To become a lawyer in Canada you must first obtain a Bachelor in Law and then write your Bar Exam. But while this path may seem very simple, there are lots of questions of how to really get there. Law is a competitive industry right from the education level and whether you want to work with disgruntled client law as a real estate lawyer or work in the courtroom, you are likely going to need a more detailed map to help you get there from where you are now. Here are some of the main things you will need to do to get into law school and succeed once you're there.
The minimum requirement for applying for law school in Canada is going to be a little different for each school. There are six law school programs in Ontario alone so your first step should be to research schools to see what might be the best fit for you. Once you have decided where you're applying it's up to you to find out what you're going to need in terms of previous education. Usually you will need to have a bachelor's degree but some schools only require you to finish the first two years of a bachelor's program. If you've been working as a real estate agent for some time, for example, you should check their requirements for a student who is not just out of school.
As part of the application process for most law schools you will also need to include your work and volunteer experience on top of your school transcripts. Schools want to see that you have a keen work ethic and you can show them this by interning at a local law office or even volunteering with an online charity organization. Potential students are also usually asked to present a personal statement and academic and non-academic references. You should start organizing these things months before you present your application, as you will want them to be perfect.
It's very important to pay attention to admission dates for all of the schools that you are applying to. The admission process usually starts in the fall of the year before you'd like to start the program. This might be earlier than many other programs like interior design to work on home plans. You will also need to complete the LSAT before applying. Most schools require that you score in the top thirty percent to apply for their program. Give yourself lots of time to prepare for the test and take advantage of any training sessions that might be offered in your area. If you have big plans for the year, like selling your house, you might even want to take a year off between your undergrad to work on your LSAT test and applications.
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