Comment 36424

By Tammany (anonymous) | Posted December 17, 2009 at 11:25:19

Keanin,

Don't despair of finding a job in Hamilton. The Hamilton legal community is larger and more sophisticated than you might think, and, contrary to popular opinion, does consist of more than just insurance defence and personal injury firms.

There are a handful of (large by Hamilton standards, midsize by Toronto standards)firms which do a fair bit of high quality work for major corporate and institutional clients.

Hamilton is still seen as a major centre for legal work related to the manufacturing sector, so if you're at all interested in that, you might consider applying locally before making a play at Toronto.

I'm thinking in particular of firms like: Evans Philp, Ross & McBride, Simpson Wigle, and of course Gowlings. I know that these firms would be intrigued at the prospect of recruiting someone with an international background like yours. There are others too, but these are where I would look first. The good thing is that Hamilton firms generally fared better through the recession than Bay Street, so your prospects might be better than you'd think.

Send your resume around or, better yet, make some calls to partners. Hamilton is still very much a handshake and face-to-face sort of town, and direct contact is often the best approach.

The pay scale is high compared to other Ontario cities (although lower than in Toronto, and of course much lower than in major American cities) and the bar is extremely friendly. I wish you the best of luck and hope to see you around.

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