We aim to provide our students with an exceptional articling experience. If you want to work with intelligent, self-motivated, highly respected and collegial lawyers, you'll find them at BH&T.

Our firm is comprised of approximately 100 lawyers who practise in more than thirty specific areas. Our lawyers are actively engaged in the firm's articling program and work closely with our students throughout their articles. Most of our lawyers completed their articles at BH&T and therefore understand the impact and importance of welcoming, interacting with and involving our articling students in every aspect of the firm's business and social life.

Orientation and Training

We believe there's absolutely no point in hiring high-potential people unless we give them every opportunity to develop and succeed. To this end, we conduct a comprehensive orientation program for our students during their first week at the firm. Our students become familiar with the firm's libraries, computerized research facilities, office equipment, accounting procedures and organizational structure. We provide training on our local area networks and document management systems. Senior lawyers ensure that students become familiar with professional standards, insurance and undertakings. We also encourage all students to participate in business development training programs.

Quality Resources

Students at BH&T have access to one of the most complete in-house libraries in Vancouver, as well as use of the latest electronic research tools available. Our professional library staff is available to assist all students and lawyers. Many of our practice areas have their own satellite libraries offering specialized texts and reports. All of our students have their own computers, providing access to in-firm and on-line information and document management.

Mentoring

At the beginning of your articling year, you will be assigned a principal who will be available to offer you advice about your career and the firm. Two additional lawyers, in their first few years of call, will also be assigned to advise and assist you during your articles.

Professional Development

In addition to the many projects you will work on as a student, the firm organizes a regular series of in-house seminars to promote continuing professional education. Topics covered include practice management, effective advocacy, understanding financial statements, drafting principles relating to commercial documents, effective writing, research, and business development.

Expectations and Feedback

We will clarify our expectations in order to create an involved, responsive working environment for you. BH&T provides a formalized assessment and feedback system to inform you on your progress. We strive to offer an excellent articling experience by providing open communication, clearly expressed expectations and follow-up feedback and discussions throughout your articles.

Becoming a Lawyer

Articling is intended to prepare you to become a lawyer. Our articling students receive a good variety of hands-on experience.  While at BH&T, your articling time will be divided between business and litigation rotations encompassing all of our practice areas.

You will help draft agreements and research memos, prepare pleadings and court documents, attend court, discoveries, and practice group meetings, and be involved in many aspects of our ongoing work.

Students are exposed to a broad range of practice areas within the firm through their interactions and working relationships with many lawyers. We encourage our students to seek work in practice areas of particular interest to them.

Our People Make the Firm

Although we've been in business since 1890, we're not old-fashioned or set in our ways. While we respect traditions we also embrace new ideas and forward thinking. A great source of innovation is bright, eager articling students and recently called lawyers who bring fresh ideas to our firm.  It is this continuous infusion of innovative perspectives and raw enthusiasm that give BH&T its energy.

Rest assured, the articling process is just as important to us as it is to you. Our collective ability to anticipate and embrace change depends on an articling program that attracts future lawyers with the willingness and ability to contribute right away.

The Right Stuff

We believe in the importance of your academic ability and intelligence. After all, we are looking for high-performance students and new lawyers who will continue to shape BH&T's reputation for leadership in the future. However, marks are not the only standard by which we measure our candidates.

One of the toughest qualities to measure and judge is people skills. A lawyer's future is determined, in large part, by his or her ability to work effectively with colleagues and clients. Our firm values a strong character, congenial personality and effective communication skills.

Having people who possess these attributes not only makes the firm a positive and fun place to be, it also makes us a better, more cohesive and productive law firm for our clients.

The Balancing Act

We are all familiar with the old adage about all work and no play. Although hard work and productivity will be key to your success as a lawyer, balance is also an essential component. To reinforce this point, the firm provides a generous benefits package, including a health club membership subsidy, to our students and lawyers.

We field a number of recreational seasonal teams and activities that all lawyers, staff and students are welcome and encouraged to join. Throughout your articles you will be invited to attend firm-organized student dinners, firm-wide themed events, the Winter Party, the Summer Party and more.