Pursuing public interest work amidst corporate pressures
As you can probably guess from the title of this article, I did not participate in the 2L recruit. By “the recruit”, I am talking about summer positions on Bay Street or in corporate firms. I recognize that the recruit is not exclusively related to corporate law and includes government positions and other firms such as those that practice union-side labour or class actions. The following discussion specifically answers why I did not participate in any corporate/Bay Street on campus interviews (OCIs) and the in-firm process.
Why people participate in the recruit is an individual choice based on a variety of factors; perhaps based on interest or, for many, due to the financial pressures imposed by the crushing debt of law school. For myself, I did not partake in the recruit because I do not believe it would help me in my future career path. The law is inherently unjust. More often than not, the legal system is a means to actively control marginalized populations and maintain a capitalist power hierarchy in which the elite remain on top. The work done on Bay Street supports the continuance of this hierarchy by representing, among others, polluters, natural resource extractors, and governments against those who dare to stand up against oppression, such as Indigenous land defenders.
Because of this, I am not interested in corporate law or its related fields. Rather, I would like to explore environmental and Aboriginal law, as well as the intersection of international human rights. Likewise, I hope to engage in movement lawyering, a practice through which lawyers support organizers contesting the cruelty of corporations and the State. I cannot pursue movement lawyering on Bay Street, and so the recruit did not offer the types of experiences that would prepare me for my future endeavours.
During 1L summer and the first term of 2L, the recruit can feel like the only option. The Faculty provides an abundance of resources through the Career Development Office to prepare participants for OCIs, in-firms, and the general process. The majority of 2L students participate in the recruit and so, as a result, if you choose not to apply, it can feel like you are doing something wrong and dooming yourself to a summer of unemployment. For those who participate, it is incredibly stressful and anxiety-inducing. For those who do not take part, it can feel like an overwhelming, suffocating experience to observe your classmates struggling, while also questioning your own decisions.
However, if you are not interested in Bay Street or the corporate path, there are alternative opportunities available. The law school has a few, albeit not nearly enough, public interest fellowships (such as the Donner and the International Human Rights Program) that provide up to $10,000 for a summer placement. As well, some non-Bay Street firms offer summer employment through the recruit and a general application process. Unfortunately, such firms are not advertised by the Faculty in the same way as Torys or Stikeman Elliott is, meaning you must dig to find them. For those interested in progressive summer employment, you can also check out this guide by the University of Toronto Law Union.
In the end, your decision to participate in the recruit is yours and yours alone. In making this decision, you must balance many factors present within your life and choose what is best for yourself. For me, my values and future lie in public interest work which cannot be progressed by working on Bay Street; as a result, I did not see the recruit as a viable option.
Editor’s Note: Harry Myles is a member of the University of Toronto Law Union Steering Committee.
