Summer Secondments 2006
The following students have elected to participate in external secondments as part of this year's summer program:
Amira Abouali - Vancouver Office
Prior to working at FMD, I had never been to British Columbia; so, when I was given the opportunity to work in Vancouver for 4 weeks as part of my summer secondment, I was excited about the chance to relish in every aspect of the West Coast culture. Having several friends from Vancouver, the city was frequently praised as one of the best in which to live, work, and play due to its natural beauty and cosmopolitan character. Indeed, I could hardly wait to experience the thrill for myself.
Working at the FMD Vancouver office was a unique experience in and of itself. Firstly, the firm has an impressive presence as it is the largest law firm in the city, it is centered in the heart of downtown, and it has attracted some of the leading legal minds in the province and across Canada. Secondly, it was interesting to experience working for the same firm in two very different market environments. Naturally, the demands of the Vancouver and other B.C. communities are distinct from those in Ontario, and I am fortunate to have been exposed to some of those differences as now I can better appreciate FMD's national character. From working on labour disputes, to researching on identity theft and privacy issues, to understanding the breadth of the environmental law practice in this unique region, my time at FMD Vancouver, however brief, was truly valuable.
Of course, my secondment report would not be complete without mentioning where and how I spent my free time! My two most memorable adventures were surfing in Tofino (Long Beach is heaven on Earth!), and hiking through Joffre Lakes Provincial Park in Pemberton. An honorable mention goes out to Whistler Village, the Celebration of Light fireworks festival, the Richmond Night Market, the PNE, salsa dancing at Robson Square, camping in Chilliwack, and the seafood!
I would like to sincerely thank Sally Woods, Bibiane Bysterveld, Sou Choi, Gavin Marshall, Heidi Granger and the FMD Student Committees for such a wonderful opportunity.
Peter Armstrong - Toshiba Canada
Although Markham, Ontario may not be as glamorous as London, or as thrilling as New York City it did serve to be the location for an incomparable Summer Secondment at Toshiba Canada. When I was informed that I would be seconded to one of the world's leading electronic manufacturers I was extremely eager and grateful. It was apparent that the Faskens Student Committee in organizing my secondment had taken into account my interests in Corporate Law and, more generally, Japan, where I had spent much time both as an undergraduate and prior to entering law school. Despite the high expectations my time at Toshiba did not disappoint in the slightest.
I worked directly with Toshiba's General Counsel and was given exposure to all facets of Toshiba's domestic and international legal operations. In addition to the myriad daily legal issues I was given carriage of two major projects during my stay: the updating of the Consumer Electronics Group's Warranties and thoroughly reviewing the Toshiba Privacy Policy.
The updating of Warranties was an interesting study in the precision and detail demanded of commercial lawyers. I met with the heads of the Consumer Electronic Group and discussed the practices in place regarding the servicing of Toshiba products and assisted in the translation of these commitments into a viable legal format. In drafting these documents, that are to be inserted into the box of every Toshiba consumer electronic good, it was imperative that every word be carefully selected to accurately represent to the purchaser those services offered by Toshiba.
In updating Toshiba's Privacy Policy I gained valuable experience in dealing with a very current and rapidly growing area of law. I reviewed secondary sources, precedents, case law and statutes before investigating every area of Toshiba's business for how they deal with the Personal Information of individuals. I prepared an initial draft, a "first shot", of a Toshiba Privacy Policy for further revision, a summary of interviews held with every business group's Vice-President and certain key personnel, roughly 25 individuals, and a memo outlining certain issues relevant to Toshiba.
Throughout my entire time at Toshiba I felt like my opinion was respected and valued. The quality of work and amount of responsibility given to me was extremely satisfying and fulfilling - there was never a dull moment to be had. It is also rewarding to know that the work product I provided was appreciated will be used going forward by Toshiba and that I was not just given "make work" assignments. Toshiba's General Counsel was incredibly generous and always had time to provide me with insight, advice and feedback.
