A report on the 2014 Articling Surveys has been released, following up on the 2019 articling program review. This initiative is part of an ongoing collaborative effort among the law societies of Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia to enhance the articling process across these jurisdictions.
In Manitoba, 108 articling students and new lawyers, along with 45 principals, recruiters, and mentors, participated in the surveys.
Key Findings
The survey revealed that half of respondents felt prepared to enter practice after completing articling, and that the most valuable aspect for both students and mentors was hands-on legal experience. However, mentors struggled with limited time to provide quality guidance, a challenge consistent with previous surveys.
Concerning equity, diversity, and inclusion, 28% of respondents reported experiencing discrimination or harassment during recruitment or articling, with higher rates among women, racialized individuals, and internationally educated students. Additionally, 47% of internationally trained respondents reported that they were not paid for their articling work, and 19% of these unpaid students identified as part of an equity-deserving group. These findings point to significant disparities in the articling experience, particularly for internationally trained students, who often face different challenges than their Canadian-trained counterparts.
Next Steps
These results highlight opportunities for the Law Society to raise awareness of available equity resources and consider initiatives to improve the articling experience for all students. Moving forward, a cross-jurisdictional analysis will be conducted to compare articling experiences across the participating provinces.
To learn more, download the final report by clicking the link below.
