Student Recruiting | Bennett Jones

Recruiting Future Partners

We are an internationally recognized full-service Canadian law firm focused on principles of professional excellence, integrity, respect and independent thought. We are leaders in the fields of corporate and commercial, litigation, energy, bankruptcy and restructuring, IP, technology, banking and finance, tax, international trade, employment and competition law.

We take student recruitment very seriously. When we recruit, we are hiring our future partners and leaders. As a result, we design our student program to provide the best legal training and hands-on experience.

Ranked for the 24^th year as one of the best places to work in Canada.

Bennett Jones Alberta Top 75 Employers 2024

Recognized for the 14^th consecutive year.

Montréal

From West to ‘Est,’ we have embarked on a journey to better serve our clients at the heart of their operations. Since launching our Montréal office in early 2023, we've rapidly expanded, building a team of experts across essential practice areas. This move offers students the opportunity to engage with matters spanning corporate litigation, mergers & acquisitions, capital projects, class actions, international arbitration, tax, real estate, infrastructure, employment, agribusiness, privacy and more. Stay tuned as we open our doors to our first cohort of students in Spring 2024!

Key Contacts

Chanelle Desrosiers-Stewart

Director, Associate & Student Programs (Montreal)

desrosiersstewartc@bennettjones.com

514.985.4537

Frequently Asked Questions

What sets Bennett Jones apart?

Students assume a great deal of responsibility on files and can expect to interact directly with lawyers, clients, draft documents, attend court and generally be an active and productive member of the team from day one.
We have a robust continuing legal education program through Bennett Jones Academy.
We are a great place to work. We have been ranked as one of the best places to work in Canada for 23 consecutive years. We were also recognized for the 10th consecutive year as a Top Employer for Young People in 2022.

What do you look for in a candidate?

We aim to recruit our future partners and look for individuals who possess the following attributes:

strong analytical skills;
good judgment;
excellent oral and written communication skills (including attention to detail);
a strong academic record and motivation to learn;
a genuine interest in business and a passion for the law; and
varied outside interests and life experiences.

What is the best way to apply to the firm?

We encourage you to apply through the viRecruit Portal.

Do you recruit first year summer students?

We hire first and second year law students in our Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto offices. We hire only second year law students in our Vancouver office and students who have completed at least thirty-six (36) recognized credits in their law program in our Montreal office. Presently we do not have a student program in our Ottawa office.

Will I have a life outside the office?

Yes. We strongly believe that a good lawyer leads a balanced life. Family, personal commitments and recreation are important. However, law is not a "9 to 5" job and there are times where the team is required to work late hours to meet a deadline.

What will my target hours be?

We do not have targeted billable hours for students. While you can expect to work hard, our focus is on the quality of your efforts and ensuring that you are receiving the best educational experience possible, not the number of assignments nor the length of time you take to complete them.

Do you have a rotation system?

All of our offices offer a rotation system during articles. For summer students, our program is less structured and you can expect to work on assignments from different departments.

What administrative resources are provided to students?

Students have full access to administrative support during the summer and during articling. This includes secretarial support, document processing, document production as well as librarian and research support.

How is work allocated?

Summer and articling students receive work directly from lawyers in their assigned practice groups. To make the most of the summer and articling experience, we also encourage students to seek out work in the practice areas in which they have a particular interest. We do not utilize a 'gate keeper' system in which the Director distributes work to students. We think that students benefit from interacting directly with lawyers and develop essential practice management skills by having to manage their own workload. That being said, the respective Student Director and Student Coordinators in each office do monitor each student's workload to ensure equal distribution of work and variety of experience.