I would like to thank Faskens and Toshiba Canada for giving me this wonderful opportunity that proved to be a wonderful way to end an amazing summer experience.
Mara Beckford - GraceKennedy Ltd.
Excitement bubbled in my stomach as the plane descended, it appeared that the plane would be making its landing in the Caribbean Sea, however just before touch down, the tarmac appeared. As the wheels made contact and the plane came to a halt, the passengers erupted in applause, letting the Air Jamaica crew know the smooth flight was appreciated. To most people's surprise I was not at all shocked by the fact that Fasken's accepted my proposal to be seconded to GraceKennedy Ltd. and First Global Financial Services Ltd. in Kingston, Jamaica. Faskens allowed me to explore my interests in the Caribbean securities markets, this was another reflection of the flexibility and encouragement law students find in the Fasken's summer program.
My first week was spent with the Registrar of GraceKennedy, a Jamaican conglomerate listed on four stock exchanges in the Caribbean. Amazingly, all the administrative duties associated with being such a widely traded company fall under the responsibility of a department of two, Yvonne Nethersole and Sydoney Johnson. I always knew that being meticulous when checking documents for closings was important, but it was not until I actually worked with the Registrar that I truly understood just how important this task is to our clients. You would think that printing a share certificate would be relatively quick?and in thinking so, you would be totally wrong! From start to finish, printing one share certificate took almost 20 minutes, due mainly to the strict security procedures put in place to negate fraud and ensure that all certificates in circulation are valid. Therefore, when reviewing closing documents and specifically the Treasury Order, it is of the utmost importance that all information is correct, ensuring that this valuable time is not wasted. My educational week with the Registrar ended with a visit to the Jamaican Stock Exchange, where we attended a tour and presentation on the past, present and future of the exchange.
The next three weeks of my secondment were spent exploring the wide world of investments with the Investment Group at First Global Financial Services (FGFS). I started out shadowing equities traders and fixed income traders, getting the opportunity to attend client meetings and observe the experienced traders exhibit their well developed negotiation skills and knowledge of the market in dealing with other traders. The Jamaican equities market served as an excellent introduction to trading because although it is a smaller, more thinly capitalized market than those in developed countries it is modern and technologically sophisticated. Fortunately, many of the rules are in line with Canadian and American securities regulation making the skills and knowledge I acquired transferable to the Canadian market. In addition, I became involved with several major projects, including researching financing options for sustainable forestry operations, and the amalgamation of several manuals into a comprehensive Supervisory Procedures Manual.
I would like to thank Karen Quin Chee Akin, Sandra Shirley, Kevin Richards and the Fasken's Student Committee for allowing me to partake in this edifying opportunity. I would also like to thank Nicholas Watson, Neilson Rose, Sydoney Johnson, Yvonne Nethersole, Gillian Reid and the entire FGFS Investment group for their supervision and support!
Ernie Chan - Dofasco
My summer at Faskens culminated in an external secondment to one of the firm's long-standing clients, Dofasco Inc. As a consulting engineer, I had worked in virtually every part of Dofasco's steel manufacturing plant in Hamilton, except for its main office. This summer, I was given the opportunity to venture among the executives on the fourth floor of the main office and work in the Legal Services Department.
My previous experiences with Dofasco had left me in awe at the sheer amount of decision-making and coordination required to make a major manufacturing operation tick. Few people have the chance to experience how the law plays a significant role in determining how it all works. In spite of the major transition period that was taking place at Dofasco, I was able to engage in some of the many legal questions that come across the desks of its in-house counsel.
The various tasks I performed during my month-long tenure at Dofasco required me to conduct legal research, contact individuals within Dofasco at various offices to make inquiries, draft memoranda, locate and read through existing contracts and agreements as well as contact and work with lawyers back home at Faskens. I worked extensively with the Corporate Secretary and Director of Legal Services to help him resolve several fuzzy legal questions that were put before him.
