Embarking on your journey to becoming a lawyer in Canada can be a daunting process. At CPLED, we understand the challenges aspiring lawyers face while searching for and securing their articling positions. Therefore, we have created a new program and resource called Articling Assist to offer individuals one-on-one articling search support.
Once signed up for the service, CPLED’s Student Services Advisor will support you in developing your job search documents for your desired articling position—such as a resume and cover letter. You will also receive one-on-one coaching on effective job search strategies, techniques and behaviours.
Let us help you pave the way for a bright future in the Canadian legal field.
The service is $490 + applicable taxes and includes the following:
- A complete resume review, including feedback on possible areas for improvement, formatting and editing support.
- Support creating a cover letter tailored to a target job description, with guidance on editing required for future applications with other employers.
- Interview preparation includes text-based interview preparation materials and a 45-minute interview discussion and practice session.
- A 45-minute coaching session on job search, LinkedIn and networking tips and tricks, supplemented by a growing library of CPLED webinar recordings.
- Supplementary coaching session: Additional coaching of up to one hour on any of the above topics in 20-minute increments.
Our Student Services Advisor, Eric Pye, has over 15 years of job search coaching experience, is a Certified Resume and Interview Specialist (CRS, CIS) and has a Career and Academic Advising certificate. Register for Articling Assist today and take that next step toward your future legal career.
The Articling Assist program provides support and coaching to individuals who sign up for the service. While we strive to provide our customers with the best possible guidance and resources, we cannot guarantee that you will secure an articling position through the service. We provide assistance and guidance throughout the process; however, the ultimate responsibility of securing an articling position lies with you. CPLED is committed to providing high-quality support and coaching, but we cannot guarantee specific outcomes.
We also offer our Student Resume Directory as a central repository for individuals to post their resume seeking articling and summer student positions. The directory is where law firms can research suitable candidates for opportunities within their organizations.
Enrolment Process
- Create a CPLED Student Profile
- Complete the following items on the Articling Assist Enrolment Checklist
- Law degree information (including uploading the necessary supporting documentation)
- Previous legal work experience
- Articling Assist Student Agreement
- Emergency Contact Information
- Once you have completed the above, email admin@cpled.ca with the subject, “Articling Assist,” noting you have completed your Articling Assist Enrolment Checklist and would like to sign up for the service. A CPLED staff member will respond, confirm your registration, and provide you with your service invoice. If the service is not accepting new clients, CPLED will inform you of the next available opportunity to sign up.
- After receiving your Articling Assist invoice, submit your payment by online bill payment, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or wire transfer.
- Once your payment has been processed, CPLED’s Student Services Advisor will contact you via email with the next steps. Please note that processing your payment can take up to five business days.
Refer to the user guide for step-by-step instructions on the enrolment process.
PREP Registration
With Articling Assist, you no longer need to enroll in the Practice Readiness Education Program (PREP) to utilize our Student Services Advisor’s articling search expertise. However, register in PREP or Accelerated PREP after participating in Articling Assist, and you will receive a refund on your Articling Assist service fee or a credit towards your PREP Foundation Workshops tuition fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Individuals who are seeking an articling position in Canada. We recommend that individuals who sign up for Articling Assist reside in Canada and already have their Canadian common law degree or Certificate of Qualification (CQ); however, these are not requirements. Please be aware that articling search for students outside Canada is infinitely more challenging than for those residing in a Canadian province, partly because networking is difficult to do remotely and partly because law firm recruiters have a preference for articling candidates who are local. If you are not yet in Canada, we recommend that you wait until you are in the country to register for Articling Assist.
Create a CPLED Student Profile and complete your Articling Assist Enrolment Checklist. Once completed email admin@cpled.ca with the subject, “Articling Assist,” noting you have completed your Articling Assist Enrolment Checklist and would like to sign up for the service. Then, submit your payment for the service, and a CPLED staff member will contact you with the next steps.
$490 CAD + applicable taxes
Upon completion of the enrolment process, an invoice will be generated and provided to you via email (admin@cpled.ca) from CPLED staff.
Payments can be made by online bill payment, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or wire transfer.
Online bill payment is a fast and secure way to make a payment with a Canadian bank account. Payments are processed through your financial institution’s own banking service.
- Log on to your bank’s online system
- Create a payee profile. Add “The Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education” or “CPLED” as a payee on your bill payment profile (name will vary from bank to bank)
- Enter your account information. Your account number is located at the top of your invoice and is your three or four-digit student number, for example, 1532.
- Allow for processing time. It may take up to five business days for online payments to be processed.
For support on setting up online payment, contact your financial institution.
To remit funds via EFT:
- Complete the EFT transaction using CPLED’s banking institution information, located on your PREP tuition fee invoice.
- Send CPLED an email at accounting@cpled.ca indicating the invoice number(s) and account(s) that your payment should be applied to.
Your financial institution may charge a fee to complete an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). It is your responsibility to pay that fee and ensure the full amount due to CPLED is remitted.
To remit funds via wire transfer:
- Complete the wire transfer transaction using CPLED’s banking institution information, located on your Articling Assist program fee invoice.
- Send CPLED an email at accounting@cpled.ca with a copy of the official payment receipt from your financial institution.
Your financial institution may charge a fee to complete a wire transfer. It is your responsibility to pay that fee and ensure the full amount due to CPLED is remitted.
Unfortunately no, the manual process required to process cheque payments can be timely, costly and outweighs their effectiveness.
Unfortunately no, the cost to administer credit card transactions is costly, thus in an effort to keep tuition fees affordable, we have opted to not accept credit card payments.
Unfortunately, CPLED is not set up to accept e-Transfer payments.
Yes. Individuals seeking articling search support in Canada can sign up for Articling Assist.
Please note that students enrolled in a Canadian common law degree program can access a career and job search advisor through their law school’s career office.
Individuals who are working towards their Certificate of Qualification (CQ) may sign up for Articling Assist; however, please note that many firms are reluctant to hire someone for an articling position who has yet to complete and obtain their CQ.
The CPLED Student Services Advisor will contact you regarding the first steps approximately one week after processing your service payment.
They will be virtual. There is no option to have an in-person meeting.
The Articling Assist program provides support and coaching to individuals who sign up for the service. While CPLED strives to provide our customers with the best possible guidance and resources, we cannot guarantee that you will secure an articling position through the service. We provide assistance and guidance throughout the process; however, the ultimate responsibility of securing an articling position lies with you. CPLED is committed to providing high-quality support and coaching, but we cannot guarantee specific outcomes.
