Special Feature

Rebekah KimDecember 26, 2023

Factors Associated with Hiring in the Toronto Summer 2024 2L Recruit

A statistical analysis Editor’s Note: The information below is meant to express correlations between certain factors and job offers in the formal recruit. The data […]

Amy KwongDecember 26, 2023

Ultra Vires’ 2024 Recruit Special

Death, taxes, and the annual recruit In this Recruit Special, you’ll find 2024 2L recruit numbers for Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver, as well as numbers […]

Rachael GregorisDecember 26, 2023

2024 2L Recruit Demographic Survey Results

All about the Class of 2025 Each year, Ultra Vires surveys the class of 2L students after the Toronto recruit with the goal of developing […]

Amy KwongDecember 26, 2023

In Their Own Words: 2024 Toronto Recruit Survey Responses

Participants share their experiences As part of Ultra Vires’ recruit survey, we asked the Class of 2025 long-form questions about their experiences, their recruit results […]

Olivia SchenkDecember 26, 2023

2L Recruit Confession Booth

My personal experience in the 2L recruit, paired with anonymous stories shared through UV’s recruit survey The recruit is an intense marathon that no one […]

Alyssa WongDecember 1, 2023

Success Without the 2L Recruit

For students who didn’t get an offer U of T Law has a reputation for being a pipeline for law students to get prestigious jobs […]

Sooyeon ParkNovember 30, 2023

Ottawa Summer 2024 Intellectual Property Recruit Numbers

University of Ottawa takes back the lead The Ottawa intellectual property (IP) recruit concluded on Thursday, October 26, 2023, with at least 24 students hired. […]

Rebekah KimNovember 30, 2023

Toronto Summer 2024 2L Recruit Numbers

Osgoode overtakes U of T in positions secured This year, Ultra Vires reached out to 71 employers who participated in the official Toronto Summer 2024 […]

Rebekah KimNovember 30, 2023

Vancouver Summer 2024 2L Recruit Numbers

Allard once again dominates the Vancouver recruit The Vancouver Summer 2024 2L recruit concluded on Thursday, October 26, 2023. Ultra Vires reached out to 45 […]

Ammar ThaverNovember 30, 2023

Calgary Summer 2024 2L Recruit Numbers

University of Calgary continues to lead the hiring numbers This year, 13 firms participated in the Calgary 2L recruit, the same number of firms as […]

Janice FungDecember 5, 2022

Toronto Summer 2023 2L Recruit Numbers

U of T Law students lead the pack This year’s recruit saw a reduction in the number of participating employers with only 66 employers as […]

Sabrina MacklaiDecember 5, 2022

Ottawa Summer 2023 Intellectual Property Recruit Numbers

All students hired have STEM backgrounds The Ottawa intellectual property (IP) recruit concluded on Thursday, October 27, 2022, with at least 21 students hired. Seven […]

Editor-in-ChiefDecember 5, 2022

Vancouver Summer 2023 2L Recruit Numbers

UBC, UVic, and TRU continue to dominate regional hiring The Vancouver 2L recruit, governed by the Vancouver Bar Association rules, concluded on October 27, 2022. […]

Janice FungDecember 5, 2022

Calgary Summer 2023 2L Recruit Numbers

Hiring numbers remain consistent with last year This year’s Calgary 2L recruit saw a reduction in employers with only 13 firms participating, compared to 22 […]

Janice FungDecember 5, 2022

Factors Associated with Hiring in the Toronto Summer 2023 2L Recruit

Editor’s Note: The information below is meant to express correlations between certain factors and job offers in the formal recruit. The data does not suggest […]

Jeffrey LiuDecember 5, 2022

Class of 2024 Recruit Demographics Survey Results

Going beyond the stats published by the Faculty of Law Every year, Ultra Vires surveys the class of 2L students after the Toronto recruit, with […]

Harry MylesDecember 5, 2022

On the Annual Recruit Special

Another recruit comes and goes For the last 24 years, Ultra Vires (UV) has reported on the annual Toronto recruit for 2L summer student positions. […]

SuJung LeeDecember 5, 2022

From the UV Archive: “Failing” the 2L Recruit

Reflections on the law school recruit journey Editor’s Note: Ultra Vires (UV) originally published this article in Volume 20 on November 28, 2018. SuJung Lee […]

Web EditorDecember 5, 2022

Do You Fit the LSO’s Archetype? Congratulations: The Recruit Is for You!

