Many Canadians think of the idea of becoming a lawyer as a long and arduous process filled with ultra competitive admissions, extremely difficult exams, and years of nights spent up studying during university. The actual process however is much easier than most people think. I'll examine some of the main aspects of gaining admission to law school, and explain the reality so you can understand what's actually going on.
- Your Undergrad Doesn’t Matter (Typically)
There is no specific degree required by the great majority of law schools in Canada. Law schools in Canada accept applicants with any 4 year undergraduate Honours bachelor's degree. Some law schools state that they consider the difficulty of the degree, but the great majority say they make no such distinction. That means you can choose an easier degree, reduce the time you need to spend studying, and not be prejudiced when it comes to admissions at most law schools. And as a bonus, some law schools don't even require a 4 year degree; 3 years worth of credits (i.e. 90 credits) is sometimes sufficient.
A 3.7 GPA is a very competitive GPA for most law schools in Canada. A solid, but once again not outstanding GPA. Furthermore, many schools calculate your GPA using formulas that produce higher GPAs than what appears on your transcript. For example some law schools only look at your last 2 years of study, or drop a certain number of your worst grades. Such formulas can make a huge difference to your final GPA.
You can even study outside of your province and still be eligible (without going through any extra hoops) for the licensing process as long as you went to a Canadian law school.
- A Good (But Not Superb) LSAT Score Will Suffice
This is, for most people, likely the most difficult part of the process. While the LSAT's reputation certainly evokes fear for many prospective applicants, a number of Canadian law schools regularly admit students with scores in the high 150s (approximately 65th to 71st percentile). Most law schools however have median LSAT scores in the low 160s (roughly 75th to 81st percentile).
- Foreign Schools: Another (Typically Pricey) Option
Many students also take an alternative route: applying to law schools in the UK or Australia. Outside of elite institutions, for example, Oxford or Cambridge, entry standards at many of these schools are significantly lower than law schools in Canada. Tuition at UK and Australian schools however is often much more expensive than what you would pay in Canada.
Once you finish your UK or Australian degree, it is often possible to return to Canada and go through the National Committee on Accreditation ("NCA") process to have your education recognized.
- Law School Is (Often) Really Difficult to Fail
For many law schools in Canada, failing a course is extremely rare, much more rare than in undergrad. And the reason for this is generally not because you worked so diligently and, or intelligently that your exam was of a respectable quality. At many law schools, a law student could skip all of their classes, not study, and then bring an outline (essentially a printed summary of notes about the course) to their exam and get at least a C or a B-. While those would certainly be below average grades, you can often graduate with a transcript replete with such grades.
- The Bar Exam Is Not That Tough
The bar exams in some provinces, for example Ontario, have historically been open book, meaning that at least in this case, the focus is on knowing how to find information quickly rather than memorizing or deeply understanding volumes of material. It is not uncommon for a number of students to pass each year without having read much of the bar materials, but instead to have simply practiced using their index and bar materials.
Statistics for Ontario over a number of recent years showed that first time pass rates for candidates holding a Canadian law degree were in the high 80%s. That's pretty good. And in Ontario if you fail, you can simply take it again.
- Articling, PREP, LPP. A number of options.
The final step in the lawyer licensing process depends on the province. For some provinces this is articling (Ontario), or the Practice Ready Education Program ("PREP") in Manitoba, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan. Some provinces, for example Ontario, even offer an alternative to articling. In Ontario that is the Law Practice Program ("LPP"). If you can’t find an articling position, the LPP fulfills the same licensing requirements, allowing you to still get called to the bar.
Author's note: We did our best to provide a fact checked article that is accurate at the time of its publication, however we can not guarantee the accuracy of any statements made. Always do your own research and verify any statements for yourself.