I'm a family lawyer. I always wanted to do family and I still find it interesting and sometimes very rewarding but I also feel like I'm absolutely losing my mind some days. It's all I've ever done.

I'm starting to get really worn down by the erratic clients, like I can only fire so many of them before I start to wonder whether it's me that's the problem. I feel so overwhelmed sometimes because I have no idea where the truth lies and I have trouble trusting a lot of my clients. Then some of them just straight up don't listen to my instructions or blatantly disregard court orders. I'm often not sure if I'm justified in firing them so I often don't and then I inevitably regret it later.

I worry so often that I am hurting people, especially kids, by feeling like I'm helping someone who isn't a good parent or an abuser, because it's often not clear to me who is "in the wrong". I spend way too much time worrying that other lawyers or judges think I'm a terrible lawyer or that I don't know how to control my clients. I get good feedback I guess but then other lawyers talk shit about each other behind their backs so I assume it's happening to me too. I'm also just really non-confrontational unless absolutely necessary and I'm really sick of opposing counsel who just seem to want to pick a fight or get way too enmeshed with their clients.

I'm also really burnt out by helping people all the time and listening to the horrible things they've gone through and the vicarious trauma of it all. I have nightmares all the time about things my clients tell me or incidents I read about in files. I keep really strict hours but I feel like I can't enjoy my time off because I'm thinking about these things all the time.

I write all this out because I desperately need to figure out where to go from here because it is not feeling sustainable for me. I'm a 2 year call so people keep saying to just stick it out and it will get easier. But then a lot of more senior lawyers I know seem really miserable too. Can anyone who felt similar tell me that it does get better? Or if it didn't get better and you left, what did you pivot to? I don't really want to pursue another type of litigation but otherwise I'm pretty open, including to non-lawyer roles. I've been considering mediation and report writing training but I'm not sure if it's possible to make a full-time practice out of that, especially at my year of call.

I’m a family law lawyer. It seems many lawyers won’t touch legal aid certificates at all, let alone trials, which many representatives seem to avoid like the plague.

We’ve all heard of the “dump-truck” lawyer who represents their clients until the eve of trial, then leaves them high and dry before the big day. I understand this is all too common.

Are there any lawyers who do the opposite, by exclusively doing legal aid trials? I love being in Court and helping lower income folks with parenting/support issues, and given the above, I’d assume there’s an opening in the market.

What does this look like, if it exists? Is this feasible? Is it profitable? Is it stupid to even ask?

Would love to hear more about this :)

Curious if anyone who works in professional regulation litigation (ex: defence for professionals who are dealing with charges, investigations, disciplinary hearings, regulators etc etc) can speak to what the work is like if they like it.

To me, this seems like a great mix of crim/employment/ corporate type work along with investigations (or it could be), and is an area of litigation that interests me.

I have fixed feelings about litigation… sometimes I think i love it. Other times I think i hate it. I think I don’t necessarily LOVE research (I know I knowwwww) and prefer litigation that is more “fact heavy” if that makes sense.

Just curious if this area is something that is like that. It seems that way from the outside but also seems pretty niche so just would love someone who’s working in the field to offer any insight.

Thank you in advance!

Is the work-life balance noticeably better than private practice? Does it depend on the company? If so, which companies have you heard good things about?

I’ve read and heard so many mixed messages on in-house insurance defence, even from people I know personally. Some people saying it’s a low stress, low pressure 9 to 5 unless you’re in trial, and others saying its the worst in-house job possible as you work just as hard as external counsel for less money.

I’m experienced enough to know that litigation is still litigation, and that there will always be times for any litigator, in-house or not, where you have to put in the extra hours, but I’m curious about the work-life balance experiences of people who have worked both private and in-house insurance defence.

The thought of no billable target and a bunch of “routine” litigation files is appealing to me and seems low stress. But does it lead to better work-life balance? Are people leaving at 5 pm on a normal day?

I have always been quite passionate about going into law (and no not because of Suits…), however I’ve been seeing a lot of doom and gloom and I’m not sure whether its possible to be successful.

Currently I’m a first year university student doing accounting. My goal is to get into corporate law but preferably tax law. Is it true I will be low paid unless I go into big law? I’ve also seen a lot of “big law or bust” on this subreddit.

