Welcome
As a premier law firm with over 950 lawyers worldwide, Fasken is where excellence meets expertise. We are dedicated to shaping the future of our clients want, precisely when it matters most.
Fasken’s Calgary office typically hires four first-year summer students, with the intention those students will be offered articling positions upon the successful completion of the summer with us.
We are looking for driven, creative and committed individuals to become our next students and, ultimately, our associates and partners. If you are looking to work in a fast-paced, team environment that is committed to your success and development, we encourage you to read more about our student program.
Calgary Student Program
Our Calgary office provides a unique opportunity for students to not only work and learn within one of Canada's leading national law firms, but also to play an integral part in the development and growth of our office. Our students become a key part of our legal team, and work on a wide variety of projects.
Each year, we typically hire four first-year summer students, with the intention our summer students will be offered articling positions after a successful summer. Our articling student positions are generally filled by our returning summer students.
We are committed to our students and place considerable emphasis on our student program, recognizing the best way to guarantee our continued success is to recruit, nurture, and provide opportunities for our young lawyers to learn and develop. Our student program provides a learning experience that will challenge students and develops skills to bridge the worlds of law school and legal practice.
Guidance and Education
Fasken's commitment to training and education fosters a meaningful and rewarding student experience. We want our students to succeed, develop new skills, and grow with the firm, and we provide education and support to help achieve that. Fasken's goal is to provide our students with an experience that will be challenging, interesting and will develop our students into exceptional lawyers.
Fasken's formal articling and summer student orientation programs will give you the tools to succeed, right from the start. You will be introduced to key contacts at the firm, learn about our systems and resources, and have an opportunity to ask plenty of questions. You will receive education in research and writing, practice skills and a variety of other sessions to get you off to a great start. We will also provide a number of opportunities during your orientation and beyond to meet and get to know lawyers and staff from across the firm.
Throughout the summer and articling term, you will participate in student education seminars, professional development sessions for lawyers and students, practice group meetings, and office-wide events including social, client and community activities. Students will also be invited to attend firm-wide virtual events.
Rotations
In our Calgary office, we have a formal rotation system for both summer and articling students. These rotations are designed to provide you with an opportunity to build legal skills and gain experience in a variety of areas as you develop your areas of interest.
Summer students rotate through the business law and litigation areas, and have opportunities to work in the areas that interest them. Summer student work can range from major projects to work on throughout the summer, to working on smaller assignments on files.
For articling students, half of your articling term will be spent working in business law practices, and the other half in litigation. Our program is flexible; you can pursue and accept work from any sub-practice area during each rotation, and you will have the opportunity to be involved in specific client work that interests you. You shape your experience at Fasken.
As part of our collaborative approach, we discuss each student's interests in particular practice areas, and endeavor to accommodate those interests. The flexibility of our rotation system provides the opportunity to seek out an experience which matches your career objectives. We encourage our students to be directly involved with our clients with our support. Your interaction with clients will develop your awareness of the importance of client service excellence, and your knowledge of our clients' business objectives and priorities.
Mentoring
Mentorship is a pillar of our success. In addition to challenging work and education, we believe a key to reaching your potential as a lawyer is excellent mentoring in a supportive environment.
Summer students are matched with associate mentors to guide and support them through the summer program, and to provide coaching and feedback. The summer mentors are a key source of support and advice during the summer at Fasken.
Each articling student is matched with both a principal and a mentor who provide guidance and ensure the quality of your articling experience. Your principal is responsible for your professional development, work allocation, and providing and seeking feedback. Your mentor will usually be in a different practice area from your principal, and can provide feedback, advice and encouragement.
Evaluation and Feedback
Performance evaluations are an important part of ensuring our students become excellent lawyers. Formal evaluations are completed once during the summer and twice during articling, and are designed to give you feedback to help you learn where you are excelling, and areas on which you can focus. You will also receive informal feedback throughout both the articling and summer programs from the lawyers with whom you work.
Bar Admission
Articling students in Calgary are required to complete the Practice Readiness Education Program (PREP) through CPLED as part of their requirements to be admitted to the Alberta bar. PREP tuition is paid for by the firm, and students are given time to complete PREP.
Social Events
At Fasken, we have a number of opportunities for students to get to know each other and socialize with other members of the firm in a more casual setting. Our social activities assist students with their integration into the firm and to foster our open and supportive environment.
How to Apply
We accept applications for 1L summer student positions as part of the Law Society of Alberta process. Applications should be submitted via the viLaw Portal based on the timelines set for Calgary firms. Please select the Fasken Calgary office when you are applying in the viLaw Portal. Please include the following in your application:
- Cover letter (addressed to Stacey McCreath, Senior Director, Professional Resources)
- Résumé
- Pre-Law transcripts (a photocopy of your original transcripts)
- Law school mid-term grade summary
- Reference letters (optional)
We look forward to receiving your application for our 1L summer student positions.
Please note the Calgary office is not currently accepting applications for articling positions.
For more information about our student programs, please contact:
Stacey McCreath (she/her), Senior Director, Professional Resources
Fasken
3400 First Canadian Centre
350 - 7th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB T2P 3N9
Email: smccreath@fasken.com
Brendan Sawatsky , Co-Chair, Student Committee
Fasken
3400 First Canadian Centre
350 - 7th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB T2P 3N9
Email: bsawatsky@fasken.com
Jessica Cameron, Co-Chair, Student Committee
Fasken
3400 First Canadian Centre
350 - 7th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB T2P 3N9
Email: jcameron@fasken.com
Recruitment Resources
We are proud of our reputation as a leader in the area of career advice and support for students, and we have a variety of resources available to all students. We hope you will find this information to be useful.
Recruitment Resources (PDF downloads - if you have any trouble accessing, please switch your browser.)
- Application Tips
- Application, Interview and Recruitment Tips
- Sample Cover Letters
- Sample Resumes
- Recruitment Tips
- Voices of Experience
- Fasken Calgary Law School Alumni List
- Call Day Planner
- Interview Planner
Students
Fasken Calgary is pleased to share the members of our current and future articling student classes.
2024-2025:
- Martika Ince, University of Calgary
- Naheera Jadavji, University of Alberta
- McKenzie Martyn, University of Calgary
- Aydin McClelland, University of Alberta
- Annah Setter, University of Calgary
- Joel Tallerico, University of Calgary
- Kiera Waroway Shea, University of Calgary
- Anny Yoo, University of Calgary
2025-2026:
- Joshua Ezekiel, University of British Columbia
- Sabiha Meghji, University of Calgary
- Ellen Muir, University of Calgary
- Mariah Walsh, University of Alberta
2026-2027:
- Sukhi Khaira, University of Calgary
- Zonash Khan, University of Calgary
- Katie McKenzie, University of Manitoba
- Austin Minnings, University of Calgary
Testimonials - Hear from our Current and Former Students
"Fasken is a great environment for students looking to get involved in diverse practice areas, and receive mentorship from approachable lawyers who genuinely want students to learn and succeed. The firm also encourages students to participate in a variety of fun events, which builds friendships and contributes to the positive work environment Fasken is known for!" ~Avinash Kowshik, 2021 Summer Student and 2023/2024 Articling Student
"My summer at Fasken exposed me to multiple areas including securities, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, employment, and litigation. Working in a broad number of areas with various associates and partners enhanced my overall development. Regardless of their position within the firm, I felt like everyone at Fasken was eager to support my development and help me achieve my goals. Looking beyond the work, Fasken is truly a community. From the second I began meeting members of the firm, I immediately felt welcome. At Fasken I was not only accepted, but also celebrated, for who I am. Being able to express myself and feel accepted was invaluable. The relationships I built at Fasken did not end with my summer. Members of the firm, partners included, continued to reach out and support the students as we navigated law school." ~Carter Lindsay (he/him), 2021 Summer Student and 2023/2024 Articling Student
"Throughout my time at Fasken, I was (and continue to be) amazed by the level of care and involvement the lawyers and staff take in developing Fasken students. No question is too minor and no issue too trivial. Regardless of how busy someone is, they take time out of their schedules to ensure that any and all questions are addressed thoughtfully and completely. This degree of involvement and mentorship is totally organic, and it is clear Fasken puts great emphasis in developing juniors to be the best versions of themselves they can." ~David Kim, 2019 Summer Student and 2021/2022 Articling Student
"All of the lawyers and staff at Fasken are incredibly welcoming, which created a positive environment for students to learn in. I appreciate how the firm places a strong emphasis on both formal and informal mentorship opportunities, which helped make my experience very rewarding. It was an easy decision to return for my articles!" ~Kaitlyn Wong, 2020 Summer Student and 2022/2023 Articling Student
"I feel very lucky to be working at Fasken. During my summer term, I was trusted and tasked with stimulating research where I got to witness how my work ended up helping clients. The firm is also committed to mentorship and building a collegial environment. At any given moment during my summer term, I felt an overwhelming amount of support, and I was never afraid to ask a question. My experience at Fasken provided me with an incredible foundation to start my legal career." ~Olivia Pietras, 2021 Summer Student and 2023/2024 Articling Student
"I am very happy that I ended up summering and later articling at Fasken. Throughout my experience here I have felt supported and integrated into the team. Fasken was a great place to take risks in order to develop my legal skills as I always felt that I had mentorship and support along the way." ~Shyla Halseth, 2019 Summer Student and 2021/2022 Articling Student
