Job Opportunities

Many of our 1L students pursue legal jobs during the summer. There are a number of recruits and other legal job opportunities available to 1Ls, which you will learn about through the CDO's 1L Career Foundations program. We also prepare a number of resources that set out the various recruits that take place during your first year of law school. You can register for the 1L Career Foundations program and access the resources on UTLC. The key recruits for 1Ls are set out below.

1. Firm and Government - Formal Recruits

Although law firm and government recruitment for 1L summer positions is quite limited, there are several recruitment processes in which students can participate, including those for summer positions in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatchewan, the Maritimes and several small cities in Ontario. The formal 1L Toronto recruit typically takes place in January and February. 

2. Law School Summer Employment Program (LSSEP)

Through the LSSEP, which takes place in February and March, 1L students can apply for a number of Faculty-affiliated positions. There are typically about 100 positions available, including with the Future of Law Lab, Downtown Legal Services, Advocates for Injured Workers, Law in Action Within Schools, the International Human Rights Program, and Pro Bono Students Canada. There are also a number of fellowship opportunities available to use toward summer positions at public interest organizations, generously funded by our donor community and the law school. We have created the LSSEP to streamline the application, interview and offer process for students.

Many students also obtain legal and legal-adjacent summer jobs through networking. We have a number of resources on networking, including a Networking Tips sheet and Informational Interviews Guide that students can find on UTLC.

For most students, 2L is when your legal ambitions begin to clarify. There are many recruitment cycles that take place during 2L, with a higher number of employers and job opportunities than exist during 1L. 

1. U.S. Opportunities

For students interested in U.S. opportunities, pre-recruit season can begin quite early, but typically takes place March-May. Depending on interest from employers (who are increasingly relying on pre-recruit outcomes), the CDO organizes a U.S. recruitment process that takes place in early summer. We typically provide U.S. programming and resources on an annual basis, which can be accessed on UTLC.

2. Canadian Opportunities

2L law firm and government recruitment in the Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver markets take place throughout the summer and fall after your 1L year. We prepare a number of guides, FAQ and other resources that can be accessed on UTLC and that provide you with the basic information required to pursue these positions. A number of CDO programs in the summer and fall offer valuable tips about effective application and interview strategies. You can sign up for these programs in the Events tab of UTLC.

3. Law School Summer Employment Program (LSSEP)

Through the LSSEP, which takes place in February and March, 1L students can apply for a number of Faculty-affiliated positions. There are typically about 100 positions available, including with the Future of Law Lab, Downtown Legal Services, Advocates for Injured Workers, Law in Action Within Schools, the International Human Rights Program, and Pro Bono Students Canada. There are also a number of fellowship opportunities to work at public interest organizations, generously funded by our donor community and the law school. We have created the LSSEP to streamline the application, interview and offer process for our students.

As a 2L, you will have the opportunity to pursue a wide variety of positions in private practice, government, public interest and more, in cities across the country. For placement rates and employment trends, including practice areas where our students have secured summer employment, view our Career Statistics.

Detailed information regarding the various options noted above will be communicated through email and on UTLC.

If you intend to practice law in any province in Canada, you must spend a specified period of time as an articled law student.

Articling terms usually last between 8-10 months and commence in the summer or fall following your graduation from law school.

Our students have an outstanding articling placement rate, as set out on our Career Statistics page. While the majority of students article with medium to large full-service firms, many also satisfy the articling requirement at public interest organizations, in government, boutique firms, or by clerking with various courts across Canada.

We run specific programming as well as produce several guides related to the various articling cycles in cities and provinces across Canada, which are accessible on UTLC. Students can apply through the Job Postings tab on UTLC or on viLawPortal.