Arrgh! UHK J.D. program?

Even Hong Kong seems to have been bitten by the J.D. virus! It's not quite the same thing as a U.S. J.D. because it's structured differently. You have to have a good bachelor's degree, true, but it takes only 4 semesters and a summer session. There's also a significant writing requirement. UHK also continues to offer an undergraduate four year LL.B.

Taught in English too. It would be an amazing experience but an American would probably have to take a U.S. LL.M. to qualify for the Bar exam here. Hong Kong is a largely common law jurisdiction so Canada might accept it.

 

Hm. A good chance to learn Cantonese and eat very well, too. Hong Kong is a wonderful mix of the exotic and the familiar. If I were 40 years younger...

 

Yes, they might indeed. But not without a long, expensive rigmarole. Expect courses (expensive) and exams (a-plenty) before you can hang out your shingle, or 'panneau' - whatever. And don't forget about the Napoleonic Code. We're a bi-juridical nation - I think that's the word. Process is pretty well-detailed here:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/accreditation-process-foreign-lawyers-canada-seyfi-sun

Yes - difficult. But still, 30% of lawyers called to the bar in Canada each year are foreign-trained.

 

One of the most unusual cases I ever heard of was in a degree-forum - maybe this one - about 15 years ago. A young Canadian graduated from High School with very good marks. His ambition was to become a lawyer in his own country, Canada, via the back-door. He found a 2-year LL.B. course in the U.K. He didn't even need a degree to get in, but he did require a year of special prep. at Oxford University, no less - and he managed to get a full-ride, tuition-wise for that!

I have no idea of whether his 3-year high-school-to lawyer plan worked or not. I suspect that even if it did, he'd have quite a bit of time, expense and examinations when he came home, before being admitted to the bar here. I hope it did work. I think anyone who has that amount of self-belief might have an edge when it comes to pleadings and trials. The best kind of chutzpah!

 

Or they may be dangerously delusional. Your call.

 

Annnd...Hong Kong these days...hmm.

 

This reminds me that University of Iowa had a Hong Kong MBA program. It ended in 2021 apparently, and what I found most interesting was that you would take classes in Hong Kong and some online, and receive a University of Iowa diploma but you had to have residency rights in Hong Kong. The program was closed to Americans who didn't already have residency rights in HK through some pre-existing connection to the country.

 

Hm. The Canadians won't accept D/L law degrees for assessment. The degree must be earned "in person".

 

"Bijural" sounds...um...never mind.

 

That's Canada. Behind the times in many ways and quite smug about it. But even the poorest have health care and we're mostly unarmed, so I like it here anyway. There are plenty of redeeming factors -which (as I see it) do NOT include hockey, back bacon, maple syrup or curling. But still -- overall I love the place. Politics and politicians - terrible wherever you go in the world. So I ignore them.

Oh yeah - we have lots of great musicians too. But then again, you Americans have lots more...

 

That's because I turned my TV off for good 5-6 years ago, Steve. But you're right. They've been doing it for a while. Toronto as well. And good French-language TV a few hours east of here, aussi. I used to like Brit TV a lot, too - except for the habit-forming disaster that was Coronation Street - still running after 60+ seasons. Most US network TV seemed to be pitched for a lower mental age. I believe that was intentional - an edict from the grand panjandrums of programming.

 

I can see that, for sure. Eugene Levy was born in my town - in fact I went to High School with his brother, Fred. I didn't know Fred that well, but we were both involved in a school show or two. Back then, I majored in Drama Club, languages and girl-watching. (Probably in reverse order.)

 

What's the matter with maple syrup??

 

That’s Kanaduh for you!

Years ago, I went with my dad to visit my brother in upstate NY. Then we drove to Montreal to visit some family. Having never been there before, my dad was not used to the butchered way that French is spoken there. We go to a supermarket and soon enough, he’s arguing with the cashier. He’s like:” Je ne comprends absolument pas ce que vous dites “ she’s like ‘ Monsieur, je vous addresse en francais , je parle Français” and he tells her “moi, je vous parle en Français, mais vous, je ne sais pas quelle langue vous utilisez. Just speak English to me” we were cracking up so hard.

 

All true. Been there - done that. Had to learn 2 varieties of French. If you learned "le français de France" and you come to Canada - expect to learn a new language. The wide difference is due to hundreds of years of separation from France. Just as English has morphed here -and somebody from Alabama is going to have trouble understanding a person from Yorkshire. Not something for ridicule - though people who speak "le français de la France" often consider themselves and their speech, "le bon français" superior. As an English Canadian, who considers himself reasonably bilingual, I find that infuriating. Just as low-class English immigrants used to mock the English speech of Canadians, behind their backs. It's wrong. My parents used to do that and I learned from their horrible example. Fact is, I learned a lot of things not to do, from their bad examples.

French here has changed in over 350 years. I say "Habituez-vous-y !" "Get used to it!" And there is a new generation of educated young people in Quebec who speak excellent English - despite their Government's insular and draconian discouragement. As I see it, they are the among the first truly bilingual Canadians. They give me hope for a better Canada.

 

Say Johann, what are your feelings about buying milk in bags?