How to Become a Lawyer in Ontario
Lawyers provide a variety of services to the residents of the province of Ontario. Among many responsibilities, lawyers draw up contracts, facilitate real estate and other transactions and provide prosecutorial and defense services in criminal trials. Not surprisingly, becoming a lawyer requires a great deal of education, and most students need to complete six or seven years of university study before they can practice in Ontario. Licensing of lawyers in Ontario is overseen by the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC), a self-governing body that ensures lawyers in Ontario are well-trained, competent and professional.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Get a bachelor's degree. You must complete a university-level bachelor's degree before you can apply to law school. Your degree can be in any discipline, but keep in mind that law school admission is very competitive, so you will need to have strong marks if you expect to earn a place.
-
2
Go to law school. You must complete a program in common law at a Canadian university. Canadian common law programs are usually three years in length and result in a bachelor of laws degree. If you have foreign or non-common law credentials, you may qualify for a certificate of qualification, which is issued by the National Committee on Accreditation. Depending on your education and experience, this certification may give you advanced standing in a Canadian law school or free you from the Canadian law school requirement entirely.
-
-
3
Write your licensing examinations. The licensing examinations have two parts: the barrister examination and the solicitor examination. Each exam is seven hours long and is a self-study, open book exam. The exams test your knowledge of law as well as ethical and professional responsibility. You must pay your licensing process fees before you write your examinations. As of 2010, those fees are CA$2,400 and must be paid to the LSUC.
-
4
Complete your articling requirement. You must article with an approved lawyer or law firm for 10 months. Articling entails working with professional lawyers to gain practical, hands-on experience in the legal profession. Many prospective lawyers write their licensing examinations during their articling period.
-
5
Apply to the LSUC. Once you have completed your licensing examinations and articling requirement, you can apply to the LSUC to be licensed to practice as a lawyer in Ontario. You must include evidence of your education as well as completion of your licensing exams and articling along with your application. You must also include personal information and answer questions about your criminal history.
Law Society of Upper Canada
Osgoode Hall
130 Queen St. West
Toronto, ON M5H 2N6
416-947-3300
lsuc.on.ca
-
1
