyone is truly interested in our education and skill development, since we are the future of the Firm. After just one summer there, I already hope that to be the case.

Among the great benefits of working in this large Firm is the group of like-minded students who become your friends and colleagues for the summer, and the resources available for our development. I learned so much and had such a great time at Gowlings that I actually felt bad for my friends from school who played in Europe all summer! If you want to work with a bunch of top quality characters on the most interesting cases in our field, Gowlings is for you too.

It was with a mixture of surprise and delight that I realized, part-way through my summer at Gowlings, that I woke each morning motivated and excited to go to work. Emerging from two years of law school I had been exposed to some anxious tales of working for a large firm, so it is with some satisfaction that after this summer I can lay those misgivings to rest.

What made my experience most rewarding was the enthusiasm of Gowlings lawyers for their work; the professionals I worked with this summer clearly loved their work and their firm, and the culture that that fosters at Gowlings was evident each day. My mentors went to great lengths to ensure that I was exposed to a range of interesting work and legal experiences. This summer I commissioned affidavits, attended discoveries, drafted pleadings, and argued a motion - all of which provided me with an opportunity to glimpse lawyerly life, and to bring my education into focus.

I look forward to continuing my time with Gowlings next summer when I start articles, and will keep in touch with the motivated and warm people I met there.

The day you arrive you immediately feel comfortable, welcome, and involved. Your first day is not just the start of your summer working at a law firm. More importantly, it is your first day of training and getting to know a great group of people. The support structure provided by Gowlings and your fellow students gives you an opportunity and an environment perfect to explore different areas of the law. You are encouraged to take advantage of this situation at your own comfort level.

Gowlings will prepare you for any challenge you wish to take on. If you want, as an advocacy student, you might even get your own Small Claims Court trial and you might find yourself debating the value of real evidence in court with a judge. By the end of the summer you will feel amazed at what you have accomplished.

All of the support and opportunity is provided to you by people that care about your career development and want to teach you how to be a great professional. The people here also have great personalities and a sense of humour. During a nice summer evening outside on a patio in Ottawa, laughing at a story or joke, you will realize that you made a great choice to start your career with Gowlings.

After spending a summer working in the Advocacy Department at Gowlings, I can unequivocally say that the aspect of my job which I most enjoyed was meeting the people who work at the firm and making so many new friends. The summer student program is well-organized and very team-oriented. From the beginning, I could see that while the work would be diverse and intellectually challenging, we would be performing it in a non-competitive atmosphere. This atmosphere made me feel that I could excel much more knowing that my peers and I were looking out for one another, and I look forward to spending my articling term surrounded by friends.

The lawyers I worked with this summer were approachable and knowledgeable. Many of the practitioners went out of their way to keep me updated on how my contribution, however small, fit into the larger picture of the files. In terms of practical experience, I got to witness motions and hearings, and even mediated a settlement at the Landlord and Tenant Board.

I feel lucky to have had the experience of summering at Gowlings, Ottawa. I applied to this firm because I was looking for the broad legal exposure offered by a large firm in the environment of a small but vibrant city. That experience is exactly what I got at Gowlings Ottawa; the friends I made and the fun I had were just an additional bonus to a challenging and rewarding legal experience.