News

This story originally appeared in the latest edition of Hearsay, the Schulich School of Law’s annual alumni magazine.

When Schulich Law student Morgan Meade arrived at Irving Shipbuilding Inc. (ISI) for her first day as a 1L summer intern in the legal department, she was eager to help contribute to the largest defence project in Canadian history.

“The immense scope of the shipyard’s daily operations, from the physical size of the buildings to the thousands of employees and contractors to the volume of contracts required, was unlike anything I had ever seen or experienced,” she says. “I felt a bit overwhelmed the first time I entered the Assembly and Module Halls; the space was enormous. It’s hard to conceptualize how large a warship is until you realize these mammoth buildings only hold a section of the entire vessel at a time.”

Thanks to the McCarthy Tétrault LLP Business Law Internship, Meade spent 11 weeks during the summer of 2024 as part of ISI’s in-house legal team. The internship is one of many offered through the Schulich School of Law’s Internship Program, which has awarded $3 million and placed over 512 students with 250 organizations since its launch in 2009, making it the largest paid summer law internship program in the country.

Originally from Ramea, a remote town with a population of approximately 350 people that is located off the south coast of Newfoundland, Meade was keen to travel and see what opportunities awaited her beyond the shores of the island.

After graduating from high school she moved to Fredericton, where she completed her Bachelor of Business Administration degree at the University of New Brunswick, majoring in finance and accounting and minoring in economics. She then spent the next two years in Halifax, working in mid-market commercial banking, before switching gears to study at Schulich Law. She was excited that her internship combined the financial background she acquired in her undergrad with her interest in business law.

Irving Shipbuilding Inc., a division of J.D. Irving Limited headquartered in Halifax, is often called “Canada’s Shipbuilders” thanks to its long-standing relationship with the Royal Canadian Navy, having built 80% of its current fleet. In 2011, ISI was awarded contracts from the Government of Canada under the National Shipbuilding Strategy to construct six Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships and 15 Canadian Surface Combatants, while also maintaining the current fleet of Halifax-class frigates.

At ISI, Meade was immersed in a fast-paced, multi-disciplinary environment, collaborating with a small but experienced in-house legal department comprised of an executive assistant, a paralegal, three lawyers, and the General Counsel. “In-house counsel acts as ‘jacks of all trades’ due to the range of legal and non-legal responsibilities they handle,” she explains. “I was included in everything from major contract negotiations to labour matters. The team genuinely cared about helping me learn.”

“I was included in everything from major contract negotiations to labour matters. The team genuinely cared about helping me learn.”

Meade recalls one afternoon when she casually mentioned her interest in intellectual property law to the paralegal. “She immediately set aside time to walk me through key concepts, answer my questions and share her insights. Her generosity and mentorship meant a lot to me.” She continues to maintain those relationships cultivated at ISI.

Her first assignment in her role involved drafting a contract between ISI and an educational institution. “It was the perfect way to practically apply what I’d learned in my first-year contracts course, bringing the theory to life,” she reflects.

From there, her responsibilities expanded. She reviewed, drafted, and revised subcontracts for ISI’s massive shipbuilding and ship repair projects. She also tackled questions of privacy and access to information, as well as matters falling within the labour and employment realm, like participating in site inspections and exploring topics related to occupational health and safety.

Meade also had the opportunity to sit in on contract negotiations with major suppliers for the Canadian Surface Combatants program. “The negotiations were enlightening. I observed how seasoned lawyers navigate complex conversations, weigh risks, and negotiate terms – soft skills you can’t learn in a classroom,” she shares. “They made sure I felt included and prepared, bringing me up-to-speed beforehand, answering my questions, and treating me like a contributing member of their team.”

Throughout the summer, Meade saw her legal skills sharpen in real time. “My attention to detail improved, especially when reviewing long and complex contracts,” she says. “But beyond the technical skills, I learned how to work effectively within a legal team, how to think strategically, and how to stay curious and ask the right kinds of questions.”

“My attention to detail improved, especially when reviewing long and complex contracts – but beyond the technical skills, I learned how to work effectively within a legal team, how to think strategically, and how to stay curious and ask the right kinds of questions.”

She says that the experience gave her a clear picture of the role of in-house counsel and how legal advice fits into big-picture business decisions, how cross-functional teams operate, and how legal work can directly impact major projects.

“I’m incredibly thankful to McCarthy Tétrault LLP for making this internship experience possible,” says Meade. “I will be forever grateful for the mentorship so generously given to me by my colleagues at the Irving Shipyard. I started the summer eager to contribute, and I left with skills and experiences that exceeded anything I could have hoped for.”