ARTICLING STUDENT

Before a person can become a member of the Ontario bar, he or she must complete the licensing process. This consists of completing two 7-hour tests on the law, a 5-week skills and professional responsibility course and a 10-month term as an articling student.

An articling student is like a short-term “apprentice” to an articling principal: a lawyer such as myself. The principal must be approved by the Law Society of Upper Canada and submit an education plan that covers the Law Society’s mandated criteria.

I have had the privilege to educate some bright, talented young lawyers-to-be over the years. I have also always been careful to assign them tasks appropriate to the skill level of the particular student. If my articling student is working on your file, rest assured that he/she is suitable for the job, and that the tasks undertaken are subject to my direct supervision.

Current Articling Student, Jonathan Kline

Jonathan Kline is my current articling student and I am very pleased to have him with the firm. Jonathan was employed here during the summer of 2006 following his second year of law school. Jonathan did an excellent job; I invited him to article with me for the 2007-2008 articling term.

Jonathan is a graduate with high distinction from the University of Toronto and a graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. At law school, he co-chaired The Advocate’s Circle, a student group dedicated to bringing litigators and judges to the Faculty of Law to educate students on the realities of legal practice. He also volunteered with:

DLS, the U of T legal clinic (Family and Criminal)
Pro Bono Students Canada’s (PBSC) Family Law Project
PBSC’s Wills Clinic
LAWS – a diverse mentoring program for local high school students

In addition, Jonathan has a background in amateur theatre. He directed and produced a student production in his third year of law school, and played the male lead in a one-act comedy in his first year of law school.

Jonathan is a well-rounded individual who is an asset to the firm and to its clients. He has written a very interesting article on Power Imbalances in Family Mediation, which can be read here.