Articling

Articling at BOYNECLARKE LLP

The Articling Experience

Because of the depth of our practice areas, BOYNECLARKE LLP is able to offer our articled clerks real exposure to many areas of law. Rather than assigning our clerks to a six month rotation in litigation and a six month rotation in corporate law, our clerks are assigned to multiple rotations through our various practice groups.

Depending on the size of the practice team, they are either assigned to the practice team as a whole, or to individual or pairs of lawyers. We try to make the individual rotations as interesting and diverse as possible. For example, in their Criminal Law rotation, our clerks are seconded to the Provincial or Federal Crown for a week to see how the “other side” does things.

We also like to think of BOYNECLARKE LLP as a “great place to work”. Although we are serious about the business of law, we also know it is important to maintain a friendly atmosphere in the office. We encourage our students and articled clerks to become involved in all of our social and recreational opportunities such as community volunteering events, team potluck lunches, get togethers, and more!

Hiring Process

BOYNECLARKE LLP typically hires four clerks as part of our hiring process which takes place during January/February of a student’s second year of law school, and we anticipate filling four articled clerk positions through this process for the 2025-2026 year. We do not hire first-year students.

When a student is offered a position at the end of the second year interview process, this offer is for an articling position, which usually starts the first of June, following the student’s graduation from law school. As is typical in the market, we also give the student the option of working with us during the summer between the student’s second and third year of law school. Unique to BOYNECLARKE LLP, however, is our Summer Student Program.

BOYNECLARKE LLP participates in the annual on-campus interviews at Dalhousie Schulich School of Law (January 2023) and welcomes applications from all other law schools both in Canada and abroad.

How Do I Apply?

Your application should contain a cover letter, resume, a list of references (at least two should be from individuals to whom you were a direct report), your undergraduate transcript and a copy of your unofficial law school transcript to date.

Inquiries and/or applications may be directed to:

Executive Assistant

BOYNECLARKE LLP
P.O. Box 876
Dartmouth, NS B2Y 3Z5

T: 902.469.9500
F: 902.463.7500
Email: executiveassistant@boyneclarke.ca

DALHOUSIE SCHULICH SCHOOL OF LAW AND UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK APPLICANTS

We are looking forward to participating in the annual on-campus interviews to be held in 2024.

Dalhousie students who would like to have a first interview with BOYNECLARKE LLP should submit their application to the Career Development Office (CDO).
- First Interviews – February 3rd, 2024
- Second Interviews – February 5th & 6th, 2024
- Reception and Dinner hosted by our Articling Committee (only for second interview candidates) – February 7th, 2024
- Job Offers – February 9th, 2024
UNB students who would like to have a first interview with BOYNECLARKE LLP should submit their application through the Law Careers Account.
- First Interviews – February 2nd, 2024
- Second Interviews – February 5th & 6th, 2024
- Reception and Dinner hosted by our Articling Committee (only for second interview candidates) – February 7th, 2024
- Job Offers – February 9th, 2024

Please contact the offices directly to confirm the application deadline.

NON-DALHOUSIE SCHULICH SCHOOL OF LAW APPLICANTS, INCLUDING OUT-OF-PROVINCE APPLICANTS

We are now accepting applications for 2025/2026 articled clerks. The application process is as follows:

Application Deadline – November 17th, 2023
First Interviews – December 19th & 20th, 2023
Second Interviews – February 5th & 6th, 2024
Reception and Dinner hosted by our Articling Committee (only for second interview candidates) – February 7th, 2024
Job Offers – February 9th, 2024

Required Application Materials:

Resume
Cover letter
Law school transcripts
Undergraduate transcripts
Graduate transcripts
Letters of reference or list of references

Our Articled Clerks and Summer Students

BOYNECLARKE LLP is pleased to introduce our current articled clerks and summer students:

Articled Clerks until May 31, 2024:

Anna Giddy
Makenzie Hill
Nadine Nasralla
Emma Vossen
Emma Wolfe-Parthun

Articled Clerks from June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025 (summer placements for 2023 shown in brackets) :

Kassandra Kelbratowski – (Phoenix Youth)
Laren Bedgood – (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada)
Marissa McBride – (Spencer House)
Kaisla Richardson

Indigenous Blacks & Mi’kmaq (IB&M) Initiative 1L Program Summer 2023:

Lorenze Cromwell

Our Articling Committee

Our Articling Committee is made up of a diverse group of senior partners and young associates. Members of the Committee include Duan J. Ash, David A. Collins, Allison J. Godwin, Alanna R. Mayne, Josh J. Sanitmaw, Doug W. Schipilow, Tracy S. Smith and Bill Toulany.

