Frequently Asked Questions
1. As a law student or articling student, how much involvement will I have in cases?
Law students and articling students quickly become involved in cases through direct assignments. They assist the most senior professionals during every stage of a case. This may include legal research, due diligence, report writing, legal proceedings, various contractual documents, memos and analysis. They may also be called upon to submit applications to the Court and draft research notes and argument plans. Students and trainees are also asked to take part in customer meetings and internal team meetings.
2. What type of clients do you work with?
We are reliable, available and efficient business partners for our clients, and we strive for excellence. We work with both mid-market companies from Québec and their financing institutions, as well as international technology companies that have chosen Québec and Canada as a springboard for their growth. Our clients include well-established public and private companies, bankers, venture capitalists and private equity firms.
Through our BCF Imagine program, we also offer legal and business support services for high-potential startups.
3. What type of candidates are you looking for?
We are looking for much more than future colleagues, we want BCF co-builders who:
- can show their ability to collaborate and mobilise;
- demonstrate intellectual curiosity and are driven by the business world;
- have an exceptional academic and extra-academic background;
- are bold and visionary;
- have a keen sense of initiative;
- have a committed, dedicated and invested attitude towards the projects that will be undertaken.
4. Are my grades more important than my CV?
Grades are only an indication of an individual's abilities. We measure a candidate's excellence as much through their social and extracurricular involvement as through their academic background.
5. How do I prepare for the interview?
The interview is a discussion in which we try to assess if there is a good fit between you and our corporate culture. It is a two-way process that is important for both you and us.
Our best advice: be yourself! We want to discover your true nature, your personality and your authenticity. The best way to prepare for an interview is to do an exercise of self-reflection to determine what you are looking for in an employer.
6. Should I apply to several firms?
It is entirely up to you. We encourage you to participate in the many students activities to discover the different personalities of the firms that will be available to you.
7. How many interns will you be hiring?
In general, we are looking for 8 to 10 interns in Montreal and 3 to 4 interns in Québec City. However, the number of interns depends on an analysis of the firm's expected workload in two years. We sometimes accept additional students if their application corresponds exactly to what our firm is looking for.
8. Can I apply to both the Montreal and Québec City offices?
Of course, it is possible to apply to BCF Montreal and BCF Québec. If both offices were to select you for a second interview, the candidate would need to choose between the Montreal and Québec City offices prior to the second interview.
9. What does a typical week at BCF look like?
On average, a student will invest 35 to 45 hours and a trainee 40 to 50 hours per week at BCF. This time is entirely devoted to their professional development. Whether it is to help a client grow through a merger or acquisition, write an argument for their defence, negotiate their next collective agreement, complete their IPO or their next major real estate acquisition or provide advice to protect their most recent innovations, the hours students put in will enable them to hone their legal and technical skills, immerse themselves in challenges specific to the business world, and advance their own professional development.
10. What happens to your students who do not pass their Bar exam the first time around?
These students get another opportunity to pass the Bar exam. If they fail once again to pass the exam, we offer the option of postponing their traineeship. We also provide our students with all the help and support they need at this crucial stage of their career.