On one issue, I was required to conduct background research in the areas of Workers' Compensation and insurance as they applied to third-party contractors. After receiving some help from Faskens lawyer Ralph Nero, I chaired a meeting and subsequently put the pieces in place for a game plan to be pursued after my departure. Another issue required me to understand Dofasco's corporate structure and propose license agreements between Dofasco and some of its subsidiaries to protect existing trade-marks. I conducted research into the laws of various US states to determine their applicability to Dofasco's use of business names. I also had the chance to read through some license agreements between patent holders of certain technologies to determine if royalty payments were still applicable. This is a sampling of some of the tasks I was asked to assist on.
Throughout my time at Dofasco, I was fortunate to receive the advice and guidance of each member of the Legal Services team with respect to the practice of law and the client-counsel relationship. I learned that while superior technical expertise is required of outside counsel, responsiveness to the concerns of the client is equally appreciated. I gained some insight into the value a client places on thoroughly understanding their business in addition to the related legal aspects on any particular matter.
I would like to thank Joan Weppler, Urmas Soomet and the whole team at Dofasco Legal Services for allowing me to wade in amongst them to experience a month in the life of an in-house counsel. Thanks to Faskens for making my secondment a reality and a special thanks to Faskens lawyer Munier Saloojee for helping me along the way.
Andrew Derksen - Ontario Securities Commission
The summer at Faskens flew by. Exposure to corporate transactions, stock exchange listings, mergers and other matters – areas of deep interest to me– made this summer one of my best professional experiences ever. The icing on the cake of my summer was the chance to do a secondment with an organization of my choice. I chose the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC).
At the enforcement (litigation) branch of the OSC I worked on a variety of matters: cases as well as researching pertinent securities law questions. One file I worked on involved a case not unlike the misfeasance found in the movie 'Boiler Room.' In both, law breaking individuals were violating securities laws and preying on unsophisticated investors by using high pressure 'boiler room' sales tactics to take their money. It was an invaluable experience. I gained valuable litigation experience while working on the side of the commission as it carried out its functions of investor protection and ensuring market efficiency – the policy objectives underlying the Ontario Securities Act.
Working at the OSC afforded the opportunity to observe first hand various hearings, both at the commission as well as across the street at the provincial court. Defendants, often only names on documents and facta, came to life in sometimes colorful oral pleadings and courtroom antics. The OSC staff lawyers were fun to work with and observe as they prepared submissions and litigated in court. I shall never forget the mastery and ease with which they navigated court and commission in attaining their objectives.
Students interested in securities law benefit greatly from exposure to the OSC in a secondment capacity. It is in the interest of all market professionals to ensure that securities regulations are adhered to at the highest standards. The OSC protects investors from unfair market activity and in doing so strengthens Canadian capital markets. I highly recommend a secondment at the OSC to anyone interested in a career involving securities law, whether on the litigation or corporate side.
I would like to thank everyone at Faskens and at the OSC for making this secondment possible and for helping ensure it was such a rewarding experience.
Dan Fuke - London Office
In August 2006 I had the unforgettable opportunity of being seconded to Fasken's London office. While in London I gained some excellent work experience and was also able to enjoy one of the world's greatest cities.
The London office practices corporate law, primarily providing advice to clients on the Canadian law aspects of cross-border transactions. As a result, I was exposed to a number of types of transactions, including a re-financing and an acquisition of shares. In one instance I was able to see a file from almost start to finish, which exposed me all stages of that transaction.
Also, working in a smaller office was also a great experience. The lawyers in London made an effort to include me in all aspects of files, so I was made to feel like an integral part of the team immediately. Additionally, the size of the office helped me to forge strong working relationships with the lawyers despite being there for only a month. London's status as an international finance and business centre means that the London office is a hub for the firm's international business. As a result, I worked on several files with lawyers from the Johannesburg office. It exposed me to some mining law transactions, which made my work even more diverse.
