lawyer

National Occupational Classification Number: 4112


OCCUPATION INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Who is the licensing body responsible for Lawyers in Alberta?

In Alberta, you must be registered with the Law Society of Alberta http://www.lawsocietyalberta.com/ to practice Law or call yourself a Lawyer.

What are the licensure requirements for internationally educated Lawyers? 

  1. Apply to the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) for and evaluation of legal credentials and experience.
  2. Pass any required examinations in Canadian law and take further studies or, complete a Canadian LLB program.
  3. Apply to the Law Society of Alberta for registration.
  4. Complete the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education bar admission course.


What is the role of the National Committee on Accreditation?

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

The NCA was established through the Council of Canadian Law Deans and the Federation of Law Societies of Canada to evaluate credentials of internationally educated Lawyers who wish to practice law in Canada. The NCA has a review panel that meets twice a year to review each applicant's file individually. In the review, the panel takes into account the particular circumstances of an individual�s educational and professional (experience) background.
Upon completion of its review, the NCA issues a

  1. Pass examinations in specified areas of Canadian law; (this includes: constitutional, family, commercial, evidence, real estate, trusts, taxation, criminal procedure, remedies, basic corporate law, civil procedure, torts, administrative, property and debtor creditor law)
  2. Take further education at a Canadian law school with a specified program of studies;
  3. Complete a Canadian LL.B. program

The NCA issues a Certificate of Qualification upon successful completion of the requirements set out in Options 1 and 2 above. The Certificate of Qualification certifies that the applicant has the knowledge equivalent to that of a graduate of a Canadian common law LL.B. program. Note: applicants with no common law exposure receive no credits towards a Certificate of Qualification.

Examination and Course Information:

Depending upon the applicant's particular legal background, applicants may be asked to attend a Canadian law school for further studies. In Alberta, there is no availability for NCA students to take further education/courses. Therefore, applicants must seek admission in other Canadian law schools to complete the requirement or write the committee�s challenge exams if they have received this route. It�s important to note that the NCA does not assist in obtaining educational spots. It is solely the responsibility of the applicant.

As stated on the NCA website, qualified candidates have the option to write challenge examinations to qualify for the Certificate of Qualification. The examinations may be written in two ways: (a) as part of a Canadian law school's LL.B. program or (b) through the Committee's special examination procedure. Exams are scheduled for an eight day period and it is important for applicants to be aware of exam registration deadlines. The NCA requires two months advance notice. Candidates will receive a syllabus for each subject to be examined. Applicants are responsible for their own preparation and there is no private tutoring or consultation available through the Committee. This method is entirely a self-help method and applicants are responsible for their own course materials and program of studies. Applicants who wish classroom or course assistance should apply for admission as a �special student� at a Canadian common law school.

The exams are offered through the offices of the Law Society of Alberta. Preparation materials must be purchased according to the information supplied in the relevant syllabi.

Bar Admission Program and Articling Program

The Certificate of Qualification is a preliminary step in the education and training program that is necessary for admission as a barrister or solicitor. The Certificate testifies that the applicant has education and training equivalent to graduates from an approved Canadian law school. Upon obtaining the Certificate of Qualification, the applicant may proceed to a bar admission and articling program on the same basis as a graduate from an approved Canadian law school.

Review The Law Society of Alberta�s Articling Manual at: http://www.lawsocietyalberta.com/files/Manual.pdf 

What are the educational requirements for Lawyers in Alberta?

(Note: Licensing bodies compare international education and experience to Canadian standards)

To practice law in Alberta, lawyers must have completed three stages of post-secondary education and training requiring a total of six to eight years of study.

The first stage is two to four years in an undergraduate (bachelors) degree program. Undergraduate degree programs and university transfer programs are offered by post-secondary institutions throughout Alberta.

The second stage is a three year Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from an accredited law school. Admission to law school is based on the Faculty of Law's assessment of the applicant's academic record, LSAT score and general qualifications. The minimum academic requirement is completion of at least two years of a program leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent, but admission after two or three years of undergraduate study is very unusual. A bachelor's degree is generally required to gain admission.

The third stage of education and training for lawyers is called articling. After prospective lawyers graduate from an LLB or combined degree program, they must work for one full year as a student-at-law. This is a form of apprenticeship in which the student enters into an agreement (articles of clerkship) with a practitioner of the Alberta Bar, to provide the graduate with practical training in both barrister's and solicitor's work. Articling students must attend and successfully complete the CPLED program (Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education) which is offered twice a year and covers many practical aspects of the law. This six month bar admission program includes classroom sessions and online learning.
In Alberta, both the University of Alberta in Edmonton and the University of Calgary offer an LLB degree program.

Additional Occupational Information

For more information on occupational duties, working conditions, salaries etc. visit the Alberta Learning Information Service and search for Lawyer under Occupational Information.

What is the application process at the Law Society of Alberta?

Once an applicant has received a Certificate of Qualification from the NCA or has successfully completed a Canadian common-law degree, the applicant may apply for admission as a student-at-law. In addition to the applicant's academic qualifications, the Law Society will also assess the applicant's character and reputation. The applicant must be a Canadian citizen or have lawful admission to permanent residence in Canada.

Upon being admitted as a student-at-law, the applicant must article for a term of 12 months. The term must be served under an active member of the Law Society who has been engaged in the practice of law within Alberta for not less than 4 years immediately preceding the date on which the articles commence. The proposed principal will be approved by the Law Society if he/she is both eligible and suitable to act as a principal.

In addition to the articling term, the student-at-law must successfully complete the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education http://www.cpled.ca/futureStudents.html (CPLED) program. This program is delivered through the Legal Education Society of Alberta http://www.lesa.org and is the bar admission course that all students must complete.

Upon conclusion of the articling term and successful completion of the CPLED program, the student-at-law may apply for enrolment as a member of the Law Society of Alberta.