Your 2L summer at a Bay Street firm: what to expect

If you accepted a 2L offer from a large Toronto firm, your summer starts in May. It is the first stretch of what is usually a two-year path: summer, then articling at the same firm, then a hireback decision. This guide covers how the summer is structured, how work reaches you, who supervises you, how you are reviewed, and how the move into articling usually works, using what firms publish about their own programs.

When it starts and what it pays

Bennett Jones says its Toronto summer program usually runs from early May to mid-August, with 1L and 2L students starting together in May 2027, and lists its summer and articling salary as $2,200 a week (Bennett Jones). Most firms do not publish a rate. In NALP's Canadian survey, the Toronto median for summer and articling students was $1,900 a week as of January 1, 2025 (NALP). Our student salary guide has more detail.

You do not need to prepare before day one. On the Canadian Law Forum, lawyers advising an incoming Bay Street summer student said the first week or so is orientation, the firm gives you what you need, and networking happens once you arrive (Canadian Law Forum).

How work is assigned

The biggest difference between firms is how you get your files. Some build the summer around set practice areas; others let you find your own work.

McCarthy Tétrault describes the work itself: attending meetings and hearings, researching and drafting memos, and helping with due diligence and closings (McCarthy Tétrault). That is a fair picture of most summers. Expect research memos in litigation groups and diligence and document work in corporate groups.

In an open system, you get busy by asking. Students on the Canadian Law Forum suggest being in the office so lawyers can find you, introducing yourself in person, and trying areas you know little about, since the summer is for learning (Canadian Law Forum).

Who looks after you

Every large firm pairs summer students with at least one lawyer whose job is to help, and most add a student programs team on top.

• Osler gives each student an Advisor from its Students Committee who watches workload and meets regularly about feedback, plus an associate buddy in each rotation (Osler).
• McCarthy Tétrault assigns a different mentor in each of your two practice areas (McCarthy Tétrault).
• Torys pairs each summer student with a junior associate (Torys).
• Bennett Jones assigns an associate mentor who acts as host and helps with workflow (Bennett Jones).

Use your mentor for the questions you would rather not ask a partner: how long a task should take, how to record your time, and who to go to for more work. Batch your questions into one list rather than sending a stream of messages, a tip students repeat often (Canadian Law Forum).

Training in the first weeks

Most programs open with formal training. Osler starts students with a two-week foundation program on practice management, substantive law, and skills (Osler). McCarthy Tétrault's orientation covers the firm, research, and writing, followed by a two-day research workshop (McCarthy Tétrault). Bennett Jones runs an orientation and opens its in-house seminars to students (Bennett Jones).

Pay attention to the research and precedent training. Knowing the firm's systems and where to find a good precedent saves you hours on every file.

Reviews and feedback

You will get feedback two ways: informally from the lawyers you work with, and in scheduled reviews. McCarthy Tétrault holds one formal evaluation during the summer (McCarthy Tétrault). Bennett Jones holds two (Bennett Jones). Torys describes formal performance reviews throughout your time at the firm (Torys).

Ask for feedback as you hand work in, not only at review time. A short question such as "Is there anything you would have done differently?" gets you more useful comments than waiting for a formal meeting.

From summer to articling

At large Toronto firms, the summer is usually the start of articling at the same firm. McCarthy Tétrault says its Toronto office hires its articling students from its summer class (McCarthy Tétrault). Osler and McCarthy Tétrault both describe a 10-month articling term (Osler; McCarthy Tétrault).

Firms do not publish when they tell summer students about articling. Lawyers and students on the Canadian Law Forum say large firms usually bring back every summer student unless something serious goes wrong, and that the timing varies from early in the summer to the last week (Canadian Law Forum). Treat that as experience, not a rule, and ask your student programs contact how it works at your firm.

The decision that matters more comes later: hireback as an associate after articling. In Precedent's 2026 Bay Street hireback ranking, the overall rate was 86%. The summer is where partners first get to know your work, so it counts toward that decision.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Taking on too much. Saying yes to everything and then missing a deadline does more harm than saying "I can start this Thursday."
• Hiding a mistake. Tell the lawyer quickly. Students on the forum say errors are easier to fix the earlier they surface (Canadian Law Forum).
• Mishandling confidential information. Do not post about files or put client material into unapproved tools, including AI tools the firm has not authorized.
• Treating events as social only. Firm events are part of work. Be friendly, and go easy on drinks.
• Ignoring the assistants and staff. They know how the firm works and can save you hours.

Before you start, update your resume with your offer and any 2L courses, and keep notes on your files as the summer goes on. For the firm-by-firm picture, see our Seven Sisters comparison.