Finally, in addition to the professional opportunity, my secondment gave me the chance to spend a month in an amazing city. I was able to visit many museums and sights, including the Globe Theater, the London Eye, Windsor Castle and a Premiership football match. The highlight of my travels, however, came at the end of the summer, when my wife and I spent an amazing week in Italy.
I learned an incredible amount from my time in London. The diversity of work greatly enhanced my knowledge of corporate law, and working on several files at once helped me learn how to balance expectations. I would like to express my appreciation to everyone in the London office, and everyone who contributed to my wonderful experience.
Amanda Fullerton - Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
As part of the firm's secondment program, I was given the amazing opportunity to spend 4 weeks at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. My secondment started only 3 weeks into the summer so I was certain that everyone at the firm would forget me; and I would forget everything I had learned, by the time I came back. However, I was also very excited at the prospect of working in one of the country's largest hospitals. The thing that struck me initially was the energetic atmosphere of Sunnybrook, quite similar to the Path during rush hour -- never a dull moment.
The majority of my work at Sunnybrook focused around contract review. I reviewed, documented and where required, organized, all the service/supply agreements that were entered into on behalf of Sunnybrook in the past ten years. This report was reviewed by Hospital management. There were times I thought I might never get through the (literally) thousands of agreements. However, I got a lot of variety, working both on-site at Sunnybrook and downtown at Shared Healthcare Supply Services, a company that negotiates agreements on behalf of the Hospital.
While at Sunnybrook, I also worked with the Vice-President, Education and Medical Affairs who was involved with settling the new Affiliation Agreement between the University of Toronto and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. I wrote memos summarizing the Hospital's obligations to the University under that agreement and under Hospital and University policies.
My secondment gave me a small glimpse into the varied work that the firm's health law group is involved with at Sunnybrook. I am grateful to have had this experience and opportunity to work hands-on in the healthcare field; my interest for health law has only been intensified. I would especially like to thank the staff at Sunnybrook and Shared Healthcare Supply Services who were so helpful and made me feel at home, especially Mary, Alison, Michael, Peeter, Debby and Sandy. Finally, thank you to the Student Committee for arranging such an interesting and invaluable learning experience.
Jared Gordon - GrowthWorks
For the month of August, I had the good fortune to be seconded to GrowthWorks. GrowthWorks is a venture capital firm that specializes in the growth and management of regionally based venture capital funds. With considerable funds under the management, that meant that a lot of different companies from many industries were coming into the office and pitching their ideas.
It was a terrific summer to be working in the venture capital industry. The growth in the capital markets, combined with interest in user-created content web pages ("Web 2.0") and the devices that drive them, allowed me to be able to be exposed to many great business plans and interesting personalities. While working at GrowthWorks, I got to sit in on weekly investment committee meetings, pitches, meetings with CEOs and senior management as well as reviewing transactional documents and compiling reports and analyses on potential investments.
The great people at GrowthWorks provided me an education as to what a client looks for from its counsel. The experience has taught me how to give answers clients can use and how to do work on a cost effective basis. As well, I got exposed to the needs of small start-up ventures and ways in which to make the challenges they experience less onerous.
I would like to thank everyone at GrowthWorks for allowing me to participate in the way that they did. I really appreciate all the helpful insights and life lessons they taught me. The experience I gained on my secondment will be very beneficial going forward.
Melissa Insanic - Ministry of the Attorney General
I was given the opportunity to spend my secondment at the Ministry of the Attorney General - Constitutional Law Branch. The time I spent at the Branch was an invaluable experience - one that I will carry with me throughout my future legal career. My experience at the Branch brought my constitutional law class to life and gave me a unique perspective in this fascinating area of law. It also provided me with a glimpse into the practice of law in the public sphere.
