Law School in Canada Overview and Recent Developments
At our school, we offer both the Bachelor of Comparative Law (BCL) and Juris Doctor degrees; these allow graduates to practice law both in Canada and the US.
Canadian law schools typically accept applications based on both undergraduate grades and LSAT scores; some also use a holistic review method which takes into account additional materials like personal statements.
The First Year of Law School
Canadian law schools usually require their applicants to possess a four-year bachelor degree and complete all core coursework necessary for becoming lawyers in Canada during their first year of study.
Additionally, some programs provide training on laws specific to their region – for instance at TRU environmental or natural resource law is covered, while Aboriginal or Indigenous law also figures into the curriculum.
Kamloops, 350km northeast of Vancouver, presents both opportunities and challenges to students attending this law school. Students benefit from experiencing life in a smaller centre that combines urban with natural beauty. The House of Learning at Kamloops Law School reflects this: its undulating roofline follows the shape of nearby mountains; LEED Gold standards were applied when designing it and stairs made from locally-sourced slate are featured with large windows providing sunlight and panoramic mountain views.
The Second Year of Law School
After their second year, law students take more specialized courses, undertake lengthy research papers, and assume leadership roles within clubs, committees, and law journals. Exchange programs with universities abroad may also be available to them before spending a third year working at law firms, legal clinics or government departments in supervised articling positions.
Due to its Northern location, this school’s unique mandate focuses on natural resource law, Aboriginal/Indigenous law and sole or small firm practice. Furthermore, students can become involved with their community via its legal clinic that offers pro bono legal services for members.
There is also a discretionary category available to applicants with special circumstances, such as age or financial hardship. Their admissions committee takes these factors into consideration on an individual basis.
The Third Year of Law School
Students enrolled in law schools take more advanced classes during their third year, participating in legal clinics or research projects as well as pro bono placements and international exchange programs.
Faculty also offers degrees and training in both of Canada’s two legal systems – common law which covers most provinces and territories outside Quebec or civil law which applies in Quebec. Students have the choice between either system.
This school prides itself on community engagement. It operates the Community Law Clinic to provide free legal services for low-income residents of Northwestern Ontario and also operates a Newcomer Legal Clinic which supports immigrant and refugee integration into Canadian society. Furthermore, financial aid programs including loans and scholarships that often depend on merit are offered; lastly it belongs to Federation of Law Societies of Canada.
The Fourth Year of Law School
Canada takes slightly longer to finish law school than the US, yet still offers outstanding education. Students take specialized courses, write extensive research papers and take on leadership roles in student groups, journals or extracurricular activities across Canada.
Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops opened Canada’s inaugural new law school after nearly 30 years with buildings designed to reflect its natural setting, such as stairs covered in locally-sourced slate and an aesthetic roofline that mirrors nearby mountains.
Admission decisions to English-language common law programs typically consider GPA from undergraduate studies and, for English-language common law programs, the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Some schools accept applicants applying through alternative admission categories with reduced or modified minimum requirement standards or who have special circumstances; letters of recommendation and personal statements also play a part.
The Fifth Year of Law School
Law schools in Canada often admit students based on their undergraduate GPA and LSAT score; however, other considerations such as letters of recommendation and personal statements may play a role. It is wise to contact each law school individually in order to ascertain its admissions standards.
Dean Barbara Billingsley of the University of Alberta Faculty of Law offers top-tier education in both foundational and emerging areas of law on Treaty 6 territory. Integration Week helps new first-year students settle in, while Focus Week workshops enable upper year students to explore novel legal topics.
The university’s bilingual BCL/JD program is unique to Canada, and graduates will be eligible to practice law anywhere across the nation. Furthermore, its law school recently launched a one-year Global Professional Master of Laws (GPLLM) specifically targeted towards industry executives.
The Sixth Year of Law School
To become a lawyer in Canada, you must fulfill provincial and territorial law society requirements, which may include courses, exams and articling placement. Some faculties of law have created academic support programs in order to increase diversity and ensure more societal representation within the legal profession.
The Lincoln Alexander School of Law seeks to reimagine law study by integrating its study with social justice, technology and business. With its distinct integrated practice curriculum and incorporation of perspectives from lawyers, judges, legal tech innovators into its classroom setting.
Teaching and research activities of this institution explore the intersection between law and other fields such as economics, literature, sociology and philosophy. Furthermore, unique opportunities such as an international human rights internship and judicial clerkship program with the New Brunswick Court of Appeal exist here.
The Seventh Year of Law School
Law school’s final year offers students an opportunity to specialize their studies while taking leadership roles within clubs, committees and journals. Some schools also provide exchange programs for study abroad experiences.
TRU’s rural campus location in Kamloops allows students to gain practical experience in several different fields, such as Indigenous law and natural resources and environmental law. Furthermore, TRU offers free legal advice to people with financial challenges through its legal clinic.
As soon as they graduate from either a Juris Doctor program or Bachelor of Laws (LLB), law students typically engage in “articling.” This practicum or mentorship involves working under license with another lawyer for an agreed upon period – typically around one year post graduation from undergraduate studies and two postgraduate years. To become an effective and efficient attorney requires seven years of both undergraduate and graduate study.
The Eighth Year of Law School
Students enrolled in law school often enroll in more specialized courses and complete a lengthy research paper during this year. Furthermore, many join law school clubs, committees, journals or extracurricular activities during this timeframe.
Canadian law school admission differs from most countries in that an associate degree can suffice, enabling Canadian students to start articled sooner than American ones.
Lakehead University will soon unveil a clinical program designed to give its students hands-on experience in community legal work, including the Newcomer Legal Clinic that assists newcomers obtaining permanent residency or refugees reuniting with family. This joint effort with Thunder Bay Multicultural Association and Law Foundation of Ontario marks yet another initiative being undertaken by Lakehead to include indigenous legal studies as part of its curriculum as well as experiential learning opportunities.
The Ninth Year of Law School
This Northern school stands out due to its unique setting and program offerings centered on three mandates chosen specifically to accommodate that area – Aboriginal and Indigenous law, natural resources and environmental law, and sole or small firm practice. Furthermore, they pioneered an innovative approach to integrated professional development by offering all third year students a four month articling placement as part of integrated professional development.
This law school also offers an innovative JD program, leading to both a common-law degree and doctor of civil law (DCL) in Quebec – giving graduates access to practice law across all Canadian provinces and many US states. Furthermore, there are admission categories like Discretionary Category, Individual Consideration Category and Mature Category that review applicants differently than general category admission reviews; such categories require an extra essay which considers factors such as financial hardship or membership in historically disadvantaged groups.
The Tenth Year of Law School
Canadian law schools award students who graduate with either a Juris Doctorate (JD) or Bachelor of Laws degree – these three-year programs take four years and require them to have completed at least four years of a bachelor’s program prior to enrollment.
Some law schools also offer additional admissions categories for applicants with special circumstances, including financial hardship or membership in historically disadvantaged groups, Individual Consideration Category and Mature Category with separate application requirements and review standards. Furthermore, personal statements and letters of recommendation may be taken into consideration when reviewing scholarship applications; however, most law schools don’t use these materials as the main determinants for admission – predictive indicators they rely on tend to be weighted equally – GPA scores, LSAT scores as well as various other factors are more often utilized by law schools when considering scholarship applications than personal statements or letters of recs alone.
