The Calgary office hires both first and second-year summer students. Traditionally, the Calgary office hires eight to 12 summer students each year. The compensation and benefits package for summer students is competitive within the market.

Our recruitment of summer students is governed by The Law Society of Alberta regulations. For more information regarding these regulations, visit: http://www.lawsociety.ab.ca/files/regulations/Rules.pdf.

Upon arrival at Blakes in early May, students attend an orientation session that introduces them to the Firm and its resources and ensures that students are integrated into the Firm.

Our summer students are assigned to either a litigation or corporate rotation. They are often involved in projects outside of their assigned practice area, which we believe allows them to have a rich and well-rounded summer student experience.

Summer students are matched with mentors who are actively involved in training students and ensuring that students receive interesting and varied work assignments. Blakes has a long tradition of providing a strong foundation for legal careers through top-notch mentoring. Our partners benefited from the introduction and wise counsel of more senior members of the Firm, and the Firm benefits further when those lessons are passed onto our summer students.

Throughout the summer, students have the chance to participate in a range of social events. The social events are a great way to get to know the lawyers and other students at the Firm. Such events may include casual lunches, cocktails, parties, organized student events, and the annual golf tournament.

As an integral part of the Calgary office team, students are invited to participate in client functions.

Summer students receive informal evaluations throughout the summer and a formal evaluation at the end of July. At the end of the summer, summer students will learn if they will be hired back as articling students. Our goal in the evaluation system is to help each student develop their skills as lawyers in training.

Articling student applications for 2013 - 2014 should be received by May 11, 2012.

We will be accepting applications for 2013 summer student positions beginning in August 2012.

For more information, please contact:

Kathryn Pearson
Legal Personnel Co-ordinator
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
855 - 2nd Street S.W.
Suite 3500, Bankers Hall East Tower
Calgary, AB T2P 4J8
Canada

Tel: 403-260-9731
Fax: 403-260-9700
Email: kathryn.pearson@blakes.com

There is a formal rotation system for articling students in the Calgary office. This ensures that students obtain broad exposure to the principal areas of our practice under the individual guidance and supervision of experienced lawyers in each of these areas.

Each student’s rotation is tailored to suit their preferences. At the same time, we want our students to receive exposure to the core areas of our practice. We believe that our rotation program best allows us to develop and assess our students and gives them individual attention.

In the Calgary office, students do one rotation in each of litigation and corporate/commercial.

At each stage of a student's rotation, they are under the supervision of a designated lawyer who practises in that area.

The supervising lawyer ensures that the student receives a variety of work and helps train the student. As a result, our students are integrated into the day-to-day practice.

The supervising lawyers give students regular ongoing assessments of their performance on an informal basis. Three times during their articling year, students will be formally evaluated. This is done by the supervising lawyers after they have consulted with other lawyers in the office. These evaluations provide useful and constructive information for the students and afford students a formal opportunity to express their views on the Firm, the opportunities given to them, and the direction they would like to see for the balance of their articling year.

We have a series of approximately 35 in-house seminars to supplement our rotation program. The seminars cover topics ranging from the development of basic practice skills to introductions to specific practice areas.

Our lawyers and students are encouraged to participate in conferences and seminars, as speakers and as attendees. Conferences sponsored by professional bodies and industry are supplemented with our own Firm, student and office-wide seminars.

Throughout the articling year, students have the chance to participate in a range of social events. The social events are a great way to get to know the lawyers and other students at the Firm. These include office holiday parties and a family Christmas party. We also have several lawyer/student events including dinners, a ski weekend, a golf day, and smaller practice group get-togethers.

The compensation and benefits package for our articling students is competitive within the market. Our students are covered by Alberta Health Care (family coverage), extended medical coverage, a dental plan, an employee assistance program and a group accident plan. We also subsidize membership in a health club of the student's choice.

Articling students hired by the Firm also receive a C$5,000 bonus paid at the commencement of articles.

Because of our continued and steady growth, we are generally able to offer associate positions to a high percentage of our articling students. Our hireback ratios have always been very high.

Articling student applications for 2013 - 2014 should be received by May 11, 2012.