My first day at the Branch was most pleasant and set the tone for my secondment. I immediately felt like a welcomed member of the Branch's student group. I can easily say that I was never at a loss for interesting work, a helping hand or friendly company. The Branch lawyers were warm and supportive towards the students, and were always eager to maximize my learning experience on every project assigned to me. I also discovered that Branch lawyers are not only extremely brilliant individuals, but they are also very passionate about practising constitutional law. This provided me a wonderful environment in which to learn.
The projects I worked on were interesting and varied. Much of the work was research based, which was intended to assist the lawyers with their cases. This allowed me to learn about some precise points of constitutional law and to discover some of my own hidden interests in the area. My research was well supported by the plentiful resources available at the MAG library, as well as by the kind and helpful library staff.
I was also given the opportunity to follow a particular file over my secondment and witness a significant portion of that file's litigation life. This gave me the unique opportunity to become familiar with some of the procedural ins and outs of the litigation process. The definite highlights of my experience at the Branch were accompanying lawyers to the Court of Appeal on two occasions. I found it thrilling to see some of my research in action as I observed the Branch litigators give their oral submissions.
Thank you to everyone at the Ministry of the Attorney General, Constitutional Law Branch, for making my time there so memorable. I would like to give my warmest gratitude to Michel Hélie, Dan Guttman, Sean Hanley, Robert Charney, Arif Virani, Elaine Atkinson, Mark Crow, my mentors Zachary Green and Vanessa Yolles, the summer and articling students, and the administrative and support staff at the Branch.
I am also very grateful to the firm for allowing me this opportunity.
Jesse Langdon - New York Office
New York was a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure to the business of law. As a law student, one rarely questions the origins of work. It's always there, assigned by professors or during summer jobs, assigned by lawyers. Observing how a client base is developed was an experience that few summer students are afforded. I am very grateful to the New York Office for making this experience possible.
My time in New York allowed me to observe some of the decision making processes that all businesses must go through. Where is business currently coming from? Where is future business likely to come from? What's the most efficient way to reach these markets? Similar to running a business, there is no substitution for developing strong relationships within the business community. The New York office allowed me to work closely with Rick Kozody and Philippe David, two lawyers who are very experienced in developing client relationships. My work with the New York office included preparing client memos, observing strategy sessions, and representing the firm at client meetings and business events.
My secondment in New York was my first time in the city. My biggest surprise was how friendly the people were. Throughout my month in New York I met a wide variety of people including lawyers and other summer students. Whether attending a concert or riding on the subway there was always someone eager to talk. This past June, in a study of international cities, New York was ranked the friendliest; in my experience the title is well earned.
Gave Lindo - CHUM
During the month of July, I was fortunate to be seconded to one of Canada's leading media brands - CHUM/City TV. CHUM is an exciting company with numerous specialty channels, radio stations, and news services. Their Queen Street location houses the live programming of their MuchMusic telecast, the City Pulse and CP24 newsroom, the Bravo Rehearsal Hall, and the offices and studios for such brands as Book Television, Fashion Television, New Music, and MuchMoreMusic.
Because of the array of stations, units and programs within CHUM, I was exposed to a variety of interesting work. I was exposed to numerous performance agreement contracts for live artist appearances on MuchMusic; interesting research projects which involved potential litigation issues; and I was able to review the terms and conditions for future contests and promotions coordinated by CHUM. One of the highlights of my time at CHUM was attending the weekly music video review committee which is the self-regulating body responsible for ensuring community standards and the broadcast integrity of MuchMusic content.
Apart from the interesting work there were also many perks to working for a media company. During my first week, I was kindly given tickets to a Bravo taping of singer Matt Dusk's Live at the Rehearsal Hall Concert. Additionally, there were always television personalities and celebrities wandering the halls of CHUM - everyone from the notorious Ed the Sock, the Beastie Boys, Hilary Duff, and the All American Rejects.
