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In-firm interviews reward students who can explain, specifically, why a firm fits them. That takes research, but not endless research. With call day on Friday, October 23, 2026 and in-firms from November 2 to 4 under the Law Society's Toronto recruitment procedures, a focused 45 minutes per firm is enough. Here is what to look at, where to find it, and how to turn it into better conversations.
What you are trying to learn
- Where the firm is strong. Which practice groups lead, and which are small or growing.
- What juniors actually do. The kinds of matters students and first-year associates work on.
- How students are trained. Rotations, work allocation, feedback, and hireback.
- Who you will meet. The lawyers on your schedule and what they work on.
- Why you would choose it. One or two reasons that are specific to this firm and true for you.
Where to look
| Source | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| The firm's student pages | Rotations, class size, training, events, and who runs the program |
| Practice group pages and recent news | Recent deals and cases, and which groups the firm promotes |
| Legal directories such as Chambers Canada and Legal 500 Canada | Independent rankings of practice groups and individual lawyers |
| CanLII | Published decisions, so you can see cases a litigator has argued |
| SEDAR+ | Public company filings, which name counsel on some transactions |
| Industry surveys such as Canadian Lawyer's litigation boutique rankings | How peers and clients see firms in a practice area |
| Current students and recent alumni | What the summer actually feels like, and how work is assigned |
A 45-minute routine per firm
| Minutes | Task |
|---|---|
| 10 | Read the student program pages. Note class size, rotations, and anything distinctive. |
| 10 | Read two or three recent news items for the groups you care about. |
| 10 | Check directory rankings for those groups. |
| 10 | Look up each interviewer you know about: their practice, one recent matter, and any article they wrote. |
| 5 | Write your one-page note. |
Your one-page note
Keep one note per firm and reread it in the lobby before each interview. A simple structure works:
- Why this firm: two specific reasons, in your own words.
- Groups of interest: what they do and one recent matter for each.
- People: who you met at on-campus interviews, receptions, or coffee chats, and what you talked about.
- Questions to ask: three that the website does not answer. See our list of questions to ask law firms.
- After each interview: who you met and anything you promised to follow up on.
Using your research in the interview
- Ask, do not recite. "I saw the group worked on the recent pipeline financing. How were students involved?" lands better than listing the firm's deals.
- Connect it to you. Link what you learned to your own experience or interests.
- Be accurate. If you are not sure a lawyer worked on a matter, ask about the group's work in general instead.
- Stay current. Check the firm's news the night before. Firms notice when you know what happened last week.
Comparing firms after call day
Once your in-firm schedule is set, your notes make it easier to compare firms side by side. Grouping firms by type first can help; see Bay Street firm types. Then use the notes to decide where to give your first choice.
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Sources and scope
This is general career information, not legal, financial, or tax advice, and not an official statement of any rule. Dates, rules, and pay change, so confirm them with the original source, the Law Society, or the employer before you rely on them.
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