OCI decision fatigue? Pick your future firm based on the only metric that matters: how cool is the room they sponsor?
Grade: A+
Let’s be honest, the only A+ is not being at school to begin with.
Grade: A
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP: The Atrium
Arguably the best indoor hangout spot in the law school. You’ll always run into someone you know, making it a prime location for networking. Plus, it’s where free food often ends up—be it from Ultra Vires, J’s Java, or club leftovers.
Grade: B
Goodmans LLP: The Café
We all know that Goodmans LLP will shoot to the top of the list as soon as the café reopens, but for now, its empty carcass is just a sad reminder of what once was. The free coffee is nice, though.
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP: Front Lobby
The guards at the security desk will smile at you every morning on your way in. Maybe there is some good in the world, after all.
Gilbert’s LLP/Borden Ladner Gervais LLP: J225/J230
Truly the platonic ideal of a classroom. Comfy chairs, fresh whiteboard markers, a plethora of outlets—what more could you want? Plus, unlike the basement rooms, these bad boys come with floor-to-ceiling windows, so you can get your daily dose of vitamin D without ever having to leave the building. We love a multitasking king.
McMillan LLP: Library Reference Desk
Want to save money on textbooks? Forgot your Macbook charger? Need IT help? The lovely folks at the Reference Desk have got you covered. Beware of fines, though—sometimes books in the drop box take a few hours to get checked back in.
Grade: C
Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP: Students’ Law Society (SLS) Office
On one hand, it feels a little elitist to have the SLS be the only student organization with a sponsored room. On the other hand, if getting a private office is what allows the SLS to function at maximum efficiency, it might be in our best interests to let them have this one.
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP: Back Lobby
First of all, it’s clearly a staircase. Not very impressive on its own, but the amount of foot traffic makes it a smart choice from a marketing perspective.
Lerners LLP: P238
As the very first study room in the library, anyone inside has to put up with an endless stream of passers-by. Still, it’s better than any of the open tables—or, god forbid, the Fishbowl.
Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP: Student Programs Office
So this is where all those emails come from. Home to our very own Sara-Marni Hubbard, it’s the true locus of power over all the Faculty’s clubs. It’s a nice enough place, but it’s out of the way, and most students have little reason to visit.
Dentons LLP/Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP: J125/J130
A pair of run-of-the-mill classrooms. A single bonus point to Dentons for being slightly closer to the staircase—those extra seconds really come in clutch when you’re running late.
Grade: D
Stikeman Elliott LLP: Locker Bay
Having assigned lockers is handy, but does that outweigh the mental anguish of being thrust back into high school?
Torys LLP: Torys Hall, aka the Fishbowl
Full of SNAILS (students not actually in law school) and desperate law students who couldn’t find a table elsewhere, the Fishbowl truly is a last resort when it comes to the library. Book yourself a study room instead—trust me, you’ll thank yourself later.
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP: Student Services Wing
Having snapped up the CDO, Admissions, Financial Aid, and Records offices, it seems like Blakes has decided to go all-in on marketing to the Extremely Stressed™ crowd. A bold choice, given that no one enters the wing willingly.
Bennett Jones LLP: The Bridge
In theory, you could stand upon this bridge and gaze smugly downwards at all the inferior beings that pass below. In practice, being on this bridge makes you the inferior being, because you’re probably on your way to the Student Services Wing.
Grade: D-
McCarthy Tétrault LLP: The “Classroom Wing”
The sign on the wall might seem impressive, but it’s a little disingenuous once you realize that every room in this “classroom wing” is sponsored by someone else. By process of elimination, all McCarthy gets is the hallway.
Lenczner Slaght LLP: The Bookstore
“I can’t wait to spend even more money on law school,” said no one ever.
Grade: F
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP: J305
Tucked away in a corner of the third floor, this “study room” would be the perfect place for a private cram session or a quick cry. Despite its name, though, the room is bookable only by Faculty members, making it of no use to any of us.
Torkin Manes LLP: P363
The only study room in the library with frosted glass windows and double doors. What secrets lie within its depths? Alas, we shall never know, because this room is also unavailable for student bookings.