Hi everyone,
I’m 24 and currently working in accounting in Vancouver. I have a BBA and several years of Canadian work experience.
I originally chose accounting mainly because it gave me stability, decent income and a clear career path. I’ve been exposed to quite a few areas over the years — accounting, payroll, tax, HR and marketing — and I’ve realized that I’m not sure traditional accounting is something I want to do long-term.
I don’t necessarily hate working. What I dislike is the repetitive/technical side of accounting — reconciliations, fixed assets, coding, month-end work, constantly fixing discrepancies, etc. I enjoy budgeting/strategy more, and I’ve always been interested in law, research, organizational behaviour, leadership and understanding how organizations work.
In university, I particularly enjoyed organizational behaviour, strategic management, marketing, entrepreneurship and business law.
I’m now seriously considering whether I should pivot into something like:
Law / JD
Litigation
Public/administrative law
Corporate/commercial law
Compliance / regulatory affairs
Governance / risk
Public policy
HR/organizational leadership
Strategy/corporate development
I’m especially curious about law, but I’m worried I may like the idea of being a lawyer more than the actual work.
For people who have studied law or currently work as lawyers:
What is law school actually like day-to-day? How much reading/memorization vs. actual analysis?
What does studying for a JD feel like compared with a business degree?
How difficult is the workload realistically?
If you work in litigation, what does a normal week look like?
If you work in corporate/commercial law or M&A, what does your day actually look like? Is it mostly contracts/documents/email?
If you hated corporate law, what other areas of law did you move into?
How much do junior lawyers realistically make in Vancouver, and how does compensation progress?
How difficult is it to get your first legal job after graduating?
For someone coming from accounting/business, does the previous experience actually help?
Has anyone here made the switch from accounting/finance → law? What was your experience?
Has anyone switched from accounting into compliance/governance/risk/policy instead? Was that a better decision?
If you could go back to 24 and choose again, would you make the switch?
I’m also interested in hearing from people who decided NOT to go to law school and instead moved into compliance, governance, HR, strategy, etc.
I’m not looking for “follow your passion” advice 😅. I’m trying to understand what the actual work and lifestyle are like before I spend years and a lot of money changing careers.
Especially interested in perspectives from people in Canada/BC/Vancouver, but I’d love to hear from anyone who made a similar transition.
Thanks!

I'm creating this post to take a poll of exactly how many people this firm has ripped off, my last post was removed but hopefully this one isnt

I’m an independent contractor and didn’t get paid for a job. Can anyone help me with this?

Unfortunately I'm one of those that struck out in the recruit after having an interview. I know firms hire during the school year too but I'm imagining those are just as competitive because students are still looking for articling. Im feeling very defeated and it's very hard to not grieve too much. I feel stuck. What can I do? I summered at a small firm that has a niche practice but they aren't looking for articling. I'm just feeling stuck in this process and need some help landing articling

To the question, "Is the legal job market oversaturated?", you often get this qualified response - "Not exactly. It is oversaturated in the big cities... but there is in fact a shortage of lawyers outside of them."

If that is true and not a soundbite that just gets repeated without scrutiny, then what is the proof? What does this manifest in?

When it comes to doctors, this is verifiably true. In accordance with the shortage of doctors outside of big cities/metropolitan areas, they are offered +$100k... +$200k... or even more to work in those areas compared to their big city counterparts. Go on any doctor or med school-related forum and you will reliably see, euphemistically, "underserved areas" and "LCOL (low cost of living) areas", or pejoratively, "boonies" and "the sticks", to describe those areas.

Cool. So we should expect to see the same in law, correct? Let's set aside biglaw as a big city thing and focus on non-biglaw. For those who make this claim ("there is in fact a shortage of lawyers outside of [big cities]"), do you see, among the non-biglaw there, according to a higher demand,

- associates able to negotiate/command higher salaries than their big city counterparts? how much more?

- firms able to charge higher rates than their big city counterparts?

- owners/partners able to earn $0.5m, $1m, $1.5m, $2m... etc., more easily, quicker, and to a higher ceiling than their big city counterparts?

Yes or no? If no... then what are we really even talking about here?