Committee members and their bios can be seen at the bottom of this page.

Salary and Benefits

Articled clerks at BOYNECLARKE LLP are paid a competitive salary. In addition, our current clerks enjoy the following benefits:

Two-weeks paid vacation;
Payment of all Articling and Bar Course (PREP) fees, including all materials;
Health coverage (no Dental);
Parking;
A lifestyle allowance of $500. This can be used towards a fitness membership or a similar program of the clerk’s choice.

Summer Student Program

The BOYNECLARKE LLP Summer Student Program is unique among law firms in the region. Instead of working in the law firm for the entire summer, our students have the opportunity to be paid by us, at a salary competitive with other large firms in HRM, but the student will actually work for a non-profit organization in the area.

How does this happen you might ask? The organizations submit proposals to the firm and these proposals are vetted to ensure the work offered is appropriate for the students and meets the goals of the program. The students are then provided with a list of approved organizations to choose from. We know that many students are already keenly involved in the community, therefore, there is also always the opportunity for a student to bring a proposal to us for an organization they are already involved in and who would benefit from our support.

The BOYNECLARKE LLP Summer Student Program has been running for a number of years and has proven to be an extraordinary success. Our students develop not only a strong sense of community and “giving back” which is essential to a career as a lawyer, but they are also given an early opportunity to network and become a part of their larger community.

Additionally, the Summer Student Program was honoured in 2010 with a Gold Award at the Lexpert Zenith Awards in the category of “Pro Bono by Law School Student or Students”. In 2011, it was the program that particularly impressed Atlantic Business Magazine’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award judges, who chose BOYNECLARKE LLP as one of the Philanthropy / Community Outreach winners.

Past participating organizations include:

Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia
Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia
Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq
Multicultural Association of Nova Scotia
Sport Nova Scotia
Phoenix Youth Programs
Eastern Front Theatre
The Duke of Edinburgh Awards
Basketball Nova Scotia
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Halifax Refugee Clinic
ReachAbility
Brain Injury Association of Nova Scotia
Halifax Association for Community Living
Metro Community Housing Association
Shelter Nova Scotia (formerly Saint Leonard’s Society of NS)
Nova Scotia Nature Trust
WWF – Canada
Elizabeth Fry Society
Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
East Coast Environmental Law

Indigenous Blacks & Mi’kmaq (IB&M) Initiative 1L Program

Why this role?

As the IB&M 1L Summer Law Student at BOYNECLARKE LLP (BC), you will have a unique opportunity to learn about law firm life from the inside out, own projects that will build skills as well as make a difference for the firm, and cultivate meaningful relationships that keep you connected into the future. Well-rounded experiences are the building blocks of a rewarding career, so you will spend time engaging with both internal client service colleagues in marketing or document centre as well as lawyers from practice areas such as property, business, or litigation where you will directly support research and work on files. Whether you are at client meetings or court, a marketing event, or your desk developing project work, your experience with BC will be a welcoming, supportive, and positively memorable one.

Why BOYNECLARKE LLP?

We are a dynamic, fast-growing, full-service law firm located in downtown Dartmouth with spectacular views of the Halifax Harbour. We understand that the success and well-being of our clients and our colleagues is often rooted in our shared community, which is why we are deeply invested in giving back. We strengthen and support our commitment to community through various programs and initiatives including volunteer and pro bono programs, employee-driven initiatives, and monthly community giving to employee-selected charities.

We also understand that work-life integration, health, and wellness play an important role in our team’s ability to be successful and maintain a vibrant working environment. Through social events, financial programs, wellness activities, and committee engagement such as Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Reconciliation (EDIR), our colleagues thrive at BOYNECLARKE (and they have for over 50 years!).

Why you?

Education, skills, and experience are important, of course. Equally important are your authentic attributes and interests:

Curiosity about the world and people around you inside and outside law school.
Empathy for others and their experiences that drives your desire to make a difference.
Entrepreneurial spirit that turns your creativity into action to carve your own path.
Growth-focus for life-long learning personally and professionally.
Proactive contribution individually and collectively as part of a diverse team.
Personal ownership to follow through on commitments.
Strong communication along your journey to make the most of every step.
Passionately interested in a rewarding career and community life.

How Do I Apply?

We welcome applications from all IB&M Initiative 1L students seeking a summer career opportunity. The application process is as follows: