Does U of London LLB program qualify graduates for Canadian Bar Exam?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Warren_King, Jun 20, 2006.

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  1. Warren_King

    Warren_King New Member

    Is there anyone from Canada taking LLB program that wants to sit for the bar exam after graduation? I am asking this for my sister, she is hoping to enter UoL law school and try to qualify for bar examination in Canada since she enjoys doing DL courses as opposed to class setting ones. In England UoL graduates are qualifed for bar exams, not sure about Canada tho.
     
  2. Kalos

    Kalos member

    Every Provincial Bar sets its own regulations, but there is a common evaluation of foreign law degrees. From the wbsite of the Law Society of Upper Canada (Ontario):
     
  3. Warren_King

    Warren_King New Member

    I am just wondering because from what I understand medical graduates from England can practice in Canada without passing further exams. How about law school graduates? I already checked out the curriculum for both schools and they ahve pretty much idential core coures, and the course contents are pretty much the same.
     
  4. Kalos

    Kalos member

    There's a shortage of physicians thoroughout Canada, but the licensing boards make licensing of foreign physicians very difficult. It's easy for a physician to immigrate into Canada but hard to get a licence, so many European and third world physicians end up driving taxis.

    Every Province sets its own criteria. Things were getting so desperate in the province of Saskatchewan a few years ago that British and Irish physicians could get in very easily. This was tightened up in the late 1990s, so that physicians trained in the USA or the "White Commonwealth" - Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland - can easily get a temporary license but a permanent license is more involved. See www.quadrant.net/cpss/registration/register.html#p9.

    See my other response about law graduates. The Bars in Canadian provinces are notoriously conservative and restrictive, They are not likely to approve a DL law degree.
     
  5. Warren_King

    Warren_King New Member

    Does UoL actually show that it's a DL degree on the transcript, I thought that's not the case. As well, the Bar Society of England also recognizes UoL, I would like to think that Canadian Bar Associations will recognize it too. But it I guess is a risky move, I will make my sister aware of this tho, thanks.
     
  6. tcmak

    tcmak New Member

    UoL shows "external" on the degree certificate, with a statement which says:

    "Candidates granted degrees and other awards shall have attained the same academic standard irrespective of mode or place of study or examination."

    You can refer to the following link:

    http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/prospective_students/faqs/postgrad/pg_gradu.shtml

     
  7. Warren_King

    Warren_King New Member

    So what do you mean? CBA discriminates against DL programs?
    How about getting qualifed as a lawyer in UK and then coming back to Canada to practice? has that been done before and how cumbersome is this process exactly?
     
  8. worthingco

    worthingco New Member

    There is no "Canadian Bar exam."

    The Law Societies of the provinces and territories have their own admission requirements and bar exams. I suggest that your sister contact the law society in the province/territory where she intends to practise and get some information. I would also suggest that she visit the following site:

    http://www.flsc.ca/en/foreignLawyers/foreignLawyers.asp

    Hope this helps.
     
  9. novemberdude

    novemberdude New Member

    Re: Re: Does U of London LLB program qualify graduates for Canadian Bar Exam?

    Worthingco gives the most practical advice. Check in the province in which she would like to practice.

    Now, having said that, my understanding is this:

    1- A UoL LLB will NOT qualify one to enter the professional stage of training in any Canadian jurisdiction.

    2- One must apply to the NCA to have their foreign law credentials evaluated.

    3- The candidate then will be granted no advanced standing or some advanced standing at a Canadian law school based on the NCA evaluation. There is also a proviso for challenge exams (see below, don't get your hopes up).

    4- NCA evaluation is no guarantee of subsequent acceptance at any Canadian law school. From what I understand at most law schools NCA spots are MORE DIFFICULT to obtain than first year spots. This is very important to note, because realistically it is damn hard to get into any Canadian law school as a standard applicant. Be prepared to travel to whatever school will have you.

    5- To reiterate, you can get a UoL LLB, get evaluated, be told you have to complete X number of credits, and then never get into Canadian law school.

    6- The number of credits you are required to complete will depend on a number of factors, I'm thinking that this is primarily a question of results on your foreign law degree. At this point it is important to note that only something like 5% of UoL graduates graduate with better than a lower second class honours degree. On paper a lower second does not look great when applying for a coveted law school spot. It probably also limits the amount of credit one would be granted by the NCA.

