WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU SUMMER AT BROWNLEE
In our view, Summering at Brownlee is like a compressed Article. Of course, we recognize that as a Summer Student you have less legal training than the Articling Students, but the goal is the same: to help you to experience a diversity of work throughout our departments and practice groups, and to help develop the practical skills of lawyering.
During your summer in Calgary you will be rotated amongst all three practice areas including Insurance Litigation, Municipal, and Employment and Labour groups. During your summer in Edmonton, you will spend half your time on the 22nd floor of our building (which houses our Litigation and Business departments), and the other half of your summer on the 21st floor (which houses our Municipal department, as well as our Employment and Labour, and Commercial Litigation groups). As a result, you will move your office halfway through the summer to ensure that you have the opportunity to become immersed in those practice areas. We do not currently offer student opportunities in Vancouver.
Rather than assign a principal lawyer to you, our Summer Students are each assigned two mentors: generally one Partner and one Associate. This arrangement allows you to gain insight into two different perspectives of our firm. Your mentors are charged with ensuring that your workload and quality of work are appropriate for your vintage. Of course, the PAL of each department and the members of the student committees also play a role in your experience, as with the Articling Students.
As a Summer Student, you will be paid a competitive salary for the marketplace, which is reviewed annually. Summer Students also receive two (2) weeks’ vacation (unpaid, due to receipt of vacation pay) to be used at any point during the summer. Because of the short duration of Summer employment, Summer Students are not eligible for benefits.