How the recruit is structured to reward a certain kind of person I had a great recruit experience. I received a handful of on-campus interviews […]

Stephen MapplebeckDecember 5, 2022

Balancing the Recruit and School

Or, how I learned to stop worrying and just love survive the recruit I know what you’re thinking, “balance during the recruit? Please.”  Nevertheless, here […]

Jeffrey LiuDecember 5, 2022

In Their Own Words: 2023 Toronto Recruit Survey Responses

Class of 2024 shares their experiences with the Toronto recruit As part of Ultra Vires’ recruit coverage, we surveyed the Class of 2024 to gather […]

Editor-in-ChiefNovember 25, 2021

Volume 23 – Issue 3 – November 25 (Recruit Special)

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for! In this issue, you will find our annual recruit special, including 2L Summer 2022 hiring numbers from […]

Hussein E. E. FawzyNovember 25, 2021

Toronto Summer 2022 2L Recruit Numbers

Upward trend in student hiring, U of T and Osgoode continue to lead the pack, and Lincoln Alexander secures five percent of total positions Demand […]

Hussein E. E. FawzyNovember 25, 2021

Factors Associated with Success in the 2022 Toronto Recruit

Recruit success is associated with grades, number of interview invitations received and attended, race, and gender After 11 weeks of intense research, applications, networking, and […]

Angela FengNovember 25, 2021

In their Own Words: 2022 Recruit Survey Responses

The Class of 2023 reflect and provide feedback on the 2L recruit Every year, Ultra Vires conducts an anonymous survey of the 2L class about […]

Jacqueline HuangNovember 25, 2021

Class of 2023 Demographic Survey Results

A comprehensive view of the 2L class reveals concerning mental health trends among law students This year, 95 students eligible to participate in the 2L […]

Sabrina MacklaiNovember 25, 2021

Ottawa 2022 Intellectual Property Recruit Numbers

Almost all students hired have STEM backgrounds The Ottawa intellectual property (IP) recruit is a bit of an oddity. Recruiting largely 1L students, applications were […]

Shae RotheryNovember 25, 2021

Calgary 2022 2L Summer Recruitment Numbers

UCalgary Law sweeps their hometown recruit The Calgary 2L recruit wrapped up with Offer Day on October 15, 2021, at 2:00 pm MDT. Ultra Vires […]

Sabrina MacklaiNovember 25, 2021

On the Annual Recruit Special

Another year, another recruit Since the inception of Ultra Vires in 1999, we’ve reported on results of the annual Toronto recruit for 2L summer students. […]

Shae RotheryNovember 25, 2021

Vancouver 2022 2L Summer Recruitment Numbers

BC’s three law schools dominate the Vancouver recruit The Vancouver 2L recruit concluded on October 28, with offers being made at 8:00 am PDT. Ultra […]

Fievel LimNovember 25, 2021

Reflections on the Ottawa IP Recruit

Thoughts of various 1Ls on the early recruitment process A common aspiration for science students coming into law school is to pursue intellectual property (IP) […]

Meaza DamteNovember 25, 2021

LSO Procedures? More like Poorly Followed Guidelines

Employers need to do better The weekend before in-firms, I found myself at Walmart looking for a cheap hair straightener powerful enough to subdue my […]

John MetzgerNovember 25, 2021

Why I Restarted Counselling Before the 2L Recruit

The value of counselling in managing law school stress and anxiety When I started law school, I felt like I was on the top of […]

Lauren PaparousisNovember 25, 2021

So You Want to Work for the Ontario Government?

The salary information you need to know Last summer, I worked as a summer student at the Ministry of Finance as part of the Aboriginal […]

Jennifer SunNovember 25, 2021

Reflections on the Virtual Recruit

There are pros and cons, but at least you won’t get lost in the PATH It’s quite remarkable when you realize that 2021 technically had […]

Vanshika DhawanNovember 25, 2021

Continuing the Job Hunt After the 2L Recruit

Reimagining paths to a successful legal career The 2L recruit is exhausting, to say the least. Regardless of the outcome, it can leave you feeling […]

Angela FengNovember 25, 2021

Mitigating the Toxicity of an OCI-Focused Culture

SLS Recruit Subcommittee to share alternative recruit resources Each year, a dense fog of anxiety creeps into the law school along with the annual 2L […]

Harry MylesNovember 25, 2021

Why I Did Not Participate in the 2L Recruit

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 […]

Grayson Alabiso-CahillNovember 25, 2021

Movement Lawyering: Which Side Are You On?