It was a an incredible experience working with the very warm and talented legal team at CHUM this past summer. I always felt that my input was both welcomed and valued. Being exposed to a wide range of legal and business issues confronting a leading media conglomerate was an experience I will continually draw upon during my legal career.
I would like to thank my direct supervisor Christina Litz, Anuradha Iyer, Andrew Heitelman, and Denise Cooper. I am also indebted to the Fasken's Student Committee and in particular Roxanne McCormick for arranging this opportunity.
Desmond Ng - Ontario Securities Commission
Working at the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) was a great experience. I was seconded to the litigation group in the enforcement branch at the OSC. After learning about the big securities cases in law school (e.g., Felderhof, Portus, Rankin), it was great to be surrounded by the lawyers who have actually litigated these cases and hear their perspectives from working on these files first hand.
I did some interesting research on US enforcement of securities laws that covered a diverse array of topics including securities regulation, criminal procedure, constitutional law, and administrative law. This gave me the opportunity to work with people from some of the other branches at the OSC and gain a better understanding of how those branches interact and perform their respective roles within the organization. I also worked directly on a file involving an illegal distribution of securities, which gave me a good sense of the progression of a file from the outset to the litigation stage. As well, I had the opportunity of attending several hearings before the Commission and contrast that experience with appearances before a court. Finally, I met some great people who were all very helpful and happy to share their experiences with me.
Overall, the secondment opportunity provided a nice touch to my summer experience. It gave me the opportunity to gain a new perspective and see the other side of defence counsel work. I was able to immerse myself completely in a very specialized area of law, while at the same time continue to develop my skills and knowledge in the broader areas of litigation and securities law.
Conor O'Neill - New York Office
During the month of August, I was given the incredible opportunity to work at Faskens' office in New York City.
The resident lawyers, Philippe David and Rick Kozody, made me feel most welcome. They made an effort to ensure that I was involved in a variety of interesting projects that developed while I was there. I was especially pleased with the opportunity to meet with potential clients and get a first-hand look at how business development works at an international law office. There is a clearly identifiable can-do mentality and spirit of optimism within the business community in New York: an attitude that I will seek to apply to projects that I work on in the future.
Outside of working hours, I had plenty of time to explore many areas of the city including SoHo, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, Harlem, the Lower East Side, Central Park, and the bustle and excitement of Wall Street to name a few. Catching a baseball game at Yankee Stadium was a great thrill, as was visiting the United Nations and walking the Brooklyn Bridge. Superb restaurants, museums, and architecture only enhanced the experience.
I am truly grateful to the Student Committee and New York lawyers for making this secondment so enjoyable. It was a wonderful finale to a very positive summer experience.
Leah Simon - Ontario Human Rights Commission
Through Fasken's secondment program, I was given the incredible opportunity to spend a month at the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC). Working at the OHRC was an excellent way to explore my interest in human rights law while giving me the diversity of experience I was hoping to receive from my summer at Faskens.
The lawyers at the OHRC are a passionate group of people who are completely devoted to the work that they do. Their commitment to human rights is infectious and from the moment I arrived I was made to feel like an important part of their team.
The timing of my secondment was fortunate in that when I arrived, I was immediately assigned to work on a very interesting hearing. The issues at stake in this hearing spoke to the heart of what human rights law is intended to protect and my exposure to the case made this area of law come alive for me.
Through my involvement with this hearing I got to work closely with Eddie Taylor and Raj Dhir. Both Eddie and Raj were wonderful teachers. They included me in their strategy sessions and were always happy to answer my many questions. I also feel very lucky to have gotten my first glimpse at the art of cross examination from two such seasoned human rights lawyers.
I would like to say thank you to everyone at the OHRC for being so welcoming and for giving me such valuable learning experience. I would also like to thank Faskens. The student secondment program is unique to this firm and it certainly enriched my summer.
Vera Spirovski - Ontario Human Rights Commission
I spent my month-long secondment this summer at the Legal Services Branch of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, getting a taste of the public realm after a few months of immersion in firm life.
