Student Support & Resources

With one of the most extensive law libraries in BC, Farris has a wealth of in-house resources for lawyers, students, and clients.

Law Library

The collection in our law library is surpassed only by the BC Courthouse Library and the Law School at UBC. The Farris law library contains historical statutes, law reports, and journals dating back to the early 1900s. This material provides a significant benefit to our clients, many of whom have been in business for decades.

Staffed by a full-time Law Librarian and Library Technician, our library provides access to numerous resources including Quicklaw, Lexis, LawSource, Livedgar, and a wide variety of CD Rom products. Our Library Services Team is available to provide students with ongoing training and support as required.

Technology

All students have their own computer, with Internet access. We operate in Windows XP Professional using Microsoft Word and Interwoven’s Worksite/Desksite document management system - a leading system in the marketplace today. We use Microsoft Back Office, including Microsoft Exchange - which integrates mail, calendar and a contact database with the Microsoft suite of programs - as well as remote access services that allow high-speed Internet access from outside the firm via services such as Telus’ ADSL. Those with only modem access can use our Citrix MetaFrame/Microsoft Terminal Server to dial into the system and access our entire network, regardless of the technology they are using.

Secretarial

Our students – approximately eight throughout the year – are supported by a senior secretary and junior secretaries.

Word Processing

Word processing support is available from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. five days per week, and from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday if needed.

Premises

We have recently completed comprehensive renovations (see photos) to the premises we have occupied for 30 years. The renovations combine the classic, traditional image of our firm with state-of-the-art amenities to best accommodate our clients, lawyers, and staff.

Law Student Offices

Unique among many firms, we aim to assign each student to a private, exterior office with a commanding view. Although law students rotate among practice areas, they usually retain their offices for the duration of their articles.

Lounge

We offer a subsidized full-service cafeteria. In addition, lawyers, and law students can relax in our comfortable lounge, which is equipped with various amenities.

Compensation and Benefits

Salaries

We compensate our students and associates at the top of the Vancouver salary range.

Benefits

Our benefits programs for articling students are highly competitive, and include medical, dental, life insurance, AD & D, extended health, and long term disability coverage.

Tuition and Memberships

Farris pays each articling student’s

Salary during PLTC and the Bar Admission Course
Articling enrolment and bar admission fees
Canadian Bar Association membership fee

Summer Students

We compensate our summer students at the same level of salary as our articled students. In addition, our summer students who return to article at the firm receive third year tuition fees and a book allowance to a maximum of $6,500.

Vacation, Leave and Sabbaticals

Articled students are entitled to two weeks of paid vacation, taken at a mutually agreeable time. Leaves and sabbaticals are addressed on an individual basis. Summer students receive four (4%) percent vacation pay.

Legal Career Potential

The career opportunities at Farris are excellent, and students who have articled with us are prevalent among our Partners and Associates.

Hire Back Record

Historically, we have hired a relatively small number of law students for a law firm our size, but have hired back a high percentage of summer students as articled students, and articled students as Associates.

Hireback Ratios: Articling Students

2007-2008: 7 out of 9
2006-2007: 7 out of 8
2005-2006: 8 out of 8
2004-2005: 6 out of 8
2003-2004: 5 out of 8
2002-2003: 4 out of 7
2001-2002: 6 out of 8
2000-2001: 6 out of 8
1999-2000: 5 out of 6
1998-1999: 7 out of 8
1997-1998: 7 out of 8

Hire Back Timing

Our decision to hire back an articling student is made approximately two months before the student’s call date. We aim to communicate offers of articling positions to summer students by the last week of June.

Factors That Govern Hire Back Decisions

Our decision to hire back a student is governed by a number of factors, including performance, compatibility, potential, current need, and economic conditions. From time to time, we have hired back articling law students who have demonstrated exceptional promise, even though our needs at the time did not warrant it.