Student Programs

Meaningful Work

Our students do more than observe. They contribute to real files and transactions and are given meaningful responsibility appropriate to their experience.

Depending on the matters underway, students may:

• attend court appearances, mediations, discoveries and client meetings;
• assist in preparing pleadings, motion materials, facta and legal memoranda;
• conduct legal research and contribute to case strategy;
• assist with corporate and commercial transactions;
• participate in commercial real estate, financing and other transactions and closings;
• conduct due diligence and review transaction documents; and
• work directly with associates and partners on client matters.

A Small Student Class

With only two to three students each year, we can provide an individualized experience, with regular access to lawyers at all levels of the firm and opportunities shaped by each student’s interests and development.

Explore the Firm 

During the summer, students do not participate in formal rotations. Instead, they are encouraged to work with lawyers across the firm and explore different areas of practice. This provides students with the flexibility to pursue work that interests them while gaining exposure to areas of law they may not previously have considered.

During articling, students rotate between our litigation and solicitor practices, providing focused experience on both sides of the firm. Within each rotation, students work with lawyers across a range of practice areas and are encouraged to take on varied assignments and develop their interests.

Throughout our summer and articling programs, students may gain experience across our practice areas, including:

• Business and Transactions
• Commercial Real Estate
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Secured Lending and Enforcement
• Tax
• Wills and Estates
• Employment

Learning to practise law requires judgment, communication, practical experience and the opportunity to learn from experienced lawyers.

Our students receive mentorship and support throughout their time at Robins Appleby. In addition to their articling principals, our articling students are paired with associate mentors who serve as an additional resource as they develop their skills and navigate the transition from law school to practice. Mentorship at Robins Appleby, however, extends beyond formal pairings. Our students work closely with associates and partners across the firm and receive practical guidance and feedback through their day-to-day work.

Students are also encouraged to participate in firm and practice group meetings, professional development programs and other learning opportunities available throughout their time with us.

Our summer program is intended for students who have completed their first year of law school.

Summer students do not participate in formal rotations. They work with lawyers across the firm and are encouraged to pursue assignments that interest them while gaining broad experience across our practices.

Through active client matters, summer students develop their legal research, writing, drafting, advocacy, communication and practice-management skills.

Our articling program is designed to prepare students for the transition from law school to practice.

Articling students rotate between our litigation and solicitor practices. Within each rotation, they work across the firm's practice areas and take on increasing responsibility as their skills and judgment develop.

Depending on their rotation and the matters underway, articling students may attend court appearances, discoveries, mediations and client meetings; conduct legal research and draft pleadings, motion materials and other court documents; communicate with clients and opposing counsel; assist with corporate, commercial, real estate and financing transactions, including closings and other aspects of transaction management; and assist with estate and tax planning matters, including drafting wills, trusts and other estate and tax planning documents.

Throughout the articling term, students receive mentorship and regular feedback from lawyers across the firm as they develop into capable, well-rounded lawyers.

Our students are members of the firm, not visitors to it.

Robins Appleby offers the opportunity to practise sophisticated law in a collegial environment. Students participate in firm activities and have opportunities to build relationships beyond the files on which they work.

We value initiative and independence, but we also recognize that students are here to learn. Our goal is to provide an environment in which students are challenged to grow while having access to the mentorship and support they need to succeed.

Robins Appleby hires two to three second-year law students for our summer student program each year.

2027 Summer Student Recruitment Information:

Robins Appleby does not participate in the Toronto On-Campus Interview process or Toronto Interview Week. Our recruitment process is conducted in accordance with the applicable Law Society of Ontario recruitment procedures.

For 2027 Summer Student Positions, we will accept applications from Friday November 6 to Tuesday November 10 at noon.  A link to apply will be available during this time.  Applications made outside this time period or not through our application link will not be reviewed.

Applications should include:

• a cover letter;
• résumé;
• undergraduate transcripts; and
• law school transcripts (with legend).
  

Please include materials in one PDF document, with your full name in the file name.

For 2027 Summer Student Positions, interviews will be held in person in our office on November 23 and 24.  We intend to communicate interview offers the week before.

While our experienced team will select and interview successful candidates, we may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist with screening and organizing applications.

What We Look For

There is no single profile of a successful Robins Appleby student.

We look for students who have demonstrated strong academic and communication skills, sound judgment, initiative and a genuine interest in developing as lawyers. We value candidates who are curious, engaged and comfortable taking responsibility for their work while collaborating with others.

We are also interested in what makes each candidate different. Professional experience, community involvement, extracurricular activities, leadership and experiences outside of law can all contribute to the perspective a student brings to the firm.

How many summer students does Robins Appleby hire?

We typically hire two to three second-year summer students each year.

Does Robins Appleby have rotations?

Our summer student program is flexible.  Summer students work across different practice areas and are encouraged to explore the types of work that interest them.

Articling students rotate between our transaction and litigation practice groups.

How is work assigned?

Students receive work from lawyers across the firm and are encouraged to develop relationships with different practice groups. We have no formal work allocation process: lawyers will contact students directly and students are also encouraged to reach out to lawyers in areas of interest for work opportunities.

Will I have an opportunity to work in different areas of law?

Yes. The summer student program is flexible in that students are not assigned to a particular practice area. 

 Articling students are assigned to rotations and work in a variety of different matters within their rotations in our transactional groups and litigation group.

What kind of responsibility will I have?

The level of responsibility will depend on the nature of the matter and the student’s experience. Our approach is to involve students meaningfully in our work and provide increasing responsibility as their skills develop, with appropriate supervision and support.

Are students assigned mentors?

Yes. Each student is paired with a mentor, but students also work with and receive guidance from lawyers throughout the firm.

Articling students have an articling principal as well as two associate mentors.

Do summer students return to article?

Our summer program is intended to develop future lawyers of the firm. We hope that our summer students will return to article with us and ultimately continue their careers at Robins Appleby.

Does Robins Appleby participate in OCIs?

No. Robins Appleby does not participate in the Toronto On-Campus Interview process or Toronto Interview Week.

Many of our lawyers began their careers at Robins Appleby as summer or articling students. We view our student program as an important part of developing the next generation of lawyers at the firm.