The best part of my work at the Commission was the opportunity to take part in a large variety of projects that involved both law and policy dimensions. My work included drafting an affidavit in a sexual discrimination case; researching rationales behind elements of public housing policy; creating a briefing of government consultations; and traditional legal research concerning issues such as access to the courts and settlement agreements. I also sat in on a mediation concerning disability accommodation where the parties were able to reach mutual agreement, prepared documents for internal analysis of the Commission's and Tribunal's operations and participated in a meeting of all the lawyers and staff at the Legal Services Branch.
It was a real pleasure to work with such an engaged group of people, and to be welcomed so fully into the Commission's team despite the fact that my time there was so short. The chance to delve so quickly and deeply into the heart of public law was a perfect complement to the initial part of the summer that I spent at the firm, and truly rounded out this first experience in the practical legal world. My sincere thanks go out to both Faskens and the Commission for making this opportunity possible.
Gabriel Stern - TD Bank
Following three months of interesting and challenging work at Faskens, it was hard packing things up, closing files, and moving on to a month-long secondment after having been made to feel so at home at the firm. At the same time, I was excited by the prospect of witnessing legal work from a client?s perspective. Happily, my secondment to TD Legal?s technology group provided me with such an experience.
Easily the most rewarding part of my secondment was the work I was given to do. Even within an organization as large as the TD Bank, the number of lawyers working there is dwarfed by the number I was used to working with at Faskens. As such, all members of the TD legal team are expected to take on a good deal of responsibility. This meant that I was given the opportunity to challenge myself with relatively advanced work from the start of my secondment.
In terms of the type of work I received, I was able to engage my interest in technology-related issues by working on numerous outsourcing agreements, as well as by working on a very large patent file (dealing with what I have been told is an exceptionally complex patent application process for Canada). I was also able to bolster my general corporate/commercial experience by working on the back-and-forth process of contract negotiation and by being exposed to types of contacts I had not previously had the chance to work with, such as statements of work and non-disclosure agreements. Finally, I was able to continue to explore my interest in tax law through work on technology-related tax credits.
Overall, my secondment experience reinforced my belief that seeing things from a client's perspective is something lawyers across practice areas should try to experience at some point during their careers. Simply sitting in on meetings and hearing about the issues that a client such as TD Bank is most interested in when preparing an agreement is quite illuminating, particularly for a summer student.
I would like to thank my secondment mentor Faeron Trehearne for making me feel immediately welcome at TD Bank and ensuring that I had a constant flow of interesting work. Thank you as well to the other lawyers in the group: Josh Death, Libbie Evans, Catherine Forbes, Jessica Lumière and Elana Lyons who from day one treated me as one of their peers, brought me on to interesting files, and flattered me by constantly soliciting my input on a range of matters. A final word of thanks is owed to Faskens for encouraging their summer students to broaden their legal education through the summer secondment programme.
Sarah Vokey - Ontario Human Rights Commission
In the middle of my experience as a summer student at Faskens, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to spend a four-week secondment at the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC). I hit the ground running from the minute I walked into the OHRC office and immediately felt like part of their dynamic team.
I came to Faskens with a primary interest in litigation. The OHRC built upon the litigation experience I had already gained from Faskens and gave me in-depth exposure to litigation under the Human Rights Code, administrative law and judicial review. I was able to work with many lawyers on a variety of different tasks including research memos, opinion letters, mediation preparation, disclosure and a costs order. Not only was I often asked for my thoughts on numerous cases and arguments, I was given the opportunity to attend a Legal Services Branch meeting and a mediation which I helped prepare for. On top of this great learning experience, I also got to try some great Thai food from the restaurants around the OHRC office on lunch breaks.
I would like to thank everyone at the Legal Services Branch of the OHRC for providing me with such a rewarding learning experience. I would also like to thank Faskens for providing me with this incredible secondment opportunity.
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