Tomas Belanger
Tomas spent years recruiting for firms before turning to writing. He covers the legal job search from both sides of the table.
Negotiating Salary as a Junior Lawyer
Junior lawyers often accept the first number offered. Knowing when and how to negotiate, even at the start of your career, can make a real difference.
Career Planning for Your First Five Years in Law
The first five years of a legal career set patterns that are hard to change later. Thinking deliberately about them early is worth more than most lawyers realize.
From Licensing Exams to Call to the Bar: The Home Stretch
Once your licensing exams are done, there are still several steps before you are called. Here is the full sequence so nothing catches you off guard.
A Legal Resume That Gets Interviews
Most legal resumes look nearly identical. Small, specific changes to structure and language make yours the one a hiring partner actually reads to the end.
Preparing for Your First Lawyer Job Interview
Your first lawyer interview is not a test of raw intelligence. It rewards specific preparation, and most candidates skip most of it.
A Quiet Personal Brand That Brings You Work
A professional reputation that generates referrals is built slowly, not announced. What actually works for lawyers who want to be known for something real.
What Nobody Tells You Before You Move In-House
Going from a firm to an in-house legal role changes more than your commute. The work, the expectations, and the skills that matter all shift in ways worth understanding first.
Moving from Private Practice into Policy or Government
Government legal work and policy roles are a distinct career path, not a fallback option. What the transition actually involves and how to pursue it seriously.
Ten Things to Track During Your Articling Year
The articling year moves quickly. Tracking these ten things from day one gives you a useful record of your development and makes every step after articles easier.
Finding a Mentor, and Being Worth Mentoring
Good mentors do not appear automatically. You have to find them, earn their time, and show up consistently. Here is how to do all three.
Choosing an Articling Principal Who Will Teach You
The principal you article under sets your baseline as a lawyer. Here is how to assess the relationship before you accept an offer.
Making a Clean Lateral Move Between Firms
A step-by-step guide to searching confidentially, navigating the offer, and leaving your current firm in a way that protects your reputation.