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Transform your research efficiency with proven methodologies, Boolean search strategies, and expert library resources.
Are you an articling student or licensing candidate on your path to becoming licensed as an Ontario lawyer? Join us for a three-part program to learn how to lay the best foundation for your career.
Part 1: A Partner and an In-House Counsel Tell It Like It Is - What, How and Why
Marco Falco, Partner at Torkin Manes, and Basmah Osman, Enterprise Counsel at OMERS, will provide tips on how to make yourself indispensable and will cover a variety of topics including communication, collaboration, managing expectations, work habits, and networking.
Part 2: Legal Research - The Secret to Your Success
TLA's experienced law librarians will cover the methodology of legal research and will explain how to research quickly, efficiently, and exhaustively.
Part 3: Balancing the Clock and the Mind
The early years of a legal career can feel like a sprint with no finish line in sight. In this session, Safiyya Vankalwala, Communications Counsel at LAWPRO, offers tips on how to manage your time, your workload, and your mental health. Whether you are feeling burned out, struggling to stay organized, or just trying to keep your head above water, you'll walk away with practical tools and a bit of reassurance that you are not alone.
Part 2: Legal Research - The Secret to Your Success
This course provides a comprehensive framework for conducting effective legal research within the Ontario courthouse system. It covers the FILAC methodology for structuring research, the strategic use of secondary sources to build foundational knowledge, and the technical application of Boolean operators for precise case law retrieval. The material also addresses the integration of legislative tracing, the use of forms and precedents, and the critical evaluation of generative AI in a legal practice. Participants will learn how to navigate both print and digital resources, including commercial databases and official government legislative portals, to streamline their workflow and improve research accuracy.
Topics Covered:
Toronto Lawyers Association
For more than 135 years, the Toronto Lawyers' Association, located within the Courthouse Library, has represented the interests of lawyers practising in the City of Toronto. The association was founded to support its members in three key areas: Knowledge, Advocacy, and Community.To uphold these pillars, the association offers a year-round mix of online and in-person education programs for lawyers, hosts both free and paid events to foster in-person networking, and submits advocacy pieces on behalf of its members to the Ontario bench and bar, all levels of government, and the broader public.
Senior Librarian at Toronto Lawyers Association
Darrell Jose is a librarian and information professional in Toronto, Ontario. Since November 2025, Darrell has been Senior Librarian at the Toronto Lawyers Association. Darrell was previously a Librarian (Sunday Staff) at Toronto Public Library, from August 2025 to July 2026, and a Reference Librarian on a part-time contract at York University's Osgoode Hall Law School, from September 2024 to November 2025. Earlier roles include Research Assistant, Cultural Diversity in Canadian Television at the University of Toronto (May to August 2024) and Research Interviewer, Child Care Matters at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (September 2019 to June 2022). Darrell holds a Master of Information (MI) in Critical Information Policy and LIS from the University of Toronto (2024) and a Senior Level Certificate in Business Management for Media Professionals from the Schulich School of Business at York University.
Reference Librarian at Toronto Lawyers Association
Experienced Legal Research Librarian and Legal Compliance Editor with a demonstrated history of delivering specialized legal insights, research training, and statutory tracking systems for legal professionals. Proven expertise combining comprehensive academic legal research frameworks with digital publication strategy, editorial management, and committee leadership within professional law library associations.