About Students
Stieber Berlach is Toronto’s leading insurance defense law boutique and students are a critical part of our success.
We cultivate skills that help students become effective advocates, both inside and outside of the courtroom. Students at Stieber Berlach regularly appear before associate judges of the Superior Court of Justice. As a student at our firm, you will argue motions; draft and prepare pleadings, motion materials, mediation briefs, and pre-trial briefs; and conduct research related to complex actions and applications before the courts or various tribunals.
Compensation and Benefits
We pay our summer and articling students in line with similarly-sized boutique law firms in downtown Toronto. Our articling students receive paid vacation time, as well as dental and health benefits. Stieber Berlach also pays the licensing and examination fees for our articling students to become members of the Law Society of Ontario.
Interested in becoming an articling or a summer student at Stieber Berlach LLP? Please forward your information to:
Grant Ferguson
416.594.4682
Email: gferguson@sblegal.ca
-
Articling Students
Following their last year of law school, Stieber Berlach’s summer students return to the firm to complete their articles. Over the course of the 10-month articling term, students gain progressive experience, culminating in their call to the bar, by which time they are equipped with the skills to join the profession and become effective litigators (often atStieber Berlach, as the firm hires back at a number of students as associates–see testimonials).
During the articling term, students routinely and independently draft correspondence with opposing counsel, carry motions–from drafting the initial Notice of Motion to arguing a said motion in court, and even carry small claims files of their own. Students also work with our lawyers in complex litigation matters, where they gain significant exposure to the diverse and challenging work that we do. Stieber Berlach’s student program transforms law students with an interest in litigation into effective advocates, ready to practice in today’s legal landscape.
-
Summer Students
Stieber Berlach’s 2L Summer Student Program provides students with the comprehensive experience of working at the firm’s offices at the Richmond-Adelaide Centre, located at York and Adelaide Streets in the heart of downtown Toronto. As part of the program, summer students will shadow designated lawyers for the first few weeks of the summer and attend scheduled mediations, pre-trials, motions, and examinations for discovery alongside their mentor lawyers. Students will also learn to navigate Ontario’s court system, regularly corresponding with court staff and booking motions.
-
Student Testimonials
-
Christian Breukelman
“It is hard to overstate how formative one’s time as a student is to their career as a litigator. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to article at Stieber Berlach. As a student, I was given real responsibilities, asked to interact directly with both counsel and clients, and quickly became an essential part of the team on every file I worked on.
Students at Stieber Berlach are given the opportunity to prepare pleadings and motion materials, attend examinations for discovery, and even argue their own motions. In my own experience, I was assigned interesting, challenging, and meaningful work from the get-go and quickly found myself to be a regular in court. During my time as a student, I brought my own motions from scratch and argued them, handled my own small claims matters, and even assisted with two trials.
While there is always a learning curve, the lawyers at Stieber Berlach take mentorship seriously and are always happy to provide their guidance and assistance. By the time I was called to the bar, I felt confident, ready to take on my own files, and fully integrated into the firm. I would highly recommend articling at Stieber Berlach to anybody interested in pursuing a career in litigation.”
Leigh Clark
“Working first as a summer student at Stieber Berlach before articling with the firm was a fantastic way to ease into the world of civil litigation. During those four months, I drafted motion materials attended discoveries and mediations with senior lawyers, drafted memos and pleadings, and was asked to do research for an appeal that was being heard at the Supreme Court.
The transition into articling wasn’t as steep because I’d worked a summer with the firm already. Throughout articling, the lawyers were supportive and always happy to ensure I was gaining exposure to all the areas of civil litigation that piqued my interest. One of the best parts of articling at Stieber Berlach is the breadth of the firm’s practice areas, which allowed me to gain experience in a variety of interesting and challenging areas of law – some I hadn’t even realized interested me! In addition to the work I did as a summer student, I also attended and argued motions, consulted experts, drafted materials for pre-trials and mediations, and took part in client calls and strategy discussions.
Stieber Berlach is a fantastic place to be a student and I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from excellent litigators in such a supportive and inclusive environment. The firm’s articling program allows you to get hands-on experiences and meaningful work from the outset, which provides ample opportunity for growth and learning so you can really take advantage of all that your articling term has to offer.”
