Students are integrated right away into the fabric of the firm – from getting involved early in the life cycle of a big file to charitable initiatives and social events. We only hire as many students as we plan to retain as associates so students are viewed as an important part of the firm at the outset.
Our student program is diverse and flexible. Rather than being based on a set rotation, students follow their interests within the broad workplace law umbrella and in litigation generally. We expose students to as much of our practice as possible, so that they experience the full range of opportunities at our firm. If a student is interested in one particular area, such as labour law, human rights law, privacy law or commercial litigation, we ensure that they can immerse themselves in that area of law as much as possible. It’s inspired by the model that exists for our lawyers, who define their practice according to their interests.
At Harris, you get a hands-on, immersive experience from the outset, and assume progressively more responsibility as your skills grow. In addition to finding solutions for clients through legal research and analysis, you’ll get client contact early on by attending, client calls, meetings, training sessions and assisting with witness preparation. You’ll also regularly get to experience arbitrations, labour relations board hearings, Supreme Court trials, and human rights mediations so you can see how your research and support has influenced a case.
We understand that a student’s choice of firm is as much about the lifestyle and culture as the professional opportunities. Here, balance is built into our culture both formally and informally, and students get to learn from professionals who manage work and life throughout their careers and as their priorities change. We have lawyers with families and young children. We have lawyers with active recreational and sport pursuits. We have lawyers with significant volunteer and community commitments. We look after each other, and we prioritize inclusiveness, respect and support. At Harris, almost nothing is formulaic: we enable flexibility and balance because we know it makes people happier, healthier and more successful. Students are also integrated into the social fabric of the firm – whether you like competing in sports like softball and basketball or prefer trivia, bingo and making reality-tv predictions, we have a variety of fun events that students are encouraged to join in on.
The people who succeed here are interested in human dynamics. They’re curious; they want to know how things work, and about different workplaces, industries and cultures. They want to resolve workplace or commercial disputes in creative and innovative ways. They have a lifelong interest in ethics. They’re comfortable with ambiguity rather than black and white answers and they explore options to find the best solution. They’re interested in being involved in emerging, important issues that have a widespread effect on society. They can work with anybody and everybody, have close friends and families, and want to make a difference. With the advantages of a large firm’s resources and a small firm’s culture, you’ll experience a collegial, exciting, challenging, collegial, and flexible learning environment.
Salary and benefits at Harris are consistent with other mid to large downtown Vancouver firms, and are reviewed on an annual basis. An articling student’s salary continues during PLTC and we pay the PLTC registration fee. In addition, Harris pays our articling students’ tuition for third-year law school, up to $6,500.
You’ll be matched with a partner at the firm as your principal mentor. You’ll meet formally to discuss and evaluate progress, and also informally, to receive advice, guidance, and mentorship. You’ll also be matched with an associate mentor who’ll provide you with day-to-day help and advice so you have someone to go to with any question. You’ll work with members of the Student Committee who will oversee your entire program. You’ll also be part of a collegial and supportive group of associates.
