Student Program: Toronto
Our Resources
Knowledge Management
Research and Support Lawyers
Torys has two research partners who are available to all members of the firm for consultations and research on a wide variety of legal topics. Other lawyers maintain and develop our precedent systems; assist lawyers and students in the effective use of our technology for information-searching purposes; develop pages within our intranet, Torysnet, on topical issues; monitor and communicate legal developments; and consult with members of the firm on legal questions, particularly in the areas of securities law, practice and precedents.
Legal Memo System
More than 10,000 legal memos and opinions are archived and stored in our Legal Memo System. These are available online to all members of the firm and are fully searchable.
The Legal Memo System is also used to archive email legal questions, facta, internal practice notes, current awareness bulletins and current research lists.
Precedent Systems
Torys has a longstanding commitment to the capture and sharing of information. We have several systems available to help lawyers and students find precedents. Our flagship precedent collection is one of the most extensive collections of model form annotated documents in Canada. While formatted for quick and automated use, these documents also serve an educational role. They are prepared carefully to reflect the firm standard and are updated to take into account current legal developments.
We also maintain an online historical precedent system, online access to commercially available precedents and a library of transaction documents. The indices to this library are available online and are fully searchable. We also track precedent and experience requests to put lawyers and students in touch with others who have recently considered similar issues.
Current Awareness and Best Practices Development
Regular Group Meetings
Our collegial working environment is enhanced by regular practice meetings to discuss matters of current interest. For example, the lawyers in the Corporate and Capital Markets Practice hold a meeting on current or recently completed transactions twice each month. Other groups also meet regularly to ensure that consistent advice and best practices are adopted throughout the firm.
Bulletins
Torys regularly publishes bulletins on current legal developments that affect clients' businesses. The bulletins are also an important vehicle for keeping our lawyers and students current and for bringing them up to date quickly on specific topics. All bulletins, as well as other guides and commentaries produced for clients, are available on Torysnet and are fully searchable. The bulletins are also available on Torys' website.
Alerts and Updates
With assistance from our library services staff, several lawyers monitor legislative and regulatory changes and send appropriate alerts. All alerts are available online and are fully searchable.
Torys also has a current awareness service that circulates published materials to lawyers and students; a legislative watch service for lawyers and students interested in particular topics; and a weekly Library Report, which, among other things, tracks the progress of Ontario and federal legislation.
Corporate lawyers and students receive updates to changes in securities rules, TSX rules and other regulatory guidelines as developments occur.
Library
Torys boasts one of the largest and best-equipped private law libraries in Canada. It is staffed by four librarians and three library technicians who can provide you with a full range of research and reference assistance. The library provides a noting-up service for cases and legislation, and a photocopy and document delivery service. We maintain an extensive print collection of texts, law reports, journals and statutes – all fully catalogued.
The library also provides access to all major legal and non-legal online services (Lexis, Quicklaw, Westlaw, and so on) and boasts a substantial number of networked CD-ROM and Web-based information services. All are readily accessed through Torysnet. Your library orientation will include instruction on legal research techniques and the use of the various library materials as well as introductory online search training.
Technology Support
Each student office is equipped with an advanced desktop computer, fully networked, with direct access to the Internet and, through Torysnet, to all online, CD-ROM and Web-based research services, as well as our legal memo and precedent collections. You will receive customized computer training as part of your orientation at Torys.
Email is used extensively for distributing messages, memoranda, bulletins and documents, both internally and to clients. With two tiers of virus protection and software from four different anti-virus vendors, we provide the highest level of virus protection for the firm's data. Each student will be supplied with a BlackBerry while at Torys.
Location
Our Toronto offices are at 79 Wellington Street West in downtown Toronto, overlooking the city to the north, east and west, and Lake Ontario to the south. We are a block from Union Station (subway and GO Transit) above ground, and below us is the underground PATH system that connects much of downtown Toronto. For those who prefer to run, cycle or rollerblade to work, there are showers on our premises.
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