Lawyer Launcher - Behind the Bar

Most law students think networking means being charming, confident, and effortlessly good at small talk. It doesn’t. It means not knowing what to say. It means standing in a room full of lawyers and wondering how to enter a conversation. It means overthinking every word and then replaying it later like a bad exam answer. And here is the problem. The students who figure this out early build relationships … and get hired back. The ones who avoid it stay invisible. Susan Van Dyke breaks down wha...

This episode breaks down what actually determines whether law students get hired back after a summer, articling, or internship position. Susan cuts through three persistent myths that mislead students from day one: that good work is enough, that mentorship will be structured and consistent, and that someone else is responsible for your development. Instead, she explains how law firms really operate. Time is scarce, expectations are implicit, and the students who succeed are the ones who take ...

In this episode of Lawyer Launcher, mediator Mark Tweedy, K.C, discusses the rapid growth of mediation across Canada and the U.S., particularly since 2020, and why it has become central to modern dispute resolution. He explains that mediation is no longer a last-minute procedural step before trial—it is increasingly a strategic inflection point in litigation. Court backlogs, cost pressures, and client expectations have pushed lawyers to pursue resolution earlier and more deliberately. K...

In this episode of the Lawyer Launcher podcast, Susan Van Dyke and Johanna Mills sit down with Marketta Jokinen, former national-firm lawyer, law firm recruiter, and career coach, to unpack what law students really need to know about law firm recruitment. Marketta is the Founder of Legal Talent Consultant and Career Coach at Current Talent. With experience spanning private practice, a labour relations board, and national-firm recruitment and talent management, Marketta brings a rare 360-degre...

In this episode of Behind the Bar, I sit down with litigator, Mark Virgin, who brings more than 30 years of practice experience—and an extraordinary level of candor—to a conversation every law student and junior lawyer needs to hear. Mark shares the lessons he wishes he knew as an articling student, including why you should always ask the “stupid” question, how to find the right mentors inside a firm, and what it actually means to “reach up” when you need help. He also speaks openly about his...

In this episode, I’m joined by Linda Lucas—a longtime law firm and professional services executive and now a sought-after leadership coach and trainer. With 25+ years of strategic, operational, and financial leadership experience, Linda shares practical insights every law student, summer/articling student, and new lawyer needs to hear. Her core message: leadership starts on day one, not when you get a title. What you’ll learn (and why it matters early in your career): • How to be a leader at ...

Colin Cameron, CPA, CA, takes us through the basics of law firm compensation and profitability and why it's important for law students and new lawyers to understand how billing rates and recording time tie into profits. We discuss the evolution of the business of law, the emergence of law firm business professionals, and how new lawyers can learn from them. Colin Cameron is the founder of Profits for Partners, Management Consulting Inc. Colin has been advising professional service firms for...

Bena Stock spent over 24 years as a litigator before turning her talents to counselling others. In this episode she draws upon her personal experience, sharing tools that new and aspiring lawyers can use to quiet anxiety, grow confidence, and build a happier and more successful practice. She also addresses common career saboteurs such as imposter syndrome, perfectionism (yes, it's a problem), and the paralysis resulting from fear of failure. You will also learn the significance of "cow paths"...