ARTICLING

General  |  Applying  |  PLTC  |  Salary  |  Shared Articles  |  Court Appearances
Interaction with Files  |  Office Life

General

Orris Law Corporation hires one articling student per year. Typically we conduct two rounds of interviews, beginning early August. Of the first group, we select three people for a second interview, and Mr. Orris then interviews those candidates.

We do not hire summer students.
 

Applying

What we look for:

You must have interest in people. This can be reflected by your volunteer work and employment experiences outside of school. It will also be demonstrated by your law school course selection. It will be helpful if you have had some experience with a student legal aid clinic or a similar program. You will be expected to appear in court within your first week of articles. You will be involved in the preparation and conducting of significant trials. As the articling year progresses you will be expected to undertake your own summary conviction trials. This position requires solid communication and people skills.

You must also have access to a vehicle to travel around the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, to appear at various courts at those locations.

Your application should include:

A cover letter, your resume (no more than two or three pages), your law school transcript, and at least two references. Please address your letter to Olga Schwartzkopf.

Professional Legal Training Course:

Orris Law Corporation pays for your PLTC. We prefer that you attend the session beginning in May, immediately after your graduation from law school.
 

Salary:

Our student salary is on par with the usual salary of an articled student practicing criminal defence work in Vancouver. You will be paid your regular salary while enrolled in the PLTC. You will be reimbursed for mileage when attending courthouses and correctional institutions outside of Vancouver.
 

Shared Articles:

We are willing accommodate shared articles for students who wish to gain experience at other offices. In the past, students have spent time working with the Crown office and in a civil litigation firm. Students would be expected to arrange for their shared articles, subject to the approval of Glen Orris.
 

Court Appearances :

Once you begin work (usually in late July) you can expect to begin attending court. The most common appearances are adjournments, arraignments, trial confirmation hearings, and pre-trial conferences. You can expect to appear in Surrey, North Vancouver, Coquitlum, New Westminister, Chilliwack, and Richmond, as well as in downtown Vancouver. Occasionally you will be required to attend correctional institutions to meet with clients.

You must provide your own vehicle. You are reimbursed for mileage.
 

Interaction with Files :

Glen Orris handles a variety of criminal files. Most cases are indictable offences with complex circumstances and evidence. You will research and draft memos on points of case law, legislation, and the Charter . You will spend time reviewing and organizing files. You will also be communicating with the Crown and other lawyers associated with various files. You will conduct interviews with clients and witnesses. You will be working very closely with Olga Schwartzkopf, legal assistant, and Louise Young, secretary to Mr. Orris.

You are encouraged to take on short-term summary conviction pro bono files that will be completed within your articling period.

In addition to the above, you will be expected to spend time observing preliminary hearings, trials, and appeals at all levels of court in British Columbia.
 

Office Life :

The office staff are Olga Schwartzkopf, a very experienced legal assistant, and
Louise Young, a very experienced legal secretary. We share office space with Clinton Bauman, another lawyer.

There is an office set aside for the articled student. You will have your own computer with access to QuickLaw and other research materials. Formal attire is not required but you must have a suit available in the event of a court appearance.

You can expect to be in the office from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. most days, with occasional overtime and weekends required, depending on your case load.