how to become a canadian lawyer

by Mrs. Dena Boehm 7 min read

Lawyer Career info in Canada

  • Get Your Canadian Undergraduate Pre-Law Major. Most Canadian law schools require that you have a bachelor’s degree or have completed 90 credit hours (three years) towards a bachelor’s degree, prior ...
  • LSAT (Law School Admission Test) in Canada. ...
  • Go to Law School in Canada. ...

Full Answer

How much does a lawyer make a year in Canada?

The average salary for a Lawyer is $102,026 per year in Canada. Salaries estimates are based on 304 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by Lawyer employees in Canada. What is the highest salary for a Lawyer in Canada? The highest salary for a Lawyer in Canada is $171,602 per year.

How can I get certified to do law in Canada?

This leave allows you to take up to 10 days of leave to engage in activities, such as:

  • to seek medical attention for yourself or your child in respect of a physical or psychological injury or disability
  • to obtain services from an organization which provides services to victims of family violence
  • to obtain psychological or other professional counselling
  • to relocate temporarily or permanently

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Who is the best lawyer in Canada?

Who is the best lawyer in Canada? The Best Lawyers™ in Canada 2021. David MacDougall – Energy Law (Halifax) David T.S. Fraser – Information Technology Law (Halifax) Marjorie A. Hickey QC – Administrative and Public Law (Halifax) Michelle Awad QC – Corporate and Commercial Litigation (Halifax)

What are the requirements for Law School in Canada?

Steps to become a Lawyer/Attorney in Canadian Provinces / Territories

  • Lawyer Career info in Canada. ...
  • Ontario (Law Society of Ontario) Ontario requires applicants to complete the Barrister Licensing Examination and the Solicitor Licensing Examination.
  • British Columbia (Law Society of British Columbia) Completion of nine months of articling in a law firm or other legal workplace. ...

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How long does it take to become a Canadian lawyer?

three yearsIn Canada, the first-level common law degree is the Juris Doctor or JD, which takes three years to complete. It is an undergraduate degree program, and not a graduate degree program, even though prior undergraduate education is required for entry. The first year of law school is similar at most Canadian law schools.

Can a foreigner become a lawyer in Canada?

Foreign-trained lawyers can qualify to practise law in any Canadian province. In Ontario, almost 30% of lawyers admitted to the bar in 2015 received their legal education outside of Canada.

What qualifications do I need to be a lawyer in Canada?

A bachelor's degree from a recognized law school and a Diploma of Notarial Law (D.D.N.) or A master's degree of law with specialization in notarial law and A 32-week vocational training program are required. Registration with the Corporation of Notaries is required.

How much does it cost to become a lawyer in Canada?

Tuition and fees for both 2019-2020 terms for full-time law degrees is $12,597.50 per year for Canadians and $22,531.00 for international students.

How much is the Bar exam in Canada?

Licensing Examination FeesBarrister Licensing Examination (Examination only)$500Solicitor Licensing Examination (Examination only)$5001 more row

What are lawyers in Canada called?

All Canadian lawyers can call themselves both “barristers and solicitors”, although many define their practices as either one or the other. A barrister is a litigator, i.e. a courtroom lawyer. Traditionally, the Bar was the place in a courtroom where counsel stood to address the court.

Is it difficult to become a lawyer in Canada?

As difficult as it is to achieve, earning a legal degree is not enough to practice as a lawyer; you must also become licensed. The bar association of each province has a particular set of requirements for you to become certified to practice. The bar examination itself is offered three times a year.

Is law a good career in Canada?

Law is one of the highest-paid occupations in Canada and this is also the industry that is in the shortage of human resources in Canada. Therefore, after graduation, students have many open career opportunities.

Is it hard to get into law school in Canada?

Canadian law schools are difficult to get into because there are very few law schools, therefore standards are set high to have the best students compete. Therefore, notwithstanding that these schools listed here are easier to get into, it does not mean that the admission process will be a walk in the park.

What is the cheapest law school in Canada?

Cheapest Law Colleges in CanadaBrandon University.Université de Saint-Boniface.Dominican University College.Canadian Mennonite University.The Memorial University of Newfoundland.University of Northern British Columbia.The University of Calgary.The University of Saskatchewan.More items...

Is law school difficult?

In summary, law school is hard. Harder than regular college or universities, in terms of stress, workload, and required commitment. But about 40,000 people graduate from law schools every year–so it is clearly attainable.

Can you go to law school with a 3 year degree?

Law school programs require you to have a bachelor's degree, at least 90 credit hours, or three years of undergraduate study before you can apply.

How to become a lawyer in Canada?

