I was honoured to receive the Faculty of Arts Internship Award, which helped make this internship experience possible. As a Political Science undergraduate at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø with aspirations of pursuing a career in law, this summer internship has been an incredibly meaningful step in my academic and professional journey. I’ve always been passionate about justice, advocacy, and legal structures, and this internship allowed me to begin exploring what life in the legal field truly entails.
I chose this internship at RSSJ Avocats Inc. because I am committed to eventually practicing law, and I was eager to gain real-world experience in a legal setting. While many law internships tend to focus on general tasks, this one offered me the unique chance to dive into construction law and litigation—a niche but essential branch of legal work. My main learning objective was to better understand how legal research is conducted, how lawyers interact with clients, and how cases are built from the ground up. Though I initially hoped to attend court proceedings and see lawyers in action, I quickly realized that most of the hard work happens behind the scenes. I spent a large portion of my time organizing evidence books, preparing legal documents, and observing client-lawyer interactions, which gave me valuable insight into the legal preparation process.
As an intern, my responsibilities were diverse and hands-on. I conducted extensive legal research, particularly on platforms like CanLII, comparing previous case law to ongoing disputes the firm was handling. I also assisted in drafting formal legal documents, preparing mail to be sent to other lawyers, and sitting in on interrogatory and client calls. Additionally, I supported the administrative side of the firm, helping to charge clients, prepare documents for court, and complete other day-to-day tasks. This variety helped me better understand the many moving parts involved in legal practice.
While my academic background in political science did not directly prepare me for the technical aspects of legal research or document preparation, I found that my analytical and writing skills served me well. Throughout the internship, I developed a foundational understanding of the Quebec Civil Code, the structure of Quebec’s courts, and federal legislation like the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act—knowledge that I am confident will benefit me immensely when I enter law school.
One of the most memorable experiences I had was when I was asked to compile a complete list of court engagements for a particular client. I spent hours searching through documents, organizing them into a shared Dropbox, and locating key files that even the client believed were lost. Later, I participated in a client call where we reviewed the materials I had found. It was incredibly rewarding to see my work directly contribute to the client’s understanding of their case and the firm’s preparedness.
Of course, this experience was not without its challenges. One of the more difficult aspects was managing downtime during slower moments when I had no assigned tasks. Because the firm often dealt with emergency cases, I was not always looped into ongoing matters and had to learn to be patient. At times, I occupied myself with menial tasks like shredding or organizing files, which—while not glamorous—gave me a fuller picture of the realities of office life. I also had to learn how to advocate for myself by asking for tasks during busy periods when lawyers didn’t always have time to delegate.
I want to acknowledge the incredible impact that the financial support had on my experience. Living in Montreal can be expensive, and the bursary I received alleviated a tremendous amount of financial stress. Receiving the Faculty of Arts Internship Award greatly alleviated the financial stress of undertaking a full-time internship. Thanks to this support, I didn’t have to juggle additional part-time jobs and was able to fully immerse myself in the legal experience while still enjoying what Montreal had to offer in the summer.
