David Pardy (?L)
The 2015 1L recruit concluded on February 19 with numbers up from last year. Toronto’s law firms hired 50 first year law students, as compared with 42 in 2014 and 44 and 2015.
Four firms hired less than last year: Blakes, BLG, Goodmans, and Oslers. Six firms hired more: Aird & Berlis, Bennett Jones, Bereskin & Parr, Cassels, Davies, and Torys. Dentons, Sherrard Kuzz, and Smart & Biggar kept hiring level.
U of T students took 24 spots again this year out of the total 50, performing worse on an percentage basis. The U of T JD/MBA hit rate fell from 76% last year (13 out of 17 applicants landed jobs) to 44% this year (11 out of 25 applicants). Nearly the whole 28-person JD/MBA Class of 2017 applied, which is uncharacteristic compared to previous years. Osgoode students, many of them JD/MBAs, ate up 15 spots this year compared to seven last year.
A few firms markedly changed this year. Bennett Jones, the highest paying articling employer on Bay Street, joined the 1L reruit and snagged five U of T students. Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP did not hire any students this year even though it hired three U of T JD/MBAs last year. Osler’s decision to withdraw from the 1L recruit may be due to it’s abnormally large 2L summer group of 25 students. Davies restored its 2013 hiring levels at nine after only hiring four last year.
Congratulations to all. To those who did not receive an offer, remember that the 1L recruit is but one way to start a career at a firm, so chin up!