    7- It seems like most candidates will be required to complete something like 45 Canadian law school credits. The range seems to be 30-60 credits. The NCA site makes reference to challenge exams. From what I understand and from a practical standpoint the challenge exams only seem available to candidates who a) have a foreign law degree, b) are qualified in a foreign jurisdiction and c) have actually practiced in a foreign jurisdiction.

    8- The UoL LLB is a lot of work.

    9- Because it bears repeating: The UoL LLB is a lot of work.

    10- One bit of good news. At least officially the NCA considers external degrees, so it is feasible to pull it off.

    11- If I was your sister, I'd consider Nottingham Trent University. The marks tend to be higher than at UoL and in the long run that matters A LOT.

    12- All this is just my understanding. Some or all of it may be off base.

     
  10. Warren_King

    Warren_King New Member

    Thank you for your information. My sister just graduated from college is working now and hopes to specialize in real estate law, so she really cannot imagine herself flying to UK to study for a law degree. So from what you people said, I suppose UoL LLB is really useless to us Canadians since it grants nothing really. She might as well read those law textbooks herself. And Canadian law schools are really too hard to get in. How about Taft or Concordia, have you heard of any graduates passing bar exam in Canada?
     
  11. novemberdude

    novemberdude New Member

    I would not go so far as to say it would be useless. It can grant advanced standing at a Canadian law school. It will certainly grant a student an understanding of the law and the way it works. A legal education is rigourous and interesting and anyone who pursues it will reap certain benefits.

    Having said that, there are limitations and difficulties in terms of using it to actually become a lawyer in Canada, and one cannot be blind to those limitations.

    If your sister is a very good student, then tell her to take the LSAT and get herself to a Canadian law school. If on the other hand she has a 2.48 GPA and thinks law would be nice, tell her she better come up with a plan b.

     
  12. Warren_King

    Warren_King New Member

    She has mediocre grades, high enough to meet the admission criteria, but low enough that she knows she will never get in. So what's the point, not to mention UoL doesnt require LSAT and also is from England, also a common wealth country, so she may have a chance to qualify with a degree from there. But bar or no bar, she can still enjoy her life the way it is, no pun intended:).
     
  13. MDavis78

    MDavis78 New Member

    Re: Re: Re: Does U of London LLB program qualify graduates for Canadian Bar Exam?

    I concur that the best advice is to check in the province in which she would like to practice.

    However, in answer to the question, a student who completes the UoL LLB must then complete a further nine months of study at a British Columbian or Ontario law school (don’t know about the other provinces, sorry). They have to study Canadian constitutional law and business law. Once this is completed they can apply for the bar, and should be accepted without any problems – this has been the case so far for our graduates, and I am not aware of any graduates to have reported experiencing difficulties on this front.

    Regards,

    Michael
     
  14. novemberdude

    novemberdude New Member

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Does U of London LLB program qualify graduates for Canadian Bar Exam?

    You say this has been the case so far for "our graduates". Are you speaking on behalf of University of London?

    A mere 9 months of further study? Plus, presumably, vocational training? This would be a real coup.

     
  15. Warren_King

    Warren_King New Member

    It really would be a real coup as it will give people like me a second chance to study law and become lawyers, be it for the money or for the love of practicing law.
     
  16. worthingco

    worthingco New Member

  17. novemberdude

    novemberdude New Member

    Wolverhampton have also relaunched their DL LLB - but available only to students in the UK. Also note that University of East London (through ICS) only offer exam locations in the UK.

    I am also very partial to the Huddersfield / Holborn College programme.

    I have personally just enrolled in the Northumbria LLB, I would have gone for Huddersfield but they could never work out the situation with my transfer credits and senior status.

    Edit: Open University also offers a DL LLB that I would be remiss in not mentioning. Limited geographical availability, I think UK and Europe.

     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 6, 2006
  18. Warren_King

    Warren_King New Member

    Great, will they qualify me for the bar exam in Canada?
     
  19. worthingco

    worthingco New Member

    Again, there is no Canadian bar exam.

    Each provincial or territorial law society has their own bar exams and requirements for membership. Check with law societies and the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.
     
  20. worthingco

    worthingco New Member

    I didn't know that about ICS & University of East London. That's too bad.

    Best of luck to you with Northumbria. Once you're up & running, please share your experiences with that particular law school.
     

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