Our student programs are flexible and allow you to gain exposure to a wide range of practice areas while exploring your own interests. We encourage our students to reach out to lawyers in practice areas they would like to learn more about or with whom they are interested in working. You will receive interesting and practical hands-on experience in our diverse practice areas:
Litigation & Advocacy: You will be exposed to matters involving commercial litigation, insurance litigation, administrative law, insolvency, construction, environmental, employment & labour, family, wills & estates, immigration, and aboriginal law.
Real Estate & Business Law: You will be exposed to a mix of corporate and commercial law, taxation, and real estate.
We believe that our students should be involved in all facets of our practice. Our students are continuously challenged and will become involved in matters of increasing complexity and responsibility as their abilities develop. Examples of assignments given to students include:
- Handle your own small claims court files with supervision
- Draft correspondence, pleadings, motion records, facta, and research memos
- Attend discoveries, mediations, pre-trials, and hearings before courts and tribunals with our experienced lawyers
- Assist with both corporate and real estate closings
- Draft corporate contracts as well as director and shareholder resolutions
We treat summer and articling students similarly in terms of assignments and level of responsibility, except for the restrictions on rights of appearance before courts imposed by the Law Society.
Summer Student Program: We encourage our students to freely explore all of our practice areas as we feel the summer is too short for a formal rotation system.
Articling Student Program: We maintain a comprehensive rotation system that exposes our students to all practice groups that Blaney McMurtry has to offer.
Blaney McMurtry LLP is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities. If you require an accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs.
Meet our 2026 Articling Students
Mitch Babec:
416-593-1221 ext. 2660
Mbabec@blaney.com
Mitch graduated from Queen's University Faculty of Law, where he co-chaired the faculty's annual charity concert in support of accessible music education in the Kingston community.
Before joining Blaney, Mitch worked at the Canadian Human Rights Commission and helped coordinate the national implementation of federal programs under the Pay Equity Act and the Accessible Canada Act. He holds degrees in medicinal chemistry and business management from the University of Ottawa.
Outside of the office, Mitch is an avid guitarist who performs and teaches regularly. When he's not playing, he's usually cooking for family and friends or training for his next bike tour.
Layla Bender:
416-593-1221 ext. 2661
Lbender@blaney.com
Layla graduated from Queen’s University Faculty of Law. Prior to law school, she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Honours with High Distinction) from the University of Toronto, where she specialized in criminology.
During her time at Queen’s Law, Layla volunteered with Pro Bono Students Canada on a year-long project supporting self-represented family law litigants and gained practical advocacy experience as a Student Caseworker with the Queen’s Family Law Clinic. She worked with the Kingston Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Ontario to organize interdisciplinary educational programs for family law and justice professionals. Further, Layla acted as an academic tutor for incoming first-year law students and received the Queen’s Torts prize for achieving the highest standard in the course.
Outside of work, Layla enjoys spending time with her friends and family, and enjoys reading, drawing and knitting. She also likes hiking, running and weightlifting, and is an avid musical theatre fan.
Susan Kuang:
416-593-1221 ext. 2662
Skuang@blaney.com
Susan obtained her J.D. from Western University Faculty of Law. She previously graduated with Dean’s Honours from the University of Waterloo, earning a Bachelor of Arts with an Honours Specialization in Psychology. Prior to law school, Susan worked in sales within the area of insolvency, where she adopted a client-centered approach to communicating and problem-solving.
During her time at Western Law, Susan was named to the Dean's Honour List and received the Wildeboer Dellelce LLP Award in Corporate Law for achieving the highest grade in Western Law's Corporate Law course. Susan was involved in the law school community, volunteering with Pro Bono Students Canada and serving as a student ambassador. In her final year, Susan completed an exchange at Hong Kong University, broadening her academic and international perspective.
In her free time, Susan enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, and playing board games such as Settlers of Catan and Chess. She also loves to snowboard in the winter and run in the summer.