Students dedicated to the struggle for justice must see themselves as a part of movements, not separate from them Lawyers Facilitate Injustice Lawyers work on […]

Dhriti ChakravartyNovember 25, 2021

Dual Licensing in Ontario and New York

Achieving a cross-border practice  Each year, a handful of students at U of T Law graduate with the intention of being licensed to practice in […]

Hussein E. E. FawzyMay 2, 2021

Students From All Undergraduate Disciplines Perform Well in Law School

Undergraduate degree not indicative of performance in 1L classes and 2L recruit  It may seem intuitive that students who come from social sciences and humanities […]

Alisha LiMay 2, 2021

Vancouver 2021 2L Summer Recruitment Numbers

UBC dominates the Vancouver recruit *No employer surveyed hired any returning 1L summer students. Editor’s Note: We will update our online spreadsheet at ultravires.ca to […]

Faisal BhabhaMay 2, 2021

To Post or Not to Post Your Summer Job News

The unexpected moral dilemma of sharing recruit successes  In the minutes after 5:00 p.m. on March 4, I, like a number of other fortunate law […]

Alisha LiMay 2, 2021

Toronto 2021-2022 Articling Recruit Numbers

Editor’s Note: We will update our online spreadsheet to reflect any further information provided from employers after the time of publication.   This spreadsheet has been […]

Dhriti ChakravartyMay 2, 2021

Toronto Summer 2021 2L Recruit Numbers

Despite global pandemic, demand for summer students does not flag Editor’s Note: We will update our online spreadsheet at ultravires.ca to reflect any further information […]

Hussein E. E. FawzyMay 2, 2021

Correlations Between Grades and Recruit Success

Grades matter in predicting the number of OCIs extended, but after that point, grades are generally no better at predicting success than non-academic factors The […]

Angela GuMay 2, 2021

More Demographic Information: What the Law School Does Not Report

Expected debt upon graduation, political party affiliation, and drinking frequency In addition to the standard information reported in this year’s “Toronto 2L Recruit Demographic Survey […]

Hannah JohnsonMay 2, 2021

What Not to Say to Someone Who Didn’t Get a Job in the Recruit

Avoid the “everything happens for a reason” and instead, say you believe in them  Not getting a 2L job in the OCIs felt like imposter […]

Anna ZhangMay 2, 2021

Want to Summer in Crim?

How four 2L students navigated the LSO criminal law recruit On top of a pandemic and an already-hectic second semester, March marked the end of […]

Annecy PangMay 2, 2021

Additional Supports Offered During the Virtual Recruit

Staff and students stepped up to offer additional support to 2Ls during the difficult virtual recruit this year The annual 2L Toronto recruit occurred against […]

Jacqueline HuangMay 2, 2021

Toronto 2L Recruit Demographic Survey Results

Survey reveals the diversity among 2L recruit participants  Over 60 students who participated in the anonymous Ultra Vires 2L recruit survey also completed an anonymous […]

Annecy PangMay 2, 2021

Reflections from the 2L Recruit

Students share stories of inappropriate behaviour, tips for networking, and feedback on the recruitment process As part of Ultra Vires’s annual recruit survey, we asked […]

Hussein E. E. FawzyMarch 4, 2021

Calgary 2L Summer 2021 Recruit Results Are In

University of Calgary Faculty of Law ranked first in the number of successful students The Calgary 2L Summer 2021 Recruit concluded with Offer Day on […]

Hussein E. E. FawzyJanuary 27, 2021

Ottawa Intellectual Property 1L & 2L Summer 2021 Recruit Results Are In

U of T ranks first in the number of successful students in the 1L stream (and last in the 2L stream) The Ottawa Intellectual Property […]

Alisha LiOctober 6, 2020

Toronto Summer 2020 1L Recruitment Results

Fifty-five first-years obtained employment through the 1L Recruit, down from last year Toronto 1L Recruit This year’s official Toronto 1L Recruit provided summer jobs for […]

Editor-in-ChiefFebruary 3, 2020

Factors Associated with Recruit Success

 Effects of race and gender on hiring In previous years, UV has run multi-step regressions to try and identify which factors are associated with Recruit […]

Editor-in-ChiefFebruary 3, 2020

Recruit Survey Results for the Class of 2021

Find the full Class of 2021 Demographic Survey and Statistics here. Back by popular demand, a really long article with lots of graphs and numbers! […]

Editor-in-ChiefFebruary 3, 2020

Class of 2021 Survey Results

Every year, Ultra Vires surveys 2Ls on a variety of demographic and recruitment data. Unlike in previous years, the Demographics and Recruitment surveys were disaggregated […]

Editor-in-ChiefDecember 2, 2019

Ultra Vires 2020 Recruit Special

Part One Another season, another recruit. The 2L Toronto Summer 2020 hiring process has come and gone. It began at the end of August, with […]

