Our Firm

We are a union-side labour and employment law firm with offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Kingston, and Winnipeg. Our practice is national in scope and includes administrative law, human rights, Charter litigation, and disability benefits, among other areas of law. We regularly appear before labour boards, arbitrators, human rights tribunals, and courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. RavenLaw only represent unions, employees, progressive organizations, or complainants.

The Student Experience

We integrate our summer and articling students into all areas of our practice. This includes assisting lawyers in interviewing clients, drafting pleadings and legal memos, researching legal arguments, and preparing for hearings. Articling students may have the opportunity to take on Small Claims and other court appearances, as well as certain tribunal hearings. Besides research and advocacy training, you will learn important practice management skills that are necessary for a successful legal practice. All of our lawyers are invested in providing mentorship and feedback throughout this process to make the student experience balanced and rewarding.

In addition to working with our firm, our summer program includes the unique opportunity to complete a five-to-six week paid social justice internship. Through this internship, students are seconded to a public interest or social justice organization to work on a legal project that advances that organization’s mission. This internship stems from our ongoing commitment to supporting progressive legal work, both inside and outside our firm.

Our articling students are represented by CUPE Local 1281. The terms and conditions of employment for articling students are determined by a collective agreement.

What We Are looking For

We want candidates with practical and life experience, and a philosophical commitment to workers’ rights and social justice. We rely on our students to bring an active, creative problem-solving approach to clients’ issues. We are looking for students with a strong academic background, skills in client relations, research, organization and advocacy.

RavenLaw encourages applications for summer and articling positions from students who self-identify as being from one or more of the following designated groups and has regard for this factor in making hiring decisions: Aboriginal peoples, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, trans and gender-nonconforming individuals, members of the LGBTQ+ community and women.

Applying To Our Firm

If you are interested in applying to our firm, please submit your cover letter, resume, undergraduate and law school transcripts, two letters of reference, and at least two writing samples.

Summer students: Our firm follows the schedule for summer student recruitment in Ottawa. Applications for summer positions are typically due mid January.

Articling students: Application deadlines for articling positions are set by the Law Society and are usually in May.

All inquiries about summer and articling positions should be directed to studentrecruitment@ravenlaw.com or by telephone at (613) 567-2901. We encourage you to contact the firm if you would like to talk to our current students about their experience.

Click here to learn about our Student Scholarships