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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Eight: The Chief Marketing Officer

Those of you who have been following this series know that I said that Part Seven was the final article in the series. It turns out that I lied.

The purpose of the series is to set out the questions which Articling Students and new Associates should figure out about their firms when deciding whether to stay there over the long-term.

This time it is about the Chief Marketing Officer (“CMO”).

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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Seven: The Supervising Lawyer

This is the last in a series about the questions which Articling Students and new Associates should figure out about their firms when deciding whether to stay there over the long-term.

This time, I will speak about supervising lawyers (“SL”).

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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Six: The Law Clerks

This is the sixth in a series about information that Articling Students and new Associates should have before deciding to stay at a firm for the long-term.

Today it is about some of my favourite people in law firms – the Law Clerks (“LC”) (aka Paralegals).

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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Five: The Chief Financial Officer

This is the fifth in a series about questions that Articling Students and new Associates should consider when trying to size up their new firm.

This time I will address the most senior person in charge of the money. In your firm, this person could be called any of the following:  Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), Controller, Accounting Manager, Accountant or Bookkeeper.

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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Four: The Chief Technology Officer

This is the fourth in a series about questions that Articling Students and new Associates should ponder while trying to determine whether they have landed in the right place.

This time I will address the Chief Technology Officer (the “CTO”).  Of course, being lawyers we need a definition, so let’s use this one from Alexander Gillis and others at techtarget.com:

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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Three: The Chief Operating Officer

In Parts One and Two, I set out some questions that articling students and young lawyers should ask about their firm’s Managing Partner and Practice Group Leader.

Today I will tackle the much trickier issue of the Chief Operating Officer (the “COO”).

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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part Two: The Practice Group Leader

In Part One, I set out some questions that articling students and young lawyers should ask about the Managing Partner. This time let’s talk about your Practice Group Leader (the “PGL”).

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People I Met Practicing Law

Law Firm Primer For Articling Students and New Associates – Part One: The Managing Partner

When articling students or young lawyers enter a law firm of any size for the first time, they see the carefully cultivated image that the law firm promotes and are often thrilled to be part of a legal fantasy world where every lawyer is dynamic, brilliant, experienced, strategic, and practical. 

Over time they get to know the lawyers and other key players, and eventually figure out what is real and what is not.

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People I Met Practicing Law Uncategorized

The Importance of Asking The Right Questions

This is a true story, even though it may not sound like one.

Chris was a law partner who joined a new firm.  Two of his new partners were named Angela and Martin.

Soon after Chris joined the firm, Angela cancelled out of a promotional ski trip, leaving a gap to be filled. So Martin invited Chris to the event and mentioned that he could use the hotel room that had been reserved for Angela.

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People I Met Practicing Law

In Memoriam – Mindy Dodds

I spent most of my career at Pallett Valo LLP, a medium-sized law firm in Mississauga, Ontario.

On my first day at the office, I met Mindy Dodds, a young woman who was initially assigned to be my Legal Assistant, but who soon became my Corporate Clerk.