Summer Associate Program | Locations

Overview of Summer Program

Whatever career path you take within Baker McKenzie Toronto, we are confident you will thrive – locally and globally – in our unique culture of cooperation, collaboration and inclusion. With us, you will exchange rich local insights and legal knowledge with lawyers from all over the world through our expansive global network.

Our 14-week summer student program is designed to introduce students to the practice of law at the firm with the aim of helping them build a strong foundation for articling and beyond.

Every effort is made to expose summer students to all aspects of the firm's practice. Over the years, we have found that the overall summer experience is more rewarding when summer students are given the opportunity to carve their own path. Accordingly, we have not implemented a formal rotation system for the summer program. Instead, our summer students are given the flexibility (and are actively encouraged) to seek work within any of our practice groups based on their specific interests.

In addition to local office integration, we go to great lengths to ensure that our summer students develop relationships with their student colleagues in other offices right out of the gate. Our students will start their summer by participating in the North American Regional Summer Associates' Meeting in Washington D.C., where, in addition to receiving in-depth training, they will have an opportunity to cultivate working, and hopefully, career-long relationships with members of their Baker McKenzie Class.

Ultimately, because our primary goal is to offer a realistic professional experience, we place great importance on providing our summer associates with real, substantive work. Our students will find themselves playing an integral role in file execution while working on a wide range of legal assignments alongside our associates and partners.

We also believe in giving back to the community. Together with peers in offices all over the world, and supported by our associates and partners, our summer students are actively involved in various local, regional and global pro bono initiatives including projects involving homeless youth, refugees and various United Nations causes.

Salary & Benefits

Summer Students

Salary of CAD 1,450 per week
Comprehensive CLE program

Articling Students

Salary of CAD 1,450 per week
Fitness allowance Health Benefits (only if student has OHIP Coverage)
- Medical
- Dental
- Health Spending Account
- Critical Illness
- Life Insurance
- Long Term Disability
Firm phone or allowance towards personal phone
10 paid vacation days
14 days of paid study time to prepare for and write Barrister and
Solicitor Examinations
Payment of Law Society Barrister and Solicitor Licensing Examination
fees and materials (Ontario only)
Comprehensive CLE program

Student Committee

Name	Title	Contact Information
Ahmed Shafey	Partner, Hiring Partner	Email / T: +1 416 865 6964
Stephanie MacIntosh	Associate, Co-Chair, Student Committee	Email / T: +1 416 865 6886
Eleni Skederidis	HR Manager, Student Program	Email / T: +1 416 865 6947
Ora Wexler	Partner	Email / T: +1 416 865 2331
Peter Richardson	Associate	Email / T: +1 416 865 6913
Randeep Nijjar	Associate	Email / T: +1 416 865 6962
Glenn Gibson	Associate	Email / T: +1 416 865 2317
Anna Marie Discutido	Project Supervisor	Email / T: +1 416 865 6946

How to Apply

We encourage you to apply directly through your Law School via the viDesktop portal by the LSO application deadline. However, if you are out of country and are unable to apply directly through your Law School, please apply online through our North America Career Board.

We will be reviewing applications during the end of August and the first few weeks of September. We are not able to review and respond to all unsolicited resumes received outside of the Law School viDesktop portal or our Career Board. Please note that if your law school does participate in the viDesktop portal and the online OCI system, you must apply through your law school.

What Students Say

"The personal and friendly work environment at Baker McKenzie makes this the ideal place to start a career in law. The supportive culture of the firm allowed me to learn, develop, and enhance my legal skills so that I would be prepared for when I became a lawyer. This atmosphere was especially important because Baker McKenzie relies on its students to provide professional advice on complex and often global issues – being able to walk into the offices of some of Canada's leading legal professionals or contact colleagues from around the world to ask questions without reservation is an invaluable resource that was essential to providing that advice, and in my overall learning experience.

That said, Baker McKenzie is about more than just the work; it is a law firm that prides itself on friendship, which became apparent very quickly once I started my summer experience. Not only are the lawyers and staff here great mentors (both formal and informal), they are also amazing people that I can now call friends through the time I spent with them at firm-organized and informal social events. Overall, Baker McKenzie truly is one of the best places to start and progress through your legal career."

-Andrew Chien

"In my search for a place to begin my legal career, I was seeking a firm where I could be exposed to international legal issues, be involved in pro-bono initiatives, and work with colleagues who are approachable and nice. Baker McKenzie checked off all of these boxes and surpassed my expectations. Most, if not all, of the files I was involved with had an international element, be it the location of the client to legal issues spanning multiple jurisdictions. With respect to pro-bono work, I had the invaluable opportunity to contribute to initiatives including the protection of the rights of survivors of human trafficking, assisting organizations seeking charitable status, and preparing resources to address modern slavery risks in global supply chains. The diverse opportunities that the articling program at Baker McKenzie offers allowed me to develop my legal knowledge and skills, while working under the guidance of supportive and encouraging mentors. The ability to work in a closely-knit office with a truly open-door policy while having access to global resources and colleagues is unparalleled."

-Megan Paterson

"Baker McKenzie’s articling program is an amazing opportunity for students to learn and develop. During my articling year I was immersed in complex files that helped me to enhance my skills and understanding of the law. Students are part of the team at Baker McKenzie – the firm sets high expectations and provides a supportive work environment. Lawyers at all levels of practice are always willing to sit down to discuss both legal and professional matters.

As a truly global law firm, Baker McKenzie stands out in terms of the international opportunities available to students. I was able to tackle engaging issues in a range of practice areas and often found myself in contact with colleagues from around the world. Articling at Baker has helped me to cultivate a more global-mindset grounded in an appreciation of the complexities of multijurisdictional disputes and transactions. I was also able to take on a number of pro bono files covering subjects such as youth homelessness, victim advocacy, refugee and immigration law, and supply chain concerns arising in the international labour rights context. I am thrilled to return to as an associate and am confident that that I made the right choice in pursuing a student position at Baker McKenzie."

-Ben Sakamoto

"The work at Baker McKenzie Toronto is truly international! One aspect that sets the Baker McKenzie articling program apart from others is the deep level of involvement articling students have with multi-jurisdictional client transactions and the firm’s global initiatives. The Toronto office regularly hosts Baker McKenzie lawyers from other offices and working with and learning from Baker McKenzie lawyers abroad made the Toronto office feel connected to the global firm. During my time as an articling student I had the opportunity to work with clients and lawyers from around the world. This exposure to multi-jurisdictional files allowed me to appreciate the interesting and unique challenges and learning opportunities that cross-cultural work provides."

-Natalie Prange

"My articling experience at Baker McKenzie gave me ample opportunity to apply the skills and concepts that I learned in law school to a real-world environment. Working with and learning from the community of friendly, smart, and driven attorneys in the Toronto office of Baker McKenzie, I was involved on numerous substantial legal matters, including multi-jurisdictional legal assessments, complex transactions and sophisticated legal research and writing assignments. In addition, the Firm was supportive when I sought to contribute to other initiatives related to the practice of law, such as drafting pitches and proposals, writing legal articles and publications, and attending client events and conferences. All of these experiences helped me feel confident in my abilities and experiences when I joined the bar and continued with the Firm as an associate."

-Jonathan Tam

Canada Summer Associate Program

Overview of Summer Program

Salary & Benefits

Student Committee

How to Apply