Articling Program
D'Arcy & Deacon LLP hires articling students with a view to developing them into dynamic long-term members of our team: first, as students, then as associates, and ultimately, as partners. Over the course of the last 15 years, the Firm has provided articles to 30 students. It has retained 23 of those students as associates following their Call to the Bar.
We take a flexible approach to the articling year, with no effort made to impose a rigid or artificial rotation. Based upon our experience, such confining approaches can be frustrating, potentially acting as barriers to initiatives more in keeping with a particular student's interests. Rather, D'Arcy & Deacon LLP attempts to balance the firm's needs with the student's aspirations through encouraging the dedication and entrepreneurial spirit sought from all of our members.
The firm does ensure, as a matter of professional obligation, that our articling experience complements the various Bar Admission Course segments. On a regular basis, the work assigned will be reviewed by the firm's articling chairperson or each student's assigned principal, to ensure that a balanced articling experience is being achieved. In keeping with guidelines established by The Law Society of Manitoba, an education plan is also reviewed with the students at the outset of their articles.
On a day to day basis, students can expect to receive work from all members of the firm. From a broad litigation perspective, duties include legal research, interviewing clients, briefing witnesses, appearing in court on uncontested and contested motions, assisting during examinations for discovery, participating in trial or hearing preparation and attending and assisting during trials and other hearings.
From a broad solicitor's-based perspective, workload typically includes wills, estate matters, real estate and conveyancing; together with corporate and commercial transactions featuring business organizations, corporate structuring and reorganization, financing and security requirements, and commercial drafting.
Our students are also expected to fully participate in the Bar Admission Course. As part of the firm's support of those programs, all students are given the day of each examination off as a supplement to normal preparation requirements.
One of the benefits of being a mid-sized firm is the culture: although there are certain groups of lawyers who work more closely with each other, the firm makes an effort to maintain a culture of collaboration between all of its members, with a true "open door" policy. Students are encouraged to ask questions and seek assistance from all lawyers in the firm, who have a wide knowledge base to draw from.
Students can expect to be provided with their own office and access to administrative assistance on a shared basis.