How to Apply
As a signatory of the Entente de recrutement 2024-2025, all our recruitment efforts are carried out in compliance with its terms and conditions.
All applications must be submitted online through the viRecruit Portal and should be addressed to Chanelle Desrosiers-Stewart, Director, Associate and Student Programs. You may access the portal through our website.
Our students have prepared My Future in Law: Student Recruitment Guide (Quebec)—a guide to the application and interview process. We invite you to review the guide as it may answer many of your questions.
Applications for internship positions should include:
- your cover letter;
- your up-to-date resumé;
- your undergraduate or CEGEP transcript, as applicable (photocopy of original transcript);
- your official or unofficial law school transcript;
- your post-graduate transcript, if applicable (photocopy of original transcript); and
- reference letters (optional).
Please do not include a reference list or writing sample. We will acknowledge receipt of your application by email.
Summer Program
The summer student program, which starts in early May, is exclusively open to our future articling students. For the first week, we bring our summer students to Toronto for orientation and training which serves as an invaluable opportunity to build lasting relationships with both office and inter-office colleagues. The remaining two weeks of integration and training are completed from the Montréal office, after which the students will work on a full-time basis for the remainder of the summer (approximately 12 weeks).
At Bennett Jones, there is no rotation system for the summer students and they get to work with a diverse group of lawyers and clients across many disciplines. Our summer program is designed to provide our students with a solid introduction of the practice of law and the firm culture. Summer students assume a great deal of responsibility on files and can expect to interact directly with lawyers and clients, draft documents, attend court and generally be an active and productive members of the team from day one.
Articling Program
During articles, we employ a rotation system. Your articles will therefore include three rotations of your choice with at least two different practice groups. You can anticipate spending your articles working in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities, infrastructure, real estate, class actions, international arbitration, technology, corporate commercial litigation, tax or employment. While we believe an exposure to business and advocacy are fundamental to your early learning as a lawyer, we understand that student interests, needs and learning objectives vary year-to-year. As a result, we strive to tailor each rotation to ensure articling students are getting the best opportunity to maximize their exposure to areas of interest. We believe that this formula will ensure a comprehensive training and help you determine the field of practice you will want to pursue in the future.
Mentoring System
Each summer student is assigned a Bennett Jones associate as a mentor. The role of the mentor is to act as your host, introduce you to the firm and to assist with your work assignments. Through this collaborative learning process, the mentor offers his or her acquired wisdom and experience enabling you to develop soft skills, adequately evaluate all options, and then make your own decisions to enhance your professional development and achieve your goals.
Similarly, each articling student is assigned a mentor whose job is to help you continue to integrate into the firm.
The Director of Associate and Student Programs (the Director) will work closely with you when selecting your mentor to ensure you receive your desired assistance and guidance. Furthermore, the Director will guide you professionally, make sure you familiarize yourself with the areas of legal practice that interest you most and ensure that your workload is adequate.
Professional Development
Through Bennett Jones Academy, we offer a series of in-house, in-person and virtual seminars and programs to supplement the summer and articling experience. This begins with an in-depth orientation and continues with regular programs designed to build your substantive and practice management skills and provide you with introductions to specific practice areas. We also encourage our students to attend Bennett Jones Academy sessions designed for associates.
Feedback
We recognize that feedback is essential to your development. Our students receive regular informal feedback from assigning lawyers and mentors. The Director also organizes two reviews during the summer and four reviews during articling.
Social Events
Our students are encouraged to take part in social events while at the firm. Our events focus on our commitment to the community and building lasting relationships amongst the students and lawyers. Past events have included lawyer dinners, curling, a Niagara bicycle tour and other recreational activities.
Salary and Benefits
We offer our summer and articling students a compensation package that is competitive with those offered by other major law firms within the Montréal market.
During articles, we pay the tuition fees for the École du Barreau as well as pay you a salary while you complete Blocs 1 and 2 of the École du Barreau program.
Important Dates
January 31 to February 3, 2025: Reception of application packages.
February 19 to February 21, 2025: Calls for first interviews.
March 17 to March 27, 2025: Interview process.
Friday, March 28, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.: Formulation of job offers.
Our summer program runs from early May to mid-August.
For the moment, there is no set date(s) within the year for our articling program. Rather, we have decided to adapt to each articling student’s progression through the École du Barreau, so long as the start date is within the article year agreed upon. When you have reached the article portion of the École du Barreau program, we will welcome you as an articling student.
Bennett Jones