Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 28
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CANADA’S TOP EMPLOYERS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (2025)
Blakes gives new hires reasons to want to stay
A
s a bachelor of
arts student at
the University of
Waterloo, Rhea
Fegradoe had the
opportunity to take five fourmonth co-op placements with
various employers. Leading into
the second of the five, she applied
to the national law firm Blake,
Cassels & Graydon LLP.
“I was excited to get the opportunity to work at Blakes,” she says.
She was majoring in psychology
with a minor in legal studies, it
was the height of the pandemic,
and she was limited due to travel
restrictions. She interviewed for
the position remotely and, to
her surprise, got offered a co-op
position with the firm’s Toronto
office.
Starting a new job
is exciting but also
stressful. The Blakes
Ambassador program in
the Toronto office eases
the process for new
hires, so they have a
sense of belonging from
the start.
— Tiziana Panza
Senior Manager, Recruitment
Fegradoe ended up working all
of her four remaining co-op terms
with Blakes, with each one offering more exposure and responsibilities in a variety of tasks, before
graduating and getting hired
permanently as a legal assistant
supporting a senior partner in the
Students beginning their careers at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP are supported by a team that invests in
their growth.
corporate and commercial group.
She came to realize that more than
half the firm’s workforce was employed in non-legal functions such
as administration, client relations
and marketing, human resources,
finance, research and information
technology.
“It’s not just for people interested in becoming a lawyer,” she says.
“There are opportunities in a wide
range of fields and career paths at
the firm.”
Blakes’ co-op program, one of
the largest among Canadian law
firms with an average of 50 students participating in the program
across the firm’s Canadian offices,
is specifically geared to nurture
talent for the firm’s business
services side, explains senior
recruitment manager Tiziana
Panza.
“We provide students with
meaningful, hands-on work
experience,” she says. And, as
in Fegradoe’s case, it often leads
to more. “Our co-op program
has been successful at placing
several students, after they have
graduated, in fields related to their
studies.”
Blakes offers students valuable
career experiences through a
variety of internship opportunities
as well. Across all its Canadian
offices, Blakes offers an average
of 15 paid internships annually in
fields such as accounting, graphic
design, human resources, research
and information technology,
helping students gain practical
experience and explore potential
career paths.
Whether co-op students, interns
or permanent hires, all new
employees go through formal
orientation. In addition to being
assigned a mentor, they also have
access to a Blakes Ambassador –
“a trusted person who knows the
culture and infrastructure of the
firm that new hires can consult
with at any time,” Panza says.
“Starting a new job is exciting
but also stressful. The Blakes
Ambassador program in the
Toronto office eases the process
for new hires, so they have a sense
of belonging from the start.”
There are other reasons
why Blakes appeals to young
employees. Training is offered
