Articling evaluations mirror the skills and competencies that students-at-law are expected to gain and develop.
The principal and student-at-law must meet at approximately the half-way point of the articles of clerkship to discuss the progress of the student-at-law and prepare and submit the mid-term evaluation to the LSN. At the end of the articles of clerkship, the principal must submit a final evaluation to the LSN.
Midterm Evaluation
This form is to be completed by each principal for every student-at-law the principal is supervising. This form is to be discussed and completed jointly by the principal and student-at-law. The purpose of this midterm evaluation is to provide both the principal and the student-at-law with the opportunity to reflect on the articling experience so far and to review their respective obligations.
Prior to completion of this evaluation, the principal and student-at-law should review the articling experience to date including the articling plan. It will allow for the principal and student-at-law to identify any barriers or issues and address them accordingly. Both the Student and Principal should endeavour to make such changes in the articling experience as are necessary to comply with the articling plan.
→ Midterm Articling Evaluation (PDF)
Final Evaluation
The Federation of Law Societies of Canada has identified a National Entry to Practice Competency Profile for Lawyers and Quebec Notaries. Those competencies are required upon entry to practice but are also relevant throughout a lawyer’s career. The following evaluation is designed to assess whether the articling candidate is adequately trained and therefore sufficiently competent to begin the practice of law on their own.
At the end of the articling placement, principals are required to report on the student-at-law’s performance in each of the six articling competencies:
- Professional Responsibility
- Practice Management
- Legal Research
- Legal Writing
- Legal Analysis and Analytical Skills
- Trial Litigation and Management
→ Evaluation Guide for Articles (PDF)
Rotations
If the student-at-law’s articling plan includes a rotation with different legal organisations or departments, the respective principals should endeavour to ensure a complete and varied articling experience. That is, if several articling competencies were not applicable to the context of one rotation it may be appropriate to consider ensuring they are the focus of another.