Editor-in-ChiefDecember 2, 2019

The Unexpected Loneliness of the Law Firm

“I don’t think I’ve actually spoken to anyone today” This isn’t why I came to law school. I never intended to come to law school. […]

Editor-in-ChiefDecember 2, 2019

UV Recruitment Survey Responses

Students speak out about their recruit experiences Do you have any comments on the CDO’s services during the recruitment process? Most students noted that the […]

Venessa SectakofDecember 2, 2019

Through Hell and High Water

Navigating the 2L recruit with accommodations In July, while preparing cover letters and editing my résumé for the 20th time, I received news that would […]

William MazurekDecember 2, 2019

Behind the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives

Unconscious Bias is Alive and Well in the Fall Recruit On a drizzling, overcast afternoon in North York, I sit down with Leanne* at a […]

Daniel GaoDecember 2, 2019

Toronto Summer 2020 2L Recruit Numbers

U of T Law numbers higher than previous years The Toronto Summer 2020 2L Recruit Numbers can also be found here. Did you hire a […]

Editor-in-ChiefNovember 2, 2019

Preparing for the Recruit Special Edition

Student input requested! Ultra Vires is once again gearing up for its Recruit Special Edition. And we’re looking for input on how to conduct this […]

Editor-in-ChiefSeptember 30, 2019

New York Summer 2020 Recruit Results

Firm U of T Osgoode McGill UBC Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP 1 – – – Milbank LLP Did not respond Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe […]

Daniel GaoSeptember 30, 2019

Toronto 2020-21 Articling Recruit Numbers

The Toronto 2020-21 Articling Recruit Numbers are also available here. *Editor’s Note: These organizations indicated that they did not participate in the recruit due to […]

Web EditorMarch 27, 2019

Faculty Summer 2019 Hiring Numbers

Sixty 1Ls get jobs through the Faculty for the summer The Career Development Office reported a total of 87 Faculty positions open to University of […]

Web EditorMarch 27, 2019

Toronto Summer 2019 1L Recruitment Results

66 first years hired all-in-all; 17% more than last year The chart is available here. This year’s 1L Recruit took place during reading week, February […]

Web EditorMarch 23, 2019

Toronto 2019–20 Articling Recruit Numbers

Editor’s note: This piece was originally published in the September print issue of Ultra Vires. Due to an oversight, it was not published online. We […]

SuJung LeeMarch 13, 2019

Toronto Summer 2019 Recruitment Special

The final Ultra Vires Toronto Summer 2019 Recruitment Special is available here: Every year, Ultra Vires surveys 2Ls on a variety of demographic and recruitment […]

Editor-in-ChiefNovember 28, 2018

Failing the 2L Recruit: A Success Story

“Looking back, though, not getting an OCI job was one of the best things that could have happened to me.” Thirteen OCIs, four in-firms, zero […]

Editor-in-ChiefNovember 28, 2018

Firms and LSO Procedures

Allegations and other comments from our survey Ultra Vires conducted an anonymous survey of the 2L class about the Toronto Recruit. The Recruit is governed […]

Editor-in-ChiefNovember 28, 2018

2Ls Comment on the Toronto Recruit

In your own words: comments and feedback on the recruitment process from our 2L survey Ultra Vires conducted an anonymous survey of the 2L class […]

Editor-in-ChiefNovember 28, 2018

Myth or Fact: 2L Recruit Edition

The (completely subjective) recollections of a 2L after the Toronto Recruit Earlier this month, a new cohort crossed the finish line of the 2L recruit […]

Editor-in-ChiefNovember 28, 2018

Mistakes Happen

Why I think of my application screw-up as the most important mistake I made To say that OCIs are stressful is an understatement. Any small […]

Editor-in-ChiefNovember 28, 2018

My Mental Health and the Recruit

Oh… the places you’ll go… the shit that you’ll do: An in-firm memoir Reading Week was a joyous time for me in 1L. For the […]

SuJung LeeNovember 28, 2018

“Failing” the 2L Recruit

Reflection on the law school recruit journey On Call Day last October, two weeks after my 2L OCIs, my phone didn’t ring. Out of all […]

Editor-in-ChiefNovember 8, 2018

In Cannabis Veritas

17/10 blaze it For the first time in living memory, smoking cannabis is legal in Canada. Right now, you can go to www.OCS.ca and buy […]

Editor-in-ChiefNovember 8, 2018

Cannabis Legalization: What Has Changed?