1. Pass the bar association course. As difficult as it is to achieve, earning a legal degree is not enough to practice as a lawyer; you must also become licensed. The bar association of each province has a particular set of requirements for you to become certified to practice.

How to become a lawyer in high school?

Complete Secondary School and graduate with your high school diploma. In the process, you might be able to gain insight into legal careers by joining a debate club or mock trial team, if your school offers them.

What is the difference between Quebec and English common law?

Decide where you want to study and practice law. Quebec law is based on French Civil law, while law in the other provinces and territories is based on English common law. Practically speaking, you will need to train in the kind of law applicable to where you want to practice as a lawyer.

What are the best courses to take in law school?

Whatever degree you choose, good preparation includes courses in English, philosophy, history, government, economics, and sociology.

When to apply for an internship in law?

Apply for internships known as “articling” in the summer after your second year. Articling, or working for a licensed and practicing law professional, will give you valuable legal experience. After receiving your J.D., you are required to article for a time in order to become certified to practice law.

How long does it take to become an articling lawyer in Quebec?

Students go on to complete their provincial Bar Admissions Course and a period of 10 months to a year of Articling. This is where the student works with supervision from a member of the provincial Bar as a clerk in a law firm, courtroom or legal department. Again this is slightly different if the student wishes to practice in Quebec, then the student will have undergone a Civil Law JD program and go on to spend a term attending Bar School. After this, the student completes the Stage and this is the Civil Law equivalent of Articling.

How many times a year do lawyers take the NCA?

These exams are held around four times a year, and students can either study by themselves in preparation ...

Is Canada governed by each province?

Canada is actually governed by each province separately. However, all of the provinces – apart from Quebec – operate on broadly similar ways as they all use Common Law. The province of Quebec uses Civil Law instead, and so the process is slightly different.

1. High School: Graduate with your diploma

Complete your high school education, regardless of your educational system in the world, e.g. Ontario Grade 12, US Grade 12, GCE/GCSE at the A/AS level, CAPE, IB, etc.

2. After High School: Aim for earning an undergraduate (Bachelor's) degree

You cannot enter Canadian law schools directly from high school. After finishing high school, continue on to higher education (post-secondary) studies. Any undergraduate degree is good preparation for law school, e.g. BA, BSc, BBA, BComm, BEng. BMus, BPHE, BKin etc.

3. Write the LSAT (Law School Admission Test)

This is a standardized test created and administered by the LSAC, an independent non-profit organization based in the US.

4. Apply to law school

There are 18 common law schools in Canada, eight of which are in Ontario, and hundreds more in the US and around the world.

5. Earn your law degree

Length of Program In Canada, the first-level common law degree is the Juris Doctor or JD, which takes three years to complete. It is an undergraduate degree program, and not a graduate degree program, even though prior undergraduate education is required for entry.

6. After you graduate with your law degree

In Canada, completion of a law degree alone is not sufficient to permit a candidate to practice law (that is, work as a lawyer). In order to be admitted to the bar in one of the provinces or territories in Canada, you must also write and pass the provincial bar exams and either:

Lawyers in Canada

There are many perks to practicing law in Canada, starting with the salary which averages around $137,500 per year. Apart from this, every province and territory in Canada benefit from free basic education and public healthcare, and Canada is also known for its diversity and high quality of living.

Best Ways to Immigrate

There are quite a few ways to immigrate to Canada including getting sponsorship from a spouse or family member living as a permanent resident or citizen in the country, studying at a recognized Canadian university, or working on a temporary work permit in a selected occupation, preferably one in-demand.

Our Service

We have three Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) who are all experts in the field of immigration policy. These professionals help you through an eligibility assessment for the over +60 different Canadian visa programs offered by the government to see which you should choose to apply for.

What do you need to know to become a lawyer?

You must have good knowledge of English, history, economics, government, philosophy, and sociology regardless of your subject to excel in your law school and career.

What is the average GPA for law school?

Students with undergraduate GPAs between 3.5 to 4.0 are more likely to get admission to law colleges with the average GPA being 3.9 at some more selective schools.

Does Khan Academy have a certified prep?

Khan Academy has certified prep content, as well as step-by-step videos to help students understand the content better. The content is interactive, which makes it easier for students to get a grasp of difficult content.

Is it advisable to prepare for the LSAT?

It is advisable to rely on the resources and begin preparation for the LSAT as soon as possible, as the process can be quite overwhelming. Multiple resources are available to help students, which are listed below: LSAT website: The LSAT website is a good place to start from.

Foreign lawyers in Canada: How to become Accredited by the NCA?

Many foreign-trained lawyers find themselves unable to practice law in Canada because their credentials are not recognized.

