Kara Sears
To become a lawyer in Canada, you must first obtain a bachelor's degree or complete at least three years of an undergraduate degree. While your bachelor's degree can be in any field, it is recommended that you take courses that will help you develop strong writing, communication, and critical thinking skills. After completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and apply to a law school in Canada. Law school typically lasts three years, after which you will need to complete a period of articling or apprenticeship, which involves working under the supervision of a qualified lawyer. Finally, you will need to pass the bar admission exams for the province or territory in which you plan to practice.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | A three- or four-year bachelor's degree in any subject is required. |
| Law School Admission Test (LSAT) | Required for admission to law school. |
| Law school | A three-year program followed by 12 months of articling (supervised work experience). |
| Law degree | Required to practice law in Canada. |
| Bar admission exams | Required to practice law in the province where you plan to work. |
| Specializations | Business law, constitutional law, health law, international law, etc. |
| Joint degrees | Law and business, public policy, or other fields. |
| GPA and LSAT scores | Important factors for admissions. |
| Scholarships and bursaries | Available at some law schools. |
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What You'll Learn
Undergraduate degree requirements
To pursue a degree in law in Canada, you must first complete an undergraduate degree. This is typically a three-year or four-year full-time program, and you can choose any major that interests you. While some pre-law students choose majors related to law, such as political science, sociology, English, philosophy, or communication studies, any major can lead to a law degree. Completing a four-year degree may give you an advantage when applying to law school. Additionally, if you are an international student, ensure that your undergraduate degree is from an accredited, recognised higher education institution.
During your undergraduate studies, it is beneficial to develop strong writing, communication, and critical thinking skills, as these are essential for a career in law. You should also focus on maintaining a high GPA, as this, along with your LSAT score, will be crucial when applying to law school. The LSAT, or Law School Admissions Test, evaluates your analytical, reasoning, and reading comprehension skills. It is recommended to take the LSAT while completing your undergraduate degree, and you can prepare for it by enrolling in prep courses or taking practice tests.
If you are certain that you want to pursue a career in law, it is advantageous to plan early and set a target GPA and LSAT score. This will increase your chances of gaining admission to your preferred law school. Additionally, consider gaining practical experience by volunteering with a law firm or exploring other opportunities to enhance your application and ensure that a career in law is the right choice for you.
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LSAT exam
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a requirement for admission to most law schools in Canada. The LSAT is an integral part of law school admissions and is considered the single best predictor of first-year law school performance. It is a standardised test used by law schools to measure your admission application, in addition to other requirements.
The LSAT is a requirement even if you have completed your undergraduate degree. The LSAT must be taken one or two years before the deadline for admissions. It can be taken multiple times, and there are no minimum LSAT scores required by most Canadian law schools. However, each law school evaluates your LSAT scores differently, so it is important to check with your preferred school about their requirements.
The LSAT consists of four multiple-choice sections and the LSAT Writing section. The multiple-choice sections evaluate your analytical, reasoning, and reading comprehension skills. The LSAT Writing section presents test-takers with a debatable issue and sources that provide context. You will then construct an argumentative essay based on the materials provided. There is a 10-minute break between the second and third sections of the test.
To prepare for the LSAT, you can take practice tests, which are available for free in your LawHub account. There are also prep courses offered by your undergraduate college or university and the law school you are applying to. The LSAC offers fee waivers for financially challenged applicants.
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Law school applications
To apply to law school in Canada, you must have completed at least three years of an undergraduate degree. However, it is advantageous to have a four-year degree, and some law schools may require this. Your undergraduate degree can be in any subject, as Canadian law schools do not require a specific field of study. However, certain subjects may help to develop skills useful for a career in law, such as writing, communication, and critical thinking skills. These include political science, sociology, English, philosophy, and communication studies.
When applying to law school, your application will be strengthened by a high GPA and LSAT score. The LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) is an online test evaluating your analytical, reasoning, and reading comprehension skills. It is recommended that you take the LSAT while completing your undergraduate degree, and most Canadian law schools require that you take it at least a year before the admissions deadline. You can take the LSAT multiple times, and it is worth checking how your chosen law school uses your scores, as some average all scores, while others only consider your highest score.
In addition to your GPA and LSAT score, law schools will consider your references. It is therefore important to build relationships with your professors during your undergraduate degree.
