Update: minimum wage for articling students in Ontario
The Law Society of Ontario has voted to implement a mandatory minimum wage for articling students (with a narrow margin of 25 in favor, 24 opposed and 1 abstention). The minimum wage requirement will come into effect during the next licensing cycle in May 2023. A report last year found that 10-15% of articling placements are below minimum wage or unpaid, with increasing education costs raising equity concerns for entering the profession. Those opposed ot the minimum wage raised concerns that smaller firms would be unable to offer articling positions if required to pay minimum wage.