How to Become a Lawyer in Alberta
Becoming a lawyer in Alberta, Canada requires several specific steps before having the capability to practice. You must have a law degree, practice for a year in apprenticeship, pass the bar and provide proof of citizenship or legal residency. In addition, you will have to take a training course while in apprenticeship and successfully complete that. You will also have to become a member of the Law Society of Alberta and submit proof of documentation for all of the requirements.
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Instructions
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Complete your undergraduate degree. A law degree is required to become a lawyer in Alberta. To get into law school, you will have to have a bachelor's degree.
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Complete and pass the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). Register to take it through http://www.lsac.org. All law schools in Alberta and accredited law schools elsewhere require passage of the LSAT for admissions consideration.
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Apply to a law school. Several schools in the Alberta and adjacent area include: The University of Alberta, The University of Calgary and The University of Saskatchewan. Each facility bases acceptance upon your LSAT scores and undergraduate performance. Contact your institution of choice to assess their admissions guidelines. Attending full-time takes approximately three years to complete.
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Apprentice for one year with a practitioner of the Bar of Alberta. This is called "articling" and is a requirement for all who wish to practice law in Alberta. You are expected to arrange your own apprenticeship although you can work with your school counselor to help you organize it.
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Attend the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLE) training program. This is an eight-month program that includes class sessions and online training that must be completed successfully while articling. This means attendance, participation and fulfillment of the CPLE requirements. The Legal Education Society of Alberta delivers the CPLE program on behalf of the Law Society of Alberta.
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Schedule to take the Alberta bar exam. All practicing lawyers in Alberta must pass the bar. You can register to take it through the Court of Queen's Bench in Calgary or Edmonton or the Provincial Court of Alberta.
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Register for membership with the Law Society of Alberta. This is mandatory for practicing lawyers. Submit your law school transcripts, documentation of articling work, references from non-relatives, proof of successful completion of the CPLE program and passage of the bar exam. Apply for liability insurance through the Law Society of Alberta to become an active member or exemption from liability insurance if you wish to be an inactive member. You must be an active member to practice. Provide proof of citizenship or legal residency and proof of your date of birth as well as their associated fees. The location for submission of these documents is to their Calgary office.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have completed your law degree outside of Alberta and surrounding areas, you can still become a lawyer if your degree is from an accredited institution. You must still provide your official transcripts and fulfill the requirements listed by the Law Society of Alberta.
References
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