Noah Eklove
“Working as a student at Stieber Berlach was an incredibly rewarding and educational experience. With every assignment I received, the assigning lawyer took the time to clearly explain the nature of the file and the legal questions at issue. I worked closely with partners and associates who were generous with their time, which enabled me to get valuable feedback on my work and learn a great deal early in my legal career. Stieber Berlach offers students the opportunity to work on meaningful assignments with the support and guidance necessary to succeed. As a summer student, I prepared motion materials, drafted pleadings, developed my research skills, attended examinations for discovery, and even had the chance to help prepare materials that were relied on before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Despite articling during the pandemic, it was still an incredible learning experience as the lawyers made every effort to ensure it was just as informative and engaging as the year prior. As an articling student, I gained significant civil litigation experience in a number of different practice areas. In addition to the work I did as a summer student, I also had the opportunity to draft materials for mediations and pre-trials, argue my own motions, develop advocacy skills and participate in strategic conversations with both clients and counsel.
The articling program provided me with the skills and experience to confidently manage my own files as a first-year associate. Although entering the legal profession can be daunting at times, students at Stieber Berlach are given the support and mentorship to ensure that the experience is extremely rewarding.”
Lujza Csanyi
“Summering and articling at Stieber Berlach is a truly rewarding experience that prepares students for a career in civil litigation. From day one, I have felt like a valuable member of the Stieber Berlach team. The collegiality of the firm and dedication to its clients really fosters an environment for students to learn and grow.
Students contribute substantively to the firm, and have the opportunity to do work that is both complex and meaningful. The firm offers an excellent opportunity for students to hone their research and advocacy skills, and regularly invites students to observe client meetings, examinations for discovery, mediations, and pre-trials. Students also have the opportunity to develop their legal writing skills while drafting pleadings, motion materials, and research memos. I thoroughly enjoyed my student experience and highly recommend Stieber Berlach.”
Landan Peleikis
“As someone with a passion for litigation, summering and articling at Stieber Berlach was an incredibly informative and rewarding experience. I had the invaluable opportunity to work on complex files and actively engage in a wide array of legal activities. I drafted pleadings, mediation briefs, pre-trial briefs, motion materials, litigation plans, letters to clients, legal opinions and research memos. I also assisted in preparing appeal materials for the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.
In addition to honing my drafting and legal analysis skills, I consistently attended and participated with counsel at examinations for discovery, mediations, motions, client interviews, and pre-trials. Perhaps the most memorable part of my articling term was assisting Christian Breukelman at trial, where we successfully defended a paralegal in an action for breach of contract and professional negligence. Equally as important, the lawyers at Stieber Berlach take pride in mentoring their students and are always willing to provide guidance and assistance.
Overall, my summer and articling terms provided an immersive and well-rounded education that prepared me to excel as a lawyer. I highly recommend summering at Stieber Berlach to anyone interested in pursuing a career in civil litigation.”
Grace Murdoch
“Stieber Berlach is an excellent firm for any student who is interested in learning how to be a litigator. I have been a Summer Student and Articling Student at Steiber Berlach and feel incredibly grateful for the experiences I have had and the support I have received.
I originally started with the firm during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when the firm operated virtually. Despite initially working from home, I immediately felt welcomed and like I was part of the team. Lawyers frequently reached out to provide help, answer questions, and offer advice. When I returned for Articling and work transitioned back to an in-person format, I still felt that same level of support and collegiality from everyone at the firm. There is a genuine culture of mentorship here and a willingness among all lawyers to share knowledge about the legal profession with students.
What particularly stands out to me about my time at Stieber Berlach is its investment in students’ success and interests. Students are given real responsibilities and opportunities to participate in all stages of litigation for a diverse range of legal issues. The work that students do is taken seriously and valued by the lawyers, allowing for meaningful feedback and the opportunity to see how the results of such work benefits clients. As a result, students can explore their interests and gain an in-depth understanding of the civil litigation process from start to finish, helping ease the transition for when they will eventually handle their own files as future lawyers.
Steiber Berlach is a very welcoming firm that offers fantastic hands-on experiences and professional development opportunities. Though the student experience is a relatively short one, students here quickly develop the skills that will help them confidently start their careers as litigators.”