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We recently conducted two surveys to better understand any current issues associated with the articling experience and the training of new lawyers.
From May to June 2024, the Law Societies of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan once again surveyed articling students/new lawyers and principals/mentors/recruiters, this time joined by the Law Society of British Columbia and the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society. These surveys are a follow-up to the 2019 articling surveys to see if or how the articling system has changed, and what areas still need work.
The information gathered from the surveys, in addition to other information and data collected from various sources, will inform next steps in addressing ongoing issues with lawyer competence and equity, diversity and inclusion.
Who We Heard From
The Law Society of Alberta heard from 433 student and new lawyer respondents out of a total of 3,018 (a 14% response rate). A 14% response rate is considered relatively standard for this type of market research.
We also heard from 344 principals, recruiters and non-principal mentors. A response rate for the principal, recruiter and mentor survey cannot be estimated as the role of mentor is not formally tracked by the Law Society.
We are appreciative of those who shared their experiences through the articling survey.
What We Heard
The 2024 survey results revealed two key findings:
- Half of respondents who completed articling feel prepared or very prepared for entry-level practice overall, and there has been a year-over-year improvement since 2022.
- Of those who responded, approximately one in three reported experiencing discrimination or harassment during recruitment and/or articling. This is comparable to the 2019 results.
Read the full report on our website for more detailed findings.
“We are disheartened to see that some new lawyers and current articling students are still struggling with less than ideal or even unsafe working conditions during their articles. A positive articling experience can provide new lawyers with a strong foundation for an ethical and competent legal career. A negative articling experience can lead to issues throughout the career of a lawyer,” says Deanna Steblyk, KC, Law Society of Alberta President.
In our role as regulator, the Law Society will continue to do what is within our mandate to support a more equitable and safer environment for articling students and new lawyers. While the Law Society is one piece of the puzzle and can focus on big picture initiatives, firms and organizations are uniquely positioned to have a direct impact on the articling experience. The survey results present an opportunity for us to look at new ways that we can engage with firms/organizations, the legal profession and other members of the legal community. Meaningful partnerships are key to tackling these important issues.
What We’re Doing Next
The Law Society of Alberta’s Strategic Plan covers this work under two of its three strategic goals: Competence and Public Confidence.
For more information on what we have done since 2019, what we have planned for the years to come and the detailed findings of the report, visit our website. While the survey is closed, our doors are always open. We are dedicated to continuing to work alongside articling students, lawyers, law firms and organizations to address these important issues. Questions about the survey results can be submitted to Feedback.
We encourage respondents and others to reach out if they are in uncertain or unsafe situations, or if they need resources or advice. The Office of the Equity Ombudsperson is available via email or phone at 587.391.6596, and our safe reporting process is detailed on our website.
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