By: Jayson Schwarz LL.M. and Alexandra Schwarz HBSc.J.D.
These days, understanding the road map to becoming a professional, and particularly a lawyer, can be as puzzling as trying to weave your way through downtown New York City. Everyone has an opinion on what you should do and where you should go.
The process is as follows: university; law school; bar admission course; articling; practice.
In order to be accepted into a law school, you must first attend a (recognized) university. I recommend taking subject matter that you are interested in, as the degree you acquire at university does not influence whether or not a law school will accept you. It is important that you take higher level courses as you work your way through the undergraduate process as law schools are looking to see growth and progress. Marks are extremely important at this stage; most law schools recognize that first year university marks are usually lower and improve as time goes on. However, the earlier you can achieve higher marks the better, as grade point averages usually include first year. If you know from the start that you are interested in working in business or corporate law, I suggest taking business in undergrad, however this is not required as you can take business law courses in law school plus you will learn the necessary skills on the job.
Once in university, you have to write the Law School Admission Test (“LSAT”). This is a standardized test by which your critical and analytical skills are assessed. Many courses are offered to help you prepare for the various sections of the test and to help improve time management skills; I took a month long course and it helped immensely. If you feel that you have the self motivation and organization to study without a course, many books are practice tests are available at the book store.
After you have your transcript and LSAT mark in hand, the next step is writing your application. Law schools want to know why you want to be a student there as well as why they should choose you amongst all the applicants. This is not a time to be modest; you have to show them why you are an excellent and worthwhile candidate. Highlight your accomplishments, be they academic, extra curricular or by community service. Furthermore, comment on a positive and specific aspect of the school such as interesting classes they offer, well-known professors or the city it is in. It is also useful to explain why you want to go into the field of law.
Each school puts emphasis on different aspects of the application package. Be careful to watch out for application deadlines, normally the beginning of November, and make sure to order your transcripts early because they may take a few weeks to get mailed out.
Once you have been accepted to a law school, the hard work begins! There are many law schools across Canada from Victoria, BC to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Attendance at any Canadian school will allow you to practice anywhere in the country.
Your first year of law school is extremely important, as the marks you achieve that year will be used in the future when looking for a second year summer student position. Take your marks seriously; law school can be a lot of fun, but always remember why you are there – to be a lawyer.
While there is an opportunity to get a law-related job in your summer after first year law, it is not necessary, as the focus is more on summering at a law firm after second year. After your first year, you will start to prepare applications for these second year summer student positions. This package includes your undergraduate and law school transcript, your resume, a list of courses you intend to take in your upcoming years at law school as well as your cover letter for each firm to which you are applying. These applications are due beginning of September. Subsequently, firms will send a list of students with who they want to meet for first round interviews. This first round is called On Campus Interviews, where firm representatives visit each law school and carry out 17 minute long interviews with certain candidates. Depending on which school you attend and where you apply, different firms may or may not choose to visit your respective school.
After that, firms will notify applicants whether they want them to come visit the firm for a second round interview. In Toronto, the second round interview process lasts three days. During this time, you schedule to meet interested firms multiple times to determine where you may be successful. On the final day of interviews, firms will call successful applicants to notify them of job offers. You are then hired as a second year summer student. Once you have this position, firms will usually offer you an articling position at the end of the summer if you have done an adequate job.
Articling is a ten month apprenticeship that occurs after your last year of law school and is required by the Law Society of Upper Canada as an example in Ontario, in order to become a lawyer. Before articling, however, it is common for law students to write the bar exam after finishing up law school, and then subsequently starting as an articling student.
If you do not get a job during the OCI process, you have the responsibility to apply to other firms to try and find a summer job. It may also mean that you will have to go through another application process to acquire an articling position.
After successfully completing this whole process, you will be licensed to practice law, you may call yourself a lawyer and after articling with sufficient diligence and taking into account firm requirements, you may be asked to remain with the firm as an associate.
I wish to thank my daughter Alexandra who graduated from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, now practices law with Dickinson Wright LLP, for her assistance in writing this article and trying to help simplify the road map.