Some law schools may also offer joint or combined programs, allowing you to study law alongside another discipline, such as business or public policy. If you are an international student, you can apply to law school in Canada with any undergraduate degree from an accredited, recognised higher education institution.
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Law degree and internships
To obtain a law degree in Canada, you must first complete at least three years of an undergraduate degree. While there is no requirement to major in a specific field, some well-established launching pads for a career in law include political science, sociology, English, philosophy, and communication studies. These humanities majors offer many opportunities to develop your writing, communication, and critical thinking skills.
After completing your undergraduate degree, you must write the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and apply to a law school in Canada. Most law schools in Canada offer specializations such as business law, constitutional law, health law, or international law. A few offer niche specializations such as conflict resolution, aboriginal law, and innovation and entrepreneurship.
Once you have completed your law degree, you must pass the bar admission exams for the area where you plan to practice. In Canada, completion of a law degree alone is insufficient to permit a candidate to practice law. To be admitted to the bar in one of the provinces or territories, you must pass the provincial bar exams and complete articling, which involves working under the supervision of a lawyer to gain hands-on experience.
Regarding internships, there are a few options for gaining legal experience in Canada. One option is to pursue a legal internship while still studying for your law degree. This can provide you with relevant legal experience and expose you to different fields of law. International students can also gain valuable international legal experience through an internship in Canada, which can give them a competitive edge when applying for jobs.
Another option is to participate in exchange programs offered by some law schools, which allow students to gain experience in other countries, such as the West Indies, Singapore, and Australia. Additionally, the University of Toronto offers a Black Future Lawyers initiative that provides early exposure to the legal community and preparation for admission into law school for students enrolled in undergraduate degree programs.
It is also possible to gain legal experience through small jobs at law firms, such as a legal assistant position, which can provide a foundation for law school and articling. However, one source mentions that internships in law are not common in Canada, and it may be challenging to secure one without connections or nepotism. Nonetheless, gaining some kind of professional work experience before law school is generally advantageous for articling job applications.
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Bar admission exams
After graduating from law school in Canada, you must pass the bar admission exams for the area where you plan to practice law. Bar exams in Canada are administered by the provincial law societies, and there are 14 such societies in total. These exams test examinees on their knowledge of Canadian laws, as well as their ethical and professional responsibilities as future lawyers.
Each province and territory's Law Society is the sole regulatory body for lawyers, including for bar admission, bar examinations, and professional ethics. The Law Societies have established a national system of interprovincial and interterritorial lawyer mobility, which has eliminated related regulatory barriers. This means that a lawyer licensed by a Law Society can provide legal services temporarily in another province for up to 100 days annually without obtaining a permit or checking in.
To apply for bar admission, you must have a Certificate of Qualification from the NCATM, which will allow you to apply to bar admission programs in Canadian common law jurisdictions. The NCA uses one standard of evaluation across the country, and the assessment process does not consider citizenship, nationality, or place of residence. The NCA requires official law school transcripts and letters of good standing sent directly by the issuing organizations. The NCA may also ask for a Canadian-certified translation of any documents that are not in English.
Toronto Metropolitan University offers an eight-month licensing program for Law Society of Ontario licensing candidates seeking to get called to the Bar in Ontario. The program offers rigorous online, simulated experiential training for four months, followed by a hands-on four-month work term.
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Frequently asked questions
To get into law school in Canada, you must have completed at least three years of an undergraduate degree. However, some law schools may require a four-year degree. There is no specific major required, but courses such as political science, sociology, English, philosophy, and communication studies are well-established launching pads for a career in law. You will also need to take the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) and achieve a certain GPA.
In Canada, the common law tradition is dominant in all provinces and territories except Quebec, where the civil law tradition is followed. To practice law in Quebec, you will need a civil law degree. To practice law in the other provinces, you will need a Juris Doctor (JD) degree.
After graduating from law school, you will need to complete articulating, which involves working under the supervision of a lawyer for around 12 months. You will also need to pass the bar admission exams for the area where you plan to practice.
A law degree from a Canadian institution will provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to become a lawyer, but it will also open doors to many other career paths. Lawyers go on to become professors, politicians, CEOs, mediators, arbitrators, union leaders, doctors, and more.
