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Notes on law, careers, and getting hired

Straight talk on articling, law school, the NCA route, and life in the profession, written for the people building legal careers across Canada.

30 articles in Career Paths · Clear

Two lawyers shaking hands over a desk in a bright meeting room
Career Paths7 min read

Choosing a Practice Area Without Boxing Yourself In

Picking a practice area feels like a permanent verdict, but it rarely is. Here is how to commit enough to grow real skill while staying genuinely open to change.

Priya Anand
Vancouver's downtown towers rising above the harbour at dusk
Career Paths7 min read

From Big Law to Boutique: Why Lawyers Downshift

Leaving a large firm for a smaller one is rarely about burnout alone. Here is what actually drives experienced lawyers to downshift, and what they gain and give up.

Elena Marchetti
A stone courthouse facade under a bright sky
Career Paths8 min read

Careers in Legal Knowledge, Precedents, and Publishing

Behind every winning argument sits a knowledge lawyer, a precedent, or an editor nobody sees. Here are the legal careers that keep the profession running, and how to break in.

Daniel Kwon
A calm law office with soft afternoon light across a wooden desk
Career Paths7 min read

How to Pivot Practice Areas Mid-Career

Switching your area of law after you have built a reputation feels like starting over. It isn't. Here is how to move deliberately without torching the equity you already have.

Priya Anand
Two lawyers in conversation across a table in a bright meeting room
Career Paths8 min read

Secondments: A Smart Way to Explore Career Directions

A secondment lets you live inside a practice setting for a few months before you commit to it. Here is how to use one to test a direction, not just fill a gap.

Elena Marchetti
Two people shaking hands across a table in a bright, welcoming room
Career Paths7 min read

Careers in Indigenous Law and Reconciliation Work

Indigenous law is one of the fastest-growing and most meaningful areas of Canadian practice. Here is what the work actually involves and how to build a career in it with care.

Priya Anand
The Vancouver skyline at dusk seen across the water
Career Paths7 min read

How Lawyers Move From a Firm to In-House Successfully

The move from private practice to in-house is less about escaping billables and more about timing, positioning, and knowing what a business actually wants from its first lawyer in the room.

Elena Marchetti
The stone facade of a Canadian courthouse under a clear sky
Career Paths7 min read

Non-Profit and Charity Legal Work: What It's Like

What it actually feels like to practise law in the charitable sector: the pay trade-off, the variety of files, and the kind of person who thrives there.

Daniel Kwon