
The Law Society of Ontario has issued an update on the 2021 Toronto summer student recruitment procedures to facilitate an equitable and timely process for all participants. For more information visit the LSO’s website. In 2021, all OCI interviews will be virtual.
The LSO has implemented a staggered application process for the recruitment of all students in 2021. Applications will be collected by employers on two separate dates via viLawPortal:
1) Group A – Application deadline is Monday, January 18, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.
2) Group B – Application deadline is Monday, January 25, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.
The Group B deadline includes:
- All NCA candidates, including self-study NCA candidates;
- NCA candidates enrolled in a LLM at OsgoodePD;
- NCA candidates enrolled in University of Toronto Global Professional Master of Laws Program (GPLLM);
- NCA candidates enrolled in the Distance Learning Program at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia; and
- NCA candidates enrolled in the University of Alberta Internationally Trained Lawyer Program.
Other important Deadlines are as follows:
- Application for interviews on Monday January 25, 2021 at 5:00PM
- March 2, 2021 is the commencement of Interview Week
The Law Society advises there will be no recruitment activities between Monday January 18 at 5:00pm to Tuesday March 2, 2021 at 8:00am except for scheduling of on-campus interviews, and recruitment activities during the March 2, interview week. During this time period, applicants should except to hear back that either a) the firm will or will not be interviewing a student during the March 2 interview week, b) that the interviewing will be conducted with these Procedures and c) that it will or will not be inviting that student to a meal, reception or similar event during March 2 interview week. Candidates should not except to hear from law firms prior 8:00am Monday February 22, 2021 as per the Law Society’s recommendation.
Due to the covid-19 pandemic, the Law Society is suggesting for remote interviews however cannot regulate the manner in which schools and employees conduct interviews.