Shadow Program: Volunteer Questions

What does my participation entail?

Your participation in the program involves hosting a student for a day. Basically, we would like the students to experience a 'day in the life' of a legal professional. We are not asking you to plan any special activities for the student, but simply to allow the student to 'shadow' you on your regular workday. We would also like to stress that this program is not in any way intended to provide job placement for students or to provide students with an advantage regarding summer employment or articles.

How long will my commitment last?

Your commitment is only for one day of the academic year. However, we do hope that you will consider continuing your participation in future years.

When can I expect to hear from the student?

You will receive a letter in January advising you whether you have been matched. If you have been matched, you will be provided with the name of a Queen's law student. This student will then contact you to arrange a mutually convenient date for the shadow visit.

When will the match take place?

We ask our students to complete their matches by the end of March. Many students attempt to schedule their shadow visits during the reading week in February.

What if my area of specialization focuses on research and 'paperwork'?

Some of our volunteers believe that students might find their areas of law too dull for a shadowing experience. Yet the experience of speaking with a legal professional and observing the performance of routine tasks is invaluable to students. Students greatly appreciate seeing the practical application of their legal education. Discussions surrounding the volunteer's personal experience and the development of the volunteer's area of specialization are highly valued by our students.

What kind of activities should I plan?

How knowledgeable will the student be?

The students will have completed their first term of legal studies before their shadow visits. We encourage the students to research their volunteers' areas of specialization before the shadow visits.

What about solicitor-client privilege?

All students will be expected to abide by the confidentiality requirements of the legal profession and will have received instruction in that regard. It is at your discretion whether you allow the student to observe client interviews or review sensitive files. However, we do hope that the student will receive as much exposure as possible to the practice of law, within the bounds of confidentiality.

Will all volunteer professionals be matched with a student?

Unfortunately, not every volunteer can be matched in each academic year. We have compiled a volunteer pool that exceeds the number of students in the first year class. Also, the matches are constrained by the geographic location of the volunteers and the geographic preference of the students. Volunteers who are not matched will be given priority in the following year whenever possible. Other opportunities are available to our volunteers, however, such as engaging in an email dialogue with a student. There are additional opportunities to mentor students in other faculties. Please visit the Alumni Association home page for details.

If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to email them to us.