1L Summer Job Questions - good idea to work outside of Canada?

[Rigel]

Hello! I'm a first-year student and intend to participate in the Toronto 2L recruitment. Right now I'm starting cold emailing some small firms to inquire whether they could offer any 1L internship opportunity. I definitely want to stay in Canada during summer. However, understand that 1L law-related jobs are usually very limited, is it a good idea to work in a Biglaw firm outside of Canada? I'm an international student so I might have a good chance to work in a Magic Circle firm in Shanghai or even Singapore. I know law is largely a jurisdictional matter. Will I be worse off if I work in Biglaw firm outside of CA but not a small local firm here? 

I'm thinking that Biglaw experience outside of CA might still give me some transferrable skills. I probably won't have any chance to work on corporate M&A matters at a local small firm.

On the other side, I do have concerns about how employers will treat this experience during the 2L recruitment. Will it leave them with an impression that I'm not committed to working in Canada?

Those are my thoughts and I really would like to hear your input! Thx!

[LMP]

I don't think working for a foreign firm would harm your chances in the recruit. Though it is a somewhat unique situation so I can't say for sure how each firm will interpret it. Part of this uncertainty is because I don't know exactly what firms you mean. Obviously if you can AM100 firm, no one is going to take it as a bad thing (though it may raise questions about flight risk). But if it is a big firm in Singapore that folks here might not know, that'd be less helpful. 

As for your own development, I think there is much more practical value in working for a Canadian firm, even a smaller one. Now, when I say value I don't mean it will be more persuasive to Canadian biglaw firms. I mean that there is something to be gained from learning how law is practiced in your jurisdiction. You'll also find the legal world is smaller than you'd think, you'll still bump shoulders with a lot of folks, even at a smaller shop. 

 

[Rigel]

19 minutes ago, LMP said:

I don't think working for a foreign firm would harm your chances in the recruit. Though it is a somewhat unique situation so I can't say for sure how each firm will interpret it. Part of this uncertainty is because I don't know exactly what firms you mean. Obviously if you can AM100 firm, no one is going to take it as a bad thing (though it may raise questions about flight risk). But if it is a big firm in Singapore that folks here might not know, that'd be less helpful. 

As for your own development, I think there is much more practical value in working for a Canadian firm, even a smaller one. Now, when I say value I don't mean it will be more persuasive to Canadian biglaw firms. I mean that there is something to be gained from learning how law is practiced in your jurisdiction. You'll also find the legal world is smaller than you'd think, you'll still bump shoulders with a lot of folks, even at a smaller shop. 

 

Thank you for your input. Yes, several foreign firms I intend to work for are AM100 firms. Some are UK magic circle firms. There is one firm even has an office in Toronto and will participate in 2L recruitment. But I think you did make a really good point that it would make a lot of sense to work here even in a small firm. Learning how law is practiced here is much more relevant in terms of my career. Guess I will keep the overseas opportunity as a backup option.

[chaboywb]

If you could land a 1L position at one of these firms (and I’m taking it at face value that it’s realistic for you to do so), then I think that would be highly valuable experience and would look impressive on your resume for the 2L recruit. You could definitely spin it as wanting to have international experience but ultimately intending to settle in Toronto. 

I work with lawyers in multiple jurisdictions every day and my view is that transactional law is more similar between big law firms in different countries than it is between a big law firm and a small shop in the same jurisdiction. The soft skills you’ll learn as a 1L student will be more important than the knowledge you gain of any substantive law that will differ between countries.

[Dinsdale]

In what world could working at a Magic Circle firm be construed as a negative?  It's a great opportunity that I would take, if it is actually open to you.  The only conceivable negative would be that some firms might see you as a flight risk, but you can overcome that in OCI's/interviews.  I'm sure Bay Street would be intrigued by that kind of 1L experience, assuming it is coupled with good to very good 1L grades.

[chaboywb]

4 hours ago, Rigel said:

Yes, several foreign firms I intend to work for are AM100 firms. Some are UK magic circle firms. 

I know nothing about hiring in Singapore and Shanghai, but I'd be interested in hearing how this works out for you as this statement comes off very bold. I feel like it must be difficult to land a role at one of those firms, especially when obtaining your degree in another country. But please report back if you take this route because I am genuinely curious.

[Rigel]

4 hours ago, chaboywb said:

I know nothing about hiring in Singapore and Shanghai, but I'd be interested in hearing how this works out for you as this statement comes off very bold. I feel like it must be difficult to land a role at one of those firms, especially when obtaining your degree in another country. But please report back if you take this route because I am genuinely curious.

Will PM you!

4 hours ago, Dinsdale said:

In what world could working at a Magic Circle firm be construed as a negative?  It's a great opportunity that I would take, if it is actually open to you.  The only conceivable negative would be that some firms might see you as a flight risk, but you can overcome that in OCI's/interviews.  I'm sure Bay Street would be intrigued by that kind of 1L experience, assuming it is coupled with good to very good 1L grades.

Thx! Yes the only thing I'm worried about is whether they would consider it as a flight risk, but guess I can fully explain it in cover letter or during oci process

[stampedelaw]

If you prefer to stay in Canada for a summer job, another alternative could be those summer programs provided by your school. Some schools have student legal assistance program. Some schools may have co-op. And there are lots of in-house positions too. One of my friends went to a law firm in Malaysia during 1L summer, which didn't help much for his 2L recruit. So I'm not sure about how much foreign law firm experience could help.

[Dinsdale]

But if I'm recruiting for a Sister on Bay Street and I see "1L Summer Student, Corporate Finance, Allen & Overy" on a resume, that is definitely going to capture my attention.  It's not like you see that every day.  I'm going to think "(s)he must have learned something useful".  At a minimum, it demonstrates a genuine interest in the practice area, which is one of the main things I am looking for to distinguish candidates.