Location: Toronto, ON Canada
Type: Contract

Rate: $1,700 per week
Date: May 19, 2025

The Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) is Canada’s largest nurses’ union. We are powered by our members — 68,000 nurses and health-care professionals, and 18,000 nursing student affiliates — who provide care in hospitals, long-term care, public health, the community, clinics and industry.

Our mission is to defend the rights of and advocate for nurses and health-care professionals who care for the health of Ontarians. We empower members and fight against unfair and unsafe treatment, negotiate and enforce our contracts, offer benefits and insurance, provide tailored education and development opportunities and much more. We confront governments, administrations and other policymakers head on to fight for high-quality public health care.

ONA is excited to offer an articling position for the 2026/2027 articling term. This is a unique opportunity for a student who is interested in practicing in labour law. As in-house counsel, the student will be integrated into the operations of ONA, participating in the union movement from the inside, and will gain insight into the many complex legal issues that arise for our members. The student will develop their advocacy skills by being provided with hands-on litigation experience with carriage over their own files.

We are seeking a student who has a demonstrated interest in labour law and a strong commitment to social justice. In addition to high academic achievement, the candidate must have strong writing, advocacy, and analytical skills.

Articling Experience:

ONA has an excellent reputation in the labour community. We vigorously pursue advancements in the law, advocating for legislative changes, and arguing precedent setting cases in a variety of forums.

The articling student will be an integrated part of the Legal Department. The Legal Department includes the Litigation Team, which is supported by experienced legal counsel and includes eighteen lawyers. The Team delivers legal services to ONA staff and membership, litigating extensively on complex and important labour and human rights issues impacting our membership. Labour arbitration and proceedings before the Ontario Labour Relations Board form the core of the team’s practice. If interested, the student will have the opportunity to expand their practice to include legal services offered uniquely by ONA to its members.

Specifically, the student will have the opportunity to be directly involved in the following types of files:

Grievance Arbitrations
Proceedings before the Ontario Labour Relations Board (including certifications, unfair labour practices, successor employer applications, and Occupational Health and Safety Act appeals)
Human Rights Tribunal Applications
Professional Disciplinary Proceedings before the College of Nurses of Ontario and other regulatory bodies
Workplace Safety and Insurance Act appeals to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Tribunal

ONA offers a practical hands-on articling program. Students are actively involved in representation of our members and all aspects of litigation and file preparation, including conducting legal research; the provision of summary advice and legal opinions; drafting pleadings, communications and legal submissions; attending client meetings, preparing witnesses to testify, and assisting in the crafting of legal argument; and attending mediations and hearings. The student will have the opportunity to actively participate at hearings under the supervision of counsel.

ONA offers a competitive salary, including payment of the Bar Admission Course fees.

Application Process:

ONA will be adhering to the Law Society of Ontario’s procedures for articling recruitment. Applications are due on Friday June 26, 2026, by 5:00 pm. Applicants will receive an offer on August 12, 2026, by 5:00 pm.

Applications must include a cover letter and resume, transcripts (law school and undergraduate degrees), a writing sample and three reference letters with contact information for the referees in addition to a list of courses being taken in 3^rd year.

All interested students are asked to submit their application on the ONA Jobs website by 5:00 p.m. on June 26, 2026.

For questions about this opportunity, please contact Rebecca Lee Birtwistle, Senior Legal Advisor, at 416-964-8833.

The Ontario Nurses’ Association is committed to employment and pay equity within its staff. Applications are encouraged from equity groups including individuals of Indigenous descent, racialized individuals, individuals with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ persons. We also provide accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (‘AODA’). If you require accommodation for a disability during any stage of the recruitment process, please notify Human Resources.

Thank you for your interest in joining us. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Ontario Nurses' Association

Open Positions

Articling Student