Candidates registered in the Licensing Process may begin articling at any time. The articling term is ten months. Within this ten month period, an articling candidate may take up to two weeks of vacation. The calculation of ten months is as follows:
- An articling candidate who commenced articling on August 5, 2011 will complete his/her articles ten months later, on June 5, 2012. An articling candidate who commenced articling on August 9, 2011 will end on June 8, 2012. If the last day of articles falls on a weekend, the candidate's last day will be the Friday prior.
1. Licensing Examinations completed during Articles
Candidates may write the Barrister Licensing Examination and/or Solicitor Licensing Examination prior to or during articles. If a candidate writes their first attempt of either the Solicitor or the Barrister Licensing Examination during the articling term, the Articling Principal is required to provide the student-at-law with five days of uninterrupted study time, one day to write an examination and one free day, free of articling employment duties. This designated examination preparation time, which totals 14 business days for both examinations, is in addition to the articling term and must form part of the articling contract. It is recommended that the student-at-law and his/her Articling Principals agree on a scheduled examination session.
Candidates who commence articles after August 9, 2011 may not meet the eligibility requirements for the call to the bar in June 2012.
2. Filing Requirements
The following form must be filed with the Office of the Registrar. It is the articling candidate's responsibility to ensure that all forms other than the Principal's Evaluation are filed within the time frame specified.
Filing Requirements of Articling Documents (PDF)
3. Commencement of Articles
The following document must be filed at the commencement of articles:
Articles of Clerkship (PDF): Both the candidate and approved Principal are to complete the form and file it with the Office of the Registrar within 10 business days of commencement of articles. Articling candidates must indicate whether they intend to take the allotted examination preparation during articles. Failure to file the form in a timely manner will result a late filing fee. Candidates may not receive articling credit for work completed when Articles of Clerkship have been filed after the due date.
Once the Articles of Clerkship have been properly filed and the Licensing Process fees have been satisfied, candidates will be provided online access to the Professional Responsibility and Practice Course. This Course is to be completed during the Articling Term. An Assessment must be completed by the candidate and Principal prior to the conclusion of the articling term.
4. Conclusion of the Articling Term
The following document should be filed within 10 business days of the end of the articling candidate's articles:
Certificate of Service Under Articles (PDF): Principal and candidate to complete, confirming entire articling term, including vacation time and any examination preparation time taken, and file with the Office of the Registrar. The Principal must also confirm completion of the Professional Responsibility and Practice Course Assessment.