Internships at De Grandpré Chait: a culture to discover

As any lawyer will tell you, a first experience working in a law firm is exciting, intense and highly formative. We sat down with 7 students and interns at De Grandpré Chait to share the highlights of their summer.

Thanks to Chaza Akoum, Frédérique Cartier-Côté, Lauralie Johnson, Romane Lévesque, Susana Nazco-Milian, Charlotte Paquet and Julie-Anne Têtu for their participation.

What do you remember about your first visit to De Grandpré Chait?

• The welcome we received was exceptional. We were encouraged to introduce ourselves to the professionals, which may seem intimidating, but even though we were the seventh person to knock on their door, they were always ready to chat with us.
• -All the staff were really welcoming. The younger lawyers also offered us a lot of advice and much appreciated informal mentoring.
• -We really appreciated the ongoing feedback we received throughout the summer, not just during the evaluations. Several associates took the time to discuss our work on their mandates.
• We quickly found our interests and were quickly integrated into specialized teams. We even had the opportunity to work on major mandates, including for the Supreme Court.
• We really appreciated the fact that our mentors allowed us to meet the firm’s clients with them. It was a very concrete and enriching experience.
• De Grandpré Chait’s internship formula enabled us to discover a number of practices, and we had the opportunity to work in areas we didn’t necessarily cover in school.
• Finally, the cohesion of our group was a great strength. When a mandate arrived in our common e-mail inbox, we would discuss it to determine who would be the best person to answer the call.

The trainees and students also shared unforgettable moments outside work, celebrating every little victory and discovering new activities together, which strengthened their collegiality. Whether through outings, birthday celebrations or sports sessions, each member contributed to creating a warm and supportive environment. This shared experience not only forged strong friendships, but also left memories that will last a long time.

This culture of mutual support among our trainees is at the heart of De Grandpré Chait’s values, and we look forward to seeing it continue with the next cohorts. We look forward to welcoming our next interns so that they too can contribute to the collaborative dynamic that is our strength.