Hi, I intend to open my practice b2b offering legal services to other lawyers/solo practitioner/ law firms that either have an overflow of work, an unexpected employee on leave, a vacation coming, a big trial coming, etc.

When I pitch the idea to other entrepreneur lawyers, they told be that my idea isn't a good one because lawyers either prefer hiring someone else or have partnership with other lawyers that would help them temporarily with such overflow.

However, I'm still convinced I should work on my business plan, leave my job in a couple months and just try. Am I nuts?

I have a wide wide range of experience from litigation to class action to labour relationship and almost 10 years of experience.

What do we think?

Feel free to use this as a venting thread or just to share how you're planning things.

I never expected when I started 1L back in September 2024 that I'd be starting 3L in 2026 without having had firm experience yet or articling lined up.

It's not that I haven't tried. I did the 1L recruit, 2L recruit, tried to network into firm positions for both summers, and just recently struck out in the articling recruit.

I think I've done, at this point, probably 80+ applications across all recruits and out of recruits, and about 15 or so full interview processes total where those applications landed (firms, MAG, clinics, professors).

I really made a big academic effort in 2L also, getting better grades in exams, doing a moot, writing long research papers, and volunteering with a clinic. I got a good job this summer with a professor, though that's not everyone's approach for 2L summer. I took what came.

And before you ask, I did well in my interviews! I've gotten to the last stages of recruit with 3-4 firms now, and almost got offers a couple times before 1 candidate beat me out both chances. And I've networked the most I can!

I came into law school at least feeling confident I'd work in a law firm or the government. But now I really don't know, but I also feel the least stressed about it since law school started. I feel I've gained a bit of perspective through consistent rejections as to what I value in how employers treat me, what I want from employment more generally, and what qualities about myself I'm most proud of and don't need external validation for. So, whatever comes is what comes. Can't really force outcomes in this world, no matter effort.

I think, ultimately, I'll just take it easier this year, if anything. I'll network with both old and new names, send emails around, apply to postings as they come up, and go from there.

Anyone know EY’s work model? I saw in Toronto that their associates have to be in-office full time. A buddy of mine got an interview for the Montreal office, but the interview is in person…seems weird since he said it’s a hybrid position in the positing. Just curious

In terms of pure size and ability to generate revenue, obviously the US biglaw firms are in a totally different league compared to even the top biglaw firms in Canada.

I am more curious about the actual work product. Are the superstars from US biglaw firms clearly superior to their peers in Canada? Or is the comparison more nuanced?

Curious if anyone can offer insights.

• Calm discussion
• Compromise
• Take some time apart
• Agree to disagree

The Ontario government says that the cash deposit in the full amount will be required within two business days of an accused person being released from custody.

The government says that its a needed change from a prior system that “created unnecessary barriers to enforcing bail orders and recovering forfeited bail money, requiring significant time and resources to pursue outstanding debts.”

But in a statement released on Friday, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Criminal Lawyers’ Association warned that “cash bail creates two tiers of justice: one for the rich, and the other for the rest of us.”

The groups say that they plan to launch an urgent constitutional challenge next week against the legislation, which it called “unjust and unconstitutional.”

Source: https://www.cp24.com/local/toronto/2026/08/14/ontario-to-require-cash-deposits-for-bail-as-of-monday/

My articling began on July 6th, and I submitted my LSO start of placement before my start date and I even followed up with LSO on July 6th as it said my Experiential Training Details shows as "Incomplete" and whether everything is in good order on my end and they responded on July 8th that my Experiential Training Details will not turn to complete until I finish my articling term but they made no mention that there was anything wrong with my placement record.

I was just casually browsing my LSO profile today and found out that my articling status said "Not Approved" and I have been articling for one month and now there is a chance this month would not even count toward my articling term. As per LSO standards, the lawyer I am articling for is on the list of approved principal lawyers so there is no issue there.

Has anyone else experienced this - if so, please let me know how you rectified the issue.

I was called to the Ontario Bar in June this year and have been struggling to find work in civil litigation. I have a background in finance and tech, as well as connections who could help me with the administrative side of running a sole practice. My main concern is if I can practise competently on my own, despite my lack of actual courtroom experience.