Alessia Leonardelli:
416-593-1221 ext. 2663
Aleonardelli@blaney.com
Alessia graduated from Western Law. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from University of Guelph, where she completed a double major in Criminal Justice and Public Policy and History.
Throughout her undergraduate degree and law school career, Alessia has obtained work experience in the financial services industry and in her 1L summer, worked as a legal intern at an investment company in Toronto. Outside of her academic and professional experience, Alessia is an active volunteer in her
local community. During her undergrad, she tutored low-income high school students and continues to prioritize supporting the community by participating in sandwich patrols across the city with other alumni from her high school. At Western, Alessia was a proud student ambassador for incoming students and was a member of the social committee where she planned events for current Western law students. Alessia also had the opportunity to go on exchange to the University of Nottingham in her final year of law school where she gained a global perspective of the law.
Outside of work and school, Alessia enjoys reading, playing board games, travelling, and spending time with her family.
Emily-Rose Njonde:
416-593-1221 ext. 2664
Enjonde@blaney.com
Emily earned her J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Social Entrepreneurship from McGill University, where she was actively involved in student leadership and equity initiatives.
During law school, Emily gained broad advocacy experience through clinical, academic, and extracurricular roles. She supported low-income individuals and refugee claimants through the FCJ Refugee Centre and Legal Aid Ontario's Refugee Law Office, advised early-stage entrepreneurs at the Osgoode Innovation Clinic by conducting trademark and prior art searches, and worked at a leading class actions firm during her first-year summer. In her final year, Emily served on the Osgoode Student Caucus and competed as a French oralist in the Laskin Moot, where her team placed among the competition's top ten.
Emily is committed to public service and community engagement. Throughout law school, she held leadership roles with the Black Law Students' Association of Canada and its Osgoode chapter. As National Moot Director, she helped lead Canada's only for-credit, student-run moot competition and as Community Outreach Director, she organized a regional professional clothing drive that collected more than 300 donations of business attire for low-income young professionals. As a Fellow with the 1834 Global Program, Emily also contributed to the development of a policy proposal supporting Caribbean youth affected by the climate crisis and presented recommendations to Global Affairs Canada on Canada's Africa Strategy.
In her free time, Emily enjoys fiction novels, musicals, bike rides, and stand-up comedy.
Jessica Sing:
416-593-1221 ext. 2665
Jsing@blaney.com
Jessica received her law degree from Queen’s University Faculty of Law, where she was actively involved in student leadership and advocacy. She served on both the Law Students’ Society Elections Committee and Awards Committee and participated extensively in student organizations. During her second year, Jessica was awarded a competitive Appellate Internship, assisting with matters before the Ontario Court of Appeal. In her third year, she was awarded an internship with the Ontario Court of Justice. Jessica also competed in the Sopinka Cup Trial Advocacy Moot and a labour and employment Moot. Jessica also won the Class Prize in Family Law for achieving the highest class standing.
Prior to law school, Jessica earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Manitoba. She then worked in the medical and pharmaceutical industry, including as a sales representative for a leading international pharmaceutical and biotechnology company.
Outside of her professional and academic pursuits, Jessica enjoys hiking, listening to true crime podcasts, and spending time with her French Bulldog, Alfonzo.
Please note that Blaney McMurtry LLP will be participating in this year’s 2L OCI and Interview Week recruitment process. We are planning to hire up to 7 second year summer students.
Candidates must submit a full application through viLawPortal in addition to selecting us for OCIs on your school portal. We will not accept applications submitted via email or regular mail.
Summer student applications should be addressed to Neil Dennis, Director of Professional Development, and should include the following:
- Cover Letter
- PLEASE CLEARLY INDICATE in your cover letter what practice area(s) (if any) you are most interested in
- Resume
- Copies of official undergraduate and law school transcripts
- Reference letters are welcome but not required
We thank all candidates for their response but only those to be considered for an interview will be contacted.
If students would like to learn more about our summer student program, they are welcome to contact our current summer students.