For marginalized communities, less than you think On October 17, 2018, the Trudeau government legalized recreational cannabis. In doing so, it made Canada only the […]

Web EditorMarch 1, 2018

Toronto Summer 2018 Recruitment Special

Click here to view our 2018 Recruitment Special. Shortly after in-firm week in November, Ultra Vires gathered survey responses from U of T Law students […]

Web EditorNovember 29, 2017

Summer 2018 Recruitment: Hiring is Up, Trust is Not

The hiring numbers are available here. Chloe Magee (2L) Alarm goes off. I check my phone—it’s Wednesday morning, 8 a.m. Head is pounding. I take […]

Cory BettelMarch 30, 2017

Toronto Summer 2017 Recruitment Special

Click here to view our 2017 Recruitment Special. Every year, Ultra Vires conducts a survey, gathering responses from U of T students that were eligible […]

Cory BettelNovember 30, 2016

Recruitment Special Feature: Bay Street Hiring Is Down. Like, Way Down.

Cory Bettel (2L) and Scott Dallen (2L) The dream is over. In 2015, Toronto had its warmest winter in years. The United States Supreme Court […]

Web EditorMarch 31, 2016

Oh, The Places You’ll Go! Personal Statements For The Class of 2016

Lisana Nithiananthan (3L) Barack Obama is re-elected for his second term as POTUS. Vladimir Putin is elected President of Russia (again). Mr. Harper led our […]

Web EditorFebruary 26, 2016

1L Hiring 2016

Brett Hughes (3L) The official Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC) first-year student recruitment period took place in the week of February 15. Toronto law […]

Web EditorFebruary 4, 2016

Toronto Fall 2015 Recruitment Special

Every year, at the conclusion of the LSUC November Toronto recruitment process, Ultra Vires conducts two surveys: one of U of T students who were […]

Web EditorNovember 7, 2015

2016 Toronto Summer Student Hiring

Introduction updated March 3, 2016: These numbers include returning first-year students. The sources for this chart are: (1) direct email correspondence with student recruiters for […]

Aron NimaniFebruary 25, 2015

1L Hiring 2015: Osgoode Empire Strikes Back?

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 […]

Aron NimaniNovember 27, 2014

Recruitment Numbers Recover… Kind of, Sort of, Not Really

Download PDF of Ultra Vires 2014 Fall Recruitment Special Feature Download Full Survey Answers     IN 2013, WE REPORTED THAT FALL recruitment was a […]

Eryn FanjoyMarch 26, 2014

Where Are They Now? A Look at 3Ls’ Personal Statements (Then) and Plans for Articling (Now)

The following are excerpts from the personal statements of members of the graduating class of 2014. I knew that being a lawyer was my destiny. […]

Web EditorNovember 27, 2013

Bay Street Hiring a Bloodbath This Year

Download PDF of Ultra Vires 2013 Fall Recruitment Special Feature Download Full Survey Answers The good times are not coming back. Total hiring on Bay […]

Katherine GeorgiousOctober 30, 2013

UV’s Mini-Guide to Government Interviews

You have probably heard numerous times that government interviewers ask standardized questions, they write down everything you say, and that they probably won’t make much, […]

Eryn FanjoyOctober 30, 2013

UV’s Guide to In-Firm Interviews

“Know thyself, know thine enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.” – Sun Tzu   In-firm week is a bastard. There’s no way around it. […]

Daanish SamadmotenApril 1, 2013

Tuition Special: Where Do We Go From Here?

Love him or hate him, former Dean Daniels had a clear vision for U of T Law. He imagined a school so great that Canadian […]

Editor-in-ChiefMarch 28, 2013

The Price of Excellence: A Discussion Document

Never Enough On February 13, the U of T Law administration sent students a discussion document about tuition and financial aid. The document stated that, […]

Daanish SamadmotenMarch 28, 2013

Tuition Special: We Can’t Afford Salary Increases at the Current Rate

[Updated April 1, 2013] On its face, the title of this piece sounds a little ridiculous to most people. We have to pay our professors […]

Web EditorMarch 28, 2013

Tuition Special: It Doesn’t Make Sense, Even if We Could Afford It

In the late 90s and early 2000s, the argument set out by former Dean Daniels to justify substantial salary increases for faculty was compelling at […]

Web EditorMarch 27, 2013

Tuition Special: Drowning in debt and being taught for free: A majority of upper year classes are not taught by salaried faculty

Intending to take a well-balanced upper year semester, Matt Brown signs up for Bankruptcy, Criminal Procedure, Advanced Torts, and International Human Rights. The subjects sound […]

Katherine GeorgiousMarch 27, 2013

How Front End Financial Aid Works: And 4 Key Facts You Should Know

The calculation begins with your need for the 8-month school year. This is a standardized calculation: 1L students are expected to spend $10 000 on […]

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