Mathews Dinsdale is committed to educating Students in all aspects of the practice of labour relations and employment law. As part of the education process, Mathews Dinsdale divides the articling term into two rotations. Articling Students spend two thirds of their articling period working with lawyers in the Labour Relations Practice Group and the remainder of their articling term working with lawyers in the Employment Law and Litigation Practice Group. Given the more limited Summer period, the firm's Summer Students work with lawyers in both the Labour Relations and Employment Law and Litigation Practice Groups for the entirety of their Summer term.

As part of our commitment to providing a comprehensive educational experience, in addition to conducting legal research, our Students become involved in the practical components of the labour relations and employment law practices. Both Summer Students and Articling Students have opportunities to attend at, and participate in, the negotiation of collective agreements, assist in the preparation of cases for hearing or trial, interview witnesses, confer with employers, draft documents, attend at the presentation of a case and appear independently on matters, as appropriate. Mathews Dinsdale believes that this exposure provides our Students with an unparalleled experience.

The firm's Students' Committee regularly reviews the progress of Summer Students and Articling Students and ensures that the Students are receiving appropriate exposure to various areas of law and types of experiences.

There are many reasons why a student with an interest in labour relations and employment law should consider articling at a firm which dedicates its practice to these areas. Some of these reasons are:

Nature of the Practice
A specialized practice in labour relations and employment law continues to expose students to a broad range of sub-specialty fields. In addition, the law of the workplace has evolved to a degree of complexity that requires intensive exposure to develop a lawyer's proficiency.

Opportunities for Advocacy
Few areas of law require lawyers to appear as advocates as frequently as is required in the fields of labour relations and employment law. Because of the nature of the tribunal process in particular, lawyers at Mathews Dinsdale regularly conduct hearings and present argument.

Exposure
At a specialized firm, the degree of exposure to labour relations and employment law that a student can expect is greatly increased. Unlike full-service law firms which may have labour relations or employment law departments, students at Mathews Dinsdale are exposed to labour relations and employment law on a comprehensive and intensive basis throughout the student term - and not just for the period of a limited rotation.

Students are chosen to join Mathews Dinsdale principally on the basis of their academic achievement, their desire to become involved as an advocate on behalf of employers, their demonstrated interest in the practice of labour relations and employment law and their past legal or non-legal work experience. In addition, we are interested in students with a well-rounded personality who will be able to interact well with the diversity of our clients, lawyers and legal support staff.

Mathews Dinsdale provides its Summer Students and Articling Students with a comprehensive salary and benefit package that is competitive with other major downtown Toronto law firms practicing in the areas of labour relations and employment law. Specific details of the remuneration package are available to Students on their request.

Mathews Dinsdale is committed to developing and growing its legal practice by retaining Summer and Articling Students that progress through its Student Program. Of our current Associate Lawyers and Partners, almost all began their legal careers as students in the Mathews Dinsdale Student Program.

Students interest in applying for one of our students programs should, in accordance with the guidelines developed by the Law Society of Upper Canada, submit a Resume and transcripts of law school and undergraduate grades to Theresia L. Skoberne, Students' Committee at: