Fasken’s more than 950 lawyers, in ten offices across three continents, are always ready to navigate legal challenges and capitalize on business opportunities for our clients. As a leading international business law and litigation firm, we offer experience and expertise across a number of countries and across a wide range of industries and practice areas to suit the needs of organizations worldwide. Clients rely on us for practical, innovative and cost-effective legal services. We advise corporate clients, government agencies, regulatory authorities, non-profit bodies and individual clients. We solve the most complex business and litigation challenges, providing exceptional value and putting clients at the centre of all we do.
We pride ourselves on a collegial, respectful, team-oriented atmosphere, and recognize that who we work with is as important as what we do. The valued members of our firm share a commitment to serving clients, the profession, and the larger community.
Vancouver Student Program
At Fasken, we seek to attract and retain the best talent and legal minds. Our students and lawyers are supported by a team of equally talented and committed administrative staff who work in a high performing environment that emphasizes collaboration and an entrepreneurial spirit. Our firm culture supports and encourages diversity inclusion and equality, and a commitment to community. We invest in our people to provide a challenging and stimulating place to work and grow.
We are committed to our students and place considerable emphasis on our student program, recognizing that 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 you and help you develop skills to bridge the worlds of law school and legal practice. As part of our collaborative approach, we work with you to discuss your goals and objectives and offer the opportunity to gain experience in a variety of areas.
Mentorship is a pillar of our success. Each student is assigned a principal and a mentor to act as a support and resource for students as you become familiar with legal practice. Summer students are also provided with an articled student mentor “buddy” as an additional support to help you navigate the student experience. Our Student Committee, along with the Senior Director and Advisor of Professional Development, check in regularly to ensure that students are receiving interesting work, meaningful experience and valuable feedback.
Open House Firm Tour | Summer Program | Articling Program | Salary & Benefits | Evaluation & Feedback | Social Events | Diversity & Inclusion | How to Apply & What to Expect | Fasken's Approach to Student Recruitment | Student Committee | Testimonials
Open House Firm Tour
Each summer, we host an Open House Firm Tour for all current law students, recent graduates or NCA candidates who are interested in learning more about the student program at Fasken in BC. This event is particularly targeted at students who were not able to attend firm tours organized by their law school. Open House details will be posted each summer once the date is set. To register for our 2024 Open House (happening on June 25, 2024), please click here.
Summer Program
Following second year of law school, our summer program will offer you a learning experience that adds context and practical experience to what you learned in law school. The absence of formal rotations during the summer allows our students to gain experience in a variety of areas, with flexibility to focus on work in a particular area of interest. Summer students are assigned one or two major projects during the summer. You will also have the option to participate in a 3-4 week secondment with a client or at one of our other Fasken offices. Our summer student cohort typically includes 8-10 students.
Articling Program
Our goal is to ensure that your articles provide you with the requisite experience and training to ensure your future success as a lawyer. During your articling term, you will become an integral part of our legal team and work on major projects in various areas of law. We meet regularly with individual students to ensure you obtain an experience that matches your career objectives. Our articling program includes four rotations: business; litigation; labour, employment & human rights; and junioring. These rotations are designed to provide you with an opportunity to build core legal skills and gain experience in a variety of areas as you assess your areas of focus for your future career in law.
As a articled student at Fasken, you can expect to:
- receive comprehensive training and support towards your professional development and success;
- work directly with clients;
- gain hands on experience by running small claims files;
- draft court documents, including pleadings, motion materials and factums;
- attend motions, examinations for discovery and mediations; and
- be integrated into files as a valued member of the Fasken legal team.
Our articled student cohort usually includes 8-12 students. Articled student positions are typically filled by returning summer students; however, from time to time, the firm hires additional articled students.
Salary & Benefits
Our students are remunerated at a competitive level in the downtown Vancouver legal market. We pay for your Law Society of British Columbia enrolment fees (including the Professional Legal Training Course (“PLTC”) fees), as well as your salary while attending PLTC. Our articled students receive extended health benefits, and our summer students who return to article with us receive a third year tuition bonus.
Evaluation & Feedback
Performance evaluations are an important part of ensuring that our students become excellent lawyers. Formal evaluations are completed once during the summer and twice during articles and are designed to give you feedback to help you learn where you are excelling and what areas of your work need improvement. We also help you create a plan for developing your skills in any area that needs additional resources and learning.
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 are intended to assist students with their integration into the firm and to foster our open and supportive environment.
Social events have included activities such as kayaking, attending a Vancouver Canadian’s baseball game, day at Playland, participation in the Hoop Law charity basketball tournament, and participation in the VBA ski race in Whistler, amongst other activities. And of course, our ever-popular in-house trivia competition!
Diversity & Inclusion
Fasken is committed to diversity and inclusion in all that we do. A diverse workplace is comprised of individuals with unique backgrounds and identities. At Fasken, we continuously strive to create an equitable environment where individuals are respected and welcomed for who they are. Click here to find out how Fasken Vancouver is working to achieve these goals.
Members of Fasken’s Student Committee go through unconscious bias training annually, with the goal of attracting and hiring a diverse group of talented students. We incorporate set questions into our interview process, to ensure a fair and effective process for all candidates. We look for ways to connect with diverse students throughout the year and are always happy to connect with students that have an interest in our programs.
How to Apply & What to Expect
Fasken adheres to the recruitment guidelines put in place by the Vancouver Bar Association (“VBA”). We are committed to helping students choose whether articling with us is a good fit, without applying undue pressure on students during the student recruitment process. Our aim is to be as transparent as we can and provide students with ample opportunities to connect with members of our firm.
Please refer to the VBA website for application deadlines. For summer student positions, please note your law school will set additional internal deadlines for on-campus interviews.
We request that all applications be submitted through the viRecruit Portal. Applications should include a cover letter, resume, copies of official undergraduate and law school transcripts, as well as a GPA calculation. Upper year course lists and reference letters are optional. We do not require a writing sample.
Applications should be addressed to:
Fasken
Amber Dutt, Professional Development Advisor
2900 - 550 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 0A3
Please review our resume and interview tips guide here(PDF).
Fasken’s Approach to Student Recruitment
At Fasken, we want you to feel comfortable in your decision to choose us. When we say we follow the VBA guidelines, we mean it. We will not pressure you and we will respect your time. This means, once we know we are not going to move forward with a candidate, we let them know as soon as possible. We believe all students deserve to have a positive recruitment experience and choose the best law firm for them.
We are committed to continually enhancing our recruitment process. The guidelines below give a general overview of the typical student recruitment process; however, the experience can vary from year to year.
- Fasken accepts student applications exclusively through the viLaw portal. We aim to have all applications acknowledged within two business days of receipt. If you need to amend your application after it has been submitted, or have questions regarding your application, please email our Professional Development Advisor, Amber Dutt.
- Fasken sends Intention to Call Emails.
- Our interviews are held every hour, on the half hour (i.e., the first interview begins at 8:30am, and the last interview begins at 3:30pm). We are mindful of the pace of interview week, and commit to having your interview wrapped up within 60 minutes.
- Our interview format consists of approximately 30 minutes with two lawyers, followed by a meeting with one of our articled students or junior associates, and a tour of our office. For scheduling purposes, please plan to spend just under an hour with us. Follow up meetings are arranged, both as requested by candidates and by our interview teams. Students requesting follow up meetings should do so by contacting our Senior Director and/or Advisor of Professional Development, or any of the lawyers you’ve met during the process.
- Our meals include two lawyers and a student candidate. Lunches are at noon, and dinners are at 6:30pm. All restaurants are within a reasonable walking distance of our office. Our goal is for our lunches and dinners to be comfortable and engaging. This includes being mindful in our pairings, which takes time – we will confirm who you will be dining with the day of your meal. If you take a taxi home afterward, we hope you'll send us a receipt so we can reimburse you.
- Throughout interview week, we are committed to being as transparent as the VBA guidelines allow. Prior to the designated offer call time set by the Law Society of British Columbia, we will not make advance offers or provide an indication that an offer will be made; however, we are committed to letting students know once they are no longer being considered for an offer.
Student Committee
Our Student Committee is comprised of lawyers across various practice groups. The student recruitment process is managed by our Professional Development team, who are happy to discuss the student program with prospective applicants. Students can also reach out to any member of the Student Committee directly.
Amber Dutt, Advisor, Professional Development
604-631-4886
Alison Cowan, Senior Director, Professional Development
604-631-4784
Tariq Ahmed, Chair, Student Committee
604-631-4983
- Matthew Allard
- Sarah Batut
- Kinji Bourchier
- Daniel Byma
- Jessica Campbell
- Annie Chen
- Corry Clark
- Jonathan Conlin
- Hardeep Gill
- Kaleigh Milinazzo
- Katie Peardon
- Geoff Pedlow
- Mark Pontin
- Elizabeth Reid
- Zach Romano
- Adrian Wan
- Mary Wallace
Testimonials - Hear from our Current and Former Students
“At Fasken, students are given the opportunity to work on a wide range of exciting files while being challenged and supported in equal measure. The lawyers are talented and dedicated to educating students. The staff are approachable and incredibly helpful. It is a firm that rightfully takes pride in the quality of its people and work. I feel fortunate to have begun my legal career at the Fasken and look forward to returning to complete my articles.” ~Will Andrews
“My experience beginning as a summer student through articling and being onboarded as an associate was well organized and the people at the firm were welcoming and went out of their way to make each of the students feel valued. My experience was very positive overall, and even though it can be challenging, students are provided with the support they need to continue learning and developing. The professional development team and the lawyers at the firm provided mentorship at every step of the way, to provide a clear path of development.” ~David Blackstock
“I felt immediately welcomed at Fasken during my summer articling and was given interesting, positive and rewarding work that challenged me to reach my fullest capabilities. The exceptional mentorship program in place helped me feel supported by all of the lawyers and to learn in a positive environment. It is certainly a learning curve when starting your summer, but all of the lawyers were extremely patient and made me feel comfortable with asking any questions. I feel very grateful to be able to work at a firm with such a supportive and collegial culture and I look forward to work every day!” ~ Sarina Trasolini
"I had a positive interaction with Fasken since day one in the interview process. After my summer articles I knew that Fasken was the right choice for me due to its highly collegial and collaborative work environment, diverse practice areas, abundant professional development opportunities and excellent mentorship. I was also impressed by Fasken's genuine commitment to help students feel welcome and succeed at the firm." ~Marie Aspiazu
“Fasken offered me exactly what I was looking for in a summer student experience: interesting, varied work; warm and encouraging lawyers and staff; and a group of fellow summer students that was keen, kind and a lot of fun. From the smallest of tasks to high-profile files, summer student contributions weren’t just acknowledged but indeed genuinely welcomed and appreciated. I feel truly lucky to have started my legal career at Fasken and eager to return to the firm.” ~Ben Turner
“I had a tremendous summer at Fasken. With its abundance of resources and helpful lawyers, I found the firm to be an excellent place to begin my legal career. I had the chance to do a variety of research and writing assignments for associates working on interesting and complex litigation files. The opportunity to work at a large private firm provided me with context and experiences that equipped me for a successful third-year of law school. Fasken is a social and vibrant place, too. I learned a lot during social events and one-on-one meetings over coffee. I’m grateful for the mentorship and support provided to me by Fasken’s lawyers, librarians, and professional development team.” ~Pardeep Birak
"Fasken has made me feel comfortable and welcome since my first interaction with the firm as a law student. Not having to worry about whether or not I can be myself at work allows me to give my full attention to the interesting and complex legal issues I am tasked with. The practice of law is challenging and demanding, so I feel very fortunate to work at a firm that fosters a collegial and supportive culture." ~Nicole Lacis
“During my summer articles at Fasken, one theme that I noticed is the Firm’s commitment to supporting students. The Firm consistently sought feedback from the students about our experiences throughout the summer, and actively supported each student to make sure that we were all getting the most out of our summer. Mentoring is also a huge deal at Fasken. Whether it is through the official mentoring program or receiving guidance from the many lawyers who will happily spend time with students, it is very apparent that Fasken is truly committed to mentorship. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from great mentors and fellow students and I have no doubt that my summer experience provided a solid foundation for the start of my legal career.” ~Peter Cheng
“Fasken has provided me with invaluable work opportunities. The firm’s approach to training students is hands-on and accommodating to suit students’ interests. During my summer experience, I was able to work on a variety of files and give meaningful input. On my second week of summer articles, I was encouraged to represent an uncontested matter in Chambers at the Supreme Court of British Columbia. A senior partner who was unrelated to the file volunteered to coach, mentor and attend Chambers with me to ensure I felt supported during my first experience in Court. These seemingly small acts of mentoring and caring can make a long-lasting impact on a student’s confidence to embark in a legal career. The relationships I fostered at Fasken did not come to an end after summering. The Student Committee at Fasken provided me with unwavering support to enhance my professional competencies outside the firm environment. After my summer articles, I continued to receive mentorship to enhance my advocacy skills, attend conferences, and participate in firm events. I was encouraged to pursue a clerkship out-of-province and transition back into the firm. My experience in a big firm has been challenging at times, but also incredibly rewarding thanks to the genuine interest that lawyers and staff take on students.” ~Zaira Petruf
“Having a summer experience that started remote due to the COVID-19 pandemic allowed me to see how friendly and supportive everyone at Fasken is. Many lawyers went out of their way to connect with students and provide informal mentorship. The Student Committee worked tirelessly to give us the best remote experience possible and even got us back into the office faster than expected. Over the summer, I was able to work on a wide range of files and tasks. I drafted my first legal brief, did due diligence for corporate/commercial files and wrote numerous research memos. I also had the opportunity to sit in on discoveries and client calls. The lawyers at Fasken are happy to share their practice with students and answer any questions. I look forward to returning next year.” ~Rebecca Barclay Nguinambaye
