Question about New Call job search (Greater Toronto Area)

[blue owl]

Hi,

I am a 2023 new call lawyer in Ontario. I am not hired back by my articling office and I am currently looking for jobs in the GTA area. My experience in my articling placement focused on corporate&commercial law (solicitor work), and I articled in the government. The job searching has been going on for over 2 months, and it seems like most of the positions in the private sector require at least 2 years of experiences - even the ones for junior positions. I applied for positions that require experiences too but haven't got many interview offers. I am thinking if there is any issue in my application tactics, so I am wondering if you could give me some advice on that. Right now, I am applying for practice areas of corporate, commercial, civil litigation, regulatory compliance. I am applying for jobs in the GTA area.

Here are my questions:

1. Should I (a) expand my search scope to other areas of law, (b) look for jobs in smaller cities/towns in Ontario or even other provinces, or (c) start my own practice?

2. I am interested in litigator jobs (both civil and cirminal law) but I don't have the experiences doing litigation work in my articling - how do I make the first step?

3. When jobs ask for X years of experience, does it still make sense to apply?

4. If my first (legal) job is not in the area of law that I plan to pursue, does the work experience make it more difficult for me to switch back to the area that I am interested in? Or is any lawyer experience good experience?

Another thing I noticed is that I have been getting some interviews in June but it has been quiet since mid-July. I wonder if there is any reason for that or it's just coincidence. 

Let me know what you think. Or if you see any problem with my job searcing tactics please comment too!

Thanks in advance!

[Aureliuse]

On 8/8/2023 at 8:30 PM, blue owl said:

1. Should I (a) expand my search scope to other areas of law, (b) look for jobs in smaller cities/towns in Ontario or even other provinces, or (c) start my own practice?

2. I am interested in litigator jobs (both civil and cirminal law) but I don't have the experiences doing litigation work in my articling - how do I make the first step?

3. When jobs ask for X years of experience, does it still make sense to apply?

4. If my first (legal) job is not in the area of law that I plan to pursue, does the work experience make it more difficult for me to switch back to the area that I am interested in? Or is any lawyer experience good experience?

Another thing I noticed is that I have been getting some interviews in June but it has been quiet since mid-July. I wonder if there is any reason for that or it's just coincidence. 

Let me know what you think. Or if you see any problem with my job searcing tactics please comment too!

Thanks in advance!

1. If you are interested in other areas, yes. Don't pigeon-hole yourself. You might find other areas interesting once you immerse yourself in them.

2. By networking with recruiters on LinkedIn - some senior lawyers in those areas might be willing to take on a junior to handle mundane tasks or accompany them to court for notetaking. You will learn on the job. Go to professional events and network. No one was born a litigator, you can learn on the job.

3. In most cases, don't apply to jobs that have hard requirements. Firms don't like applicants who waste their time and are not qualified.

4. It depends. Litigation experience in family law, for example, can be transferred to civil litigation/criminal defence. Drafting is a skill that is useful in almost all areas of law. Legal research skills, likewise.

My tip: expand to apply to jobs in areas outside of Toronto if you have a car, or can use the Go Train. In smaller cities outside the GTA, some firms struggle to find talent. It might be worth it to move. In smaller firms, you might get more "hands-on" experience and mentorship. The pace of work can be slower which helps you learn the ropes early on.
 

[blue owl]

18 hours ago, Aureliuse said:

1. If you are interested in other areas, yes. Don't pigeon-hole yourself. You might find other areas interesting once you immerse yourself in them.

2. By networking with recruiters on LinkedIn - some senior lawyers in those areas might be willing to take on a junior to handle mundane tasks or accompany them to court for notetaking. You will learn on the job. Go to professional events and network. No one was born a litigator, you can learn on the job.

3. In most cases, don't apply to jobs that have hard requirements. Firms don't like applicants who waste their time and are not qualified.

4. It depends. Litigation experience in family law, for example, can be transferred to civil litigation/criminal defence. Drafting is a skill that is useful in almost all areas of law. Legal research skills, likewise.

My tip: expand to apply to jobs in areas outside of Toronto if you have a car, or can use the Go Train. In smaller cities outside the GTA, some firms struggle to find talent. It might be worth it to move. In smaller firms, you might get more "hands-on" experience and mentorship. The pace of work can be slower which helps you learn the ropes early on.
 

Thank you very much for your reply! They are very helpful! 🙂 

A follow-up question on #2, do you mean networking for a job (that's paying) or for a shadowing/volunteering position with the senior lawyer? I am considering volunteering/un-paid internship with a lawyer/firm to gain experience, but I don't know if lawyers would accept that (or if it is a practice in the industry). 

And for smaller firms in smaller cities, do they usually post the job or should I cold email/call them? I am wondering because I haven't seen many job postings for smaller cities.