What is the National Committee on Accreditation?

The National Committee on Accreditation (or NCA) is a standing committee of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada (FLSC). According to the FLSC website:

The NCA Assessment

Internationally trained lawyers can apply for the NCA assessment at any time, even prior to coming to Canada (citizenship and residency are not looked at during the assessment process). FLSC identifies the following formalities that are necessary in order for the NCA assessment to be processed:

After the Assessment

Each application is looked at on an individual basis, evaluating candidates’ experience and qualifications, the length of the program and subjects of studies, academic performance, the type of legal system where education was acquired, and other similar criteria.

The NCA Exams

Applicants that received their NCA assessment can register for the NCA examinations. Each examination follows an open-book, paper-and-pen, pass-or-fail format, and lasts approximately 3 hours. Candidates must pre-register for each exam session, and they can do that as early as 4-6 weeks prior to the start of the exam.

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Accreditation

  • Because Canadian education is regulated on a provincial level, there are no national accreditation bodies for Canadian colleges and universities. Government organizations recognize certain colleges and universities within their jurisdiction. There are certain national associations …
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Requirements and Standards

  • Again, each Canadian law school has its own requirements and standards regarding the undergraduate education you must complete before applying to law school. Most have credit requirements, while others may require certain courses to be taken. Check with your chosen law school’s policies for more information.
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Degree Options

  • A Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) in any field (or acceptable work towards such a degree) is usually sufficient for entry into a Canadian law school. Check with the individual law school that you are interested in attending for its policies. Back to Top
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How to Prepare

  • You can access free study materials, such as practice tests and sample questions and answers, at the LSAT website. Other preparation material for the LSAT in Canada includes: LSAT Exam Prep Courses in Canada: 1. LSAT Prep Courses, Oxford Seminars, Locations Across Canada 2. LSAT Prep, Richardson Prep Center, Toronto 3. OfficialLSAT Prep, Khan Academy, online
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Exam Content

  • There are three key areas tested on the LSAT: 1. Reading Comprehension– Long, complex passages resembling information you will encounter in law school and in the law profession are presented. You must answer questions based upon your ability to understand, make inferences, and draw conclusions from these passages. 2. Analytical Reasoning–Your abilities to see relatio…
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Application Process

  • Applications for the LSAT are taken online. The LSAT is given on Mondays and Saturdays in November, January, March, June and July. Examination centers across Canada include: 1. Alberta: 1.1. Bow Valley College, Calgary 1.2. University of Calgary, Calgary 1.3. University of Alberta, Edmonton 1.4. Grande Prairie Regional College, Grande Prairie 1.5. Burman University, Lacombe …
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Receiving Your Score

  • Your LSAT score, which will be between 120 and 180, will be mailed to you three weeks after the date of the exam. Back to Top
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Law Schools in Canada

  • Law schools in Canada offering English common law degrees include: 1. Alberta: 1.1. University of Alberta Faculty of Law, Edmonton 1.2. University of Calgary Faculty of Law, Calgary 2. British Columbia: 2.1. University of British Columbia Peter A. Allard School of Law, Vancouver 2.2. University of Victoria Faculty of Law, Victoria 2.3. Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law, Ka…
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Degree Programs

  • You must complete a Bachelor of Laws (L.L.B.) program or Juris Doctor (J.D.) program in order to qualify for bar membership in any Canadian province or territory. This generally takes three years to complete.
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Pre-Law Undergraduate Degree

  1. Complete Secondary School and graduate with your high school diploma. In the process, you might be able to gain insight into legal careers by joining a debate club or mock trial team, if your school offers them.
  2. Finish a four-year Bachelor’s degree. Your major or concentration can be in any subject, as law schools do not require a particular set of undergraduate courses for admission. Thus, you ca…
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Law School Admissions Test

Complete Law Degree

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Attending law school in Canada requires the student to already have an undergraduate degree, and law schools – such as the University of Toronto– say that no one subject is better than any other. Students must complete the undergraduate degree before applying to law school.
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Foreign-Trained Lawyers – NCA Examination

  • The LSAT is the method of entry into Law School across the US and Canada, and is administered by the Law School Admission Council. It runs tests around the world and is held about four times a year. There are a number of organisations that run preparation courses to take the exam, such as Oxford Seminars, who hold courses across Canada, or Kaplanwho hold courses around the w…
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Provincial Bar Admission Course & Articling

  • After successfully passing the LSAT, students then need to attend one of the 17 Common Law Schools in Canada and undertake the three year JD program. This process is slightly different if they wish to practice in Quebec, as in this case they need to complete a Civil Law course at a law school in Quebec.
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