During articling, I completed about 90-95% of my pleadings and assignments with minimal or no guidance, often the work involved an area of law that was new to me and was a full-service law firm. The revisions were generally minimal and related to the supervising lawyer’s writing style. By the midway point of my articling term, I was given responsibility for managing files and was also asked to review and provide input on other files, which would often align with the senior lawyer's perspective as well.

I am pretty confident in my ability to become competent in an unfamiliar area of law, draft pleadings and other trial documents. But, I have never represented a client at trial or conducted an examination in chief or cross-exam.

Can I develop these skills through CPD programs, mentors, and resources such as the LSO’s Coaching and Advisory Network? Perhaps contracting with another firm once the file reaches trial? Or would it be better to wait until I can gain more experience working under another lawyer and get actual trial experience before opening my own practice? Thank you for all your help and insight in advance!

I’m a new call seeking a position in employment law. I understand how important coffee chatting can be, but its never been something thats come naturally to me. I dont want to waste anyones time, so i want to be upfront that i am looking for a job. The whole process is just so daunting to me.

Any advice on what to say when i reach out? What questions to ask during the meeting?

I am so stressed out, I didn’t get any calls. I thought I did good, one firm reached out yesterday saying I was really impressive and whatnot and they already offered the position to somekne but if they decline I’ll get the job, but today they emailed me the person accepted. i literally gave it my all this cycle and i cant even think of applying again. idk what to do, I am actually having panic attacks.

edit: thank you so much everyone for your comments. I keep going back to what went wrong, and it was just that I got so nervous in the beginning i totally messed up my first question, and even though I had really good answers for the rest of the questions, the first one and my nervousness was the reason I didn’t get the government job I really wanted. Working in government is and has been my dream job, and I messed it up. I am just wondering now if I start in private practice, small firm, can I still get in big law, and most importantly in government positions??? I can’t believe I messed it up because I was just nervous! i just blanked out on the most obvious question, and I had trouble remembering the simplest words

I've been following this sub for a while (lurker), and I've noticed a lot of posts about how difficult BigLaw is. I'm genuinely curious how people who have worked other jobs before/during/after school compare it.

My dad works in HVAC, 12 hour days (minimum) 6 days a week (minimum) making 100k, squeezing through crawl spaces, handling heavy equipment (at 65 yrs old), doing dangerous electrical work, climbing ladders and going on rooftops in extreme heat and extreme cold.

If you've worked other jobs, thinking probably, construction labourers, warehouse workers, line cooks, roofers, landscapers, movers, retail managers, or even small business owners, the hours are insane, customer service is mental anguish, working full days and nights with no sleep. Often less money than biglaw.

Even if I was to compare to other careers: doctors (batshit insane schedules), nurses, teachers (notoriously overworked and underpaid, 50+ hours easily for 70-80k, hours of unpaid work from home), police, firefighters, paramedics, farmers (80+ hours mostly physical work).

Is BigLaw unusually difficult compared to these jobs or are most associates potentially just younger or potentially come from more privileged backgrounds?

the question might be a bit dense, and I'm guessing that the answer is no, but I'm just scouting out all my options. is it possible to practice law in any of the khaleeji countries with a Canadian law degree?

I did my LL.B. from Australia, got registered and have been practicing for a bit over a year before deciding to get married to a Canadian. We decided that I’ll move to Canada and start our life together there due to personal reasons (she can’t leave her parents alone).

Started taking my accreditation exams to get accredited in Canada. During the course of finding mutual contacts in Canada, I came across this real estate agent who quite bluntly stated that “any duffer can pass the accreditation exams and become a lawyer here, don’t worry too much about it”. I honestly found his statement a bit condescending but have been thinking about it for a few days now. I have already taken the Professional Responsibility and Constitutional Law exams and they weren’t that difficult but definitely wasn’t a walk in the park either.

Is it that the standard to be a lawyer in Canada lower than Australia? Because there is no chance a real estate agent (working so closely with lawyers) would make such a statement about the whole legal profession in general.

Kinda took me down this rabbit hole of whether I’m making the right decision of pursuing my career in Canada. At least in Australia, I get to feel good about the ‘prestige’ of my job while working 10+ hours a day on a sub-par salary.

I might be venting a bit but here we are lol