We will be accepting applications for 2013 summer student positions beginning in August 2012.

For more information, please contact:

Kathryn Pearson
Legal Personnel Co-ordinator
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
855 - 2nd Street S.W.
Suite 3500, Bankers Hall East Tower
Calgary, AB T2P 4J8
Canada

Tel: 403-260-9731
Fax: 403-260-9700
Email: kathryn.pearson@blakes.com

Articling student applications for 2013 - 2014 should be received by May 11, 2012.

We will be accepting applications for 2013 summer student positions beginning in August 2012.

For more information, please contact:

Kathryn Pearson
Legal Personnel Co-ordinator
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
855 - 2nd Street S.W.
Suite 3500, Bankers Hall East Tower
Calgary, AB T2P 4J8
Canada

Tel: 403-260-9731
Fax: 403-260-9700
Email: kathryn.pearson@blakes.com

The Blakes Student Committee seeks to create and develop a fulfilling student program. It is comprised of both associates and partners at the Firm who are involved in creating and developing a comprehensive professional development program, planning and executing social events, and fostering a culture of learning. The Student Committee also acts as a resource for students if they have any concerns or issues.

There is a Student Committee at the Calgary office, which is responsible for recruitment, development and evaluation of all students hired in the Calgary office. Max Brunette is the Chair of the committee. Jeff Bakker, Garth Anderson, Melanie Gaston and Jana Prete are members of the committee. Max, Jeff, Garth, Melanie and Jana all take an active role in the recruitment and mentoring of our students.

The Student Committee works with Kathryn Pearson, Legal Personnel Co-ordinator for the Calgary office. Kathryn is responsible for the administrative aspects of the summer student and articling student programs. She is also involved in the organization of the professional development programs for the students and lawyers within the Calgary office.

Below is a list of the Student Committee members and their contact information:

Max Brunette, Chair of Student Committee
Garth Anderson
Jeff Bakker
Melanie Gaston
Jana Prete

Articling student applications for 2013 - 2014 should be received by May 11, 2012.

We will be accepting applications for 2013 summer student positions beginning in August 2012.

For more information, please contact:

Kathryn Pearson
Legal Personnel Co-ordinator
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
855 - 2nd Street S.W.
Suite 3500, Bankers Hall East Tower
Calgary, AB T2P 4J8
Canada

Tel: 403-260-9731
Fax: 403-260-9700
Email: kathryn.pearson@blakes.com

Approximately one to two weeks prior to the dates set for interviews to be conducted, all successful interview candidates will be contacted by telephone and a convenient interview date and time will be arranged. A confirmation email will be forwarded to you setting out the agreed upon date and time for the interview. If available, the names of the lawyers conducting your interview will be provided to you at that time.

Please allow approximately 1 hour for your interview.  Upon your arrival for your interview, you will first meet with two lawyers, who will spend approximately 40 minutes speaking with you.  The lawyers will then introduce you to a current articling student who will give you an office tour and answer any further questions you may have.

The application deadline and interview dates for the summer student recruitment process will be set in accordance with The Law Society of Alberta regulations.

Our Calgary office participates at on-campus interviews at various locations across Canada. The deadlines and details for submission of summer student applications will be posted with your law school Career Services offices.

Members of our student recruitment team will be conducting interviews for 2012 summer student positions at law schools across Canada on the following dates:

*Email applications directly to Blakes

Successful interview candidates will be contacted either by the law school or our office to arrange a convenient interview date and time. Once an interview has been scheduled, we will send you a confirmation email setting out the date and time for the interview. If available, the names of the lawyers conducting your interview will be provided to you at that time.

Offers will be made in accordance with The Law Society of Alberta regulations.

Articling student applications for 2013 - 2014 should be received by May 11, 2012.

We will be accepting applications for 2013 summer student positions beginning in August 2012.

For more information, please contact:

Kathryn Pearson
Legal Personnel Co-ordinator
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
855 - 2nd Street S.W.
Suite 3500, Bankers Hall East Tower
Calgary, AB T2P 4J8
Canada

Tel: 403-260-9731
Fax: 403-260-9700
Email: kathryn.pearson@blakes.com