What are considered good law schools in Canada? Off the top of my head, i would guess:
Carleton?
York
U of Ottawa?
McGill ?
Any others i am missing?
i think u got 'em all there :)
Osgoode @ york rocks...tuition is goin waaaay up though every yr :(
yeah...tuition is going way up in every university.
How much is the tuition for York?
well last yr it was $8000...this ur $12000...and by 2006, they are plannin to raise it up to $18000 unless the gov steps in and puts a freeze on it...
I'm not a 100% sure but I think you've missed one of the best law schools - UVic. Also missing is the oustanding UofT law school. I didn't even know Carleton had a law school. Windsor is also pretty attractive 'cause they offer the joint JD/LLB degree which means it is easier for you to practise law in America.
Nadia, thinking of the LSATs? :)
In fact Nadia, you’ve missed several names that consistently rank in the top ten… like sambrialian said, I’d put U of T on top as well.
I have a friend who’s a practicing attorney at a well recognized law firm in NY, and he says when his firm looks for Canadian candidates, they prefer Queen’s for some reason.
Here are the 2003 top ten rankings of law schools:
- University of Toronto
- University of British Columbia
- McGill University
- York University
- University of Ottawa
- University of Manitoba
- Dalhousie University
- University of Alberta
- Queen’s University
- University of Victoria
Source: http://www.top-law-schools.com
And thats in canadian money and you are complaining 
Average tution in the US for public law schools is close to the 20K mark and for the likes of Harvard you are thinking about twice that! I say Canadians have it easy :).
PS: Nadia move down south: its warmer, more people, better schools :), tonnes of scholarships and you earn a huge amount more :). Besides we need a few of you straighten out the politicians.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by hmcq: *
I say Canadians have it easy :).
[/QUOTE]
hmcq, while your point about the fees is valid, there is a LOT of competition to get into law and med schools in Canada. And it is substantially higher than American schools.
I mean there are like 9-10 med schools in Canada and there are normally like 10 applicants for every one position. So, obviously a lot of people get turned away every year. I think the ratio is like 3 or 4 to 1 for applicants to American schools.
Same goes for law school. I remember talking to an American lawyer dude who was preparing to practise in Canada. I asked him about his LSAT scores and he said that pretty much the kind of scores you need to get into say UofT is close to what you need for Harvard.
So, yes, you may pay a lot more in the States but chances are you're going to get in somewhere in something. And the same can't be said of Canada because of the intense competition.
ahhha but your comparison is inaccurate, because if you compare the top 10 in the US with the top 10 in Canada you will see that the selectivity ratios are very close or even higher in the US (i think one out of 8 or 10 gets into Harvard). Of course that may be explained by the fact that the Canadian schools are generally not regarded as highly as the americans :) at least by the people on this side of the fence.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by hmcq: *
top 10 in Canada
[/QUOTE]
10 is generally the total number of schools in one particular field in Canada.
I'll post in detail in some more time. :)
i am sorry that i sent the wrong impression. Guys, it’s not for me - i don’t possess the smarts or the patience to get into lawschool. It’s for my middle sister. Masha’Allah she got accepted by most of the places she applied to in Canada. Now she’s just confused about where she should go. She’s leaning towards Ottawa or UofT… and Hmcq, you are right that it is more expensive in the States. But i still feel like she will have to pay an arm and a leg, taking into account our family’s financial situation, by the time she is done Insha’Allah.
Thanks for the list, Sambrialian and Umar Talib. That link is useful :k: 
Nadia I was just kidding about moving here though an arm and a leg invested today can become a ferari tomorrow :).
She should aim of U of T simply because Law is a profession where you absolutely have to network and U of T is the most recognized brand name that is out there in Canadian Education.
Seeing that I have done ample research on this, in my opinion she should stick to York or Carleton. She'll benefit in the long run. UofT is name and all name, if you want applied law then go to the univ's I've just listed. It'll be good for the social scene and academically. Once she's done, move to the States otherwise it will take her career a minimum of 5-8 years here to launch and be recognized. Its faster down south.
I've been working in law firms for the past 3 years and when it comes round to picking articling students out of the thousands who send in their resumes to the top law firms in downtown Toronto, I can tell you that the lawyers on the committees choosing students tend to lean towards those with top marks from U. of T., York, Dalhousie, Queens and McGill. Just tell your sister that getting top marks is crucial. However, your people skills are just as important. Especially when you are a lawyer, having to deal with clients, senior partners, etc.
Yeah U of T and York would be my top choices too. But if she even is thinking about moving south I would strongly strongly suggest she come to good school here. it doesnt have to the very best but it should be decent and preferably in one of the larger citys. Like if she could get into Georgetown in DC, she would be much better placed the U of T or York simply cause shes so close to the capital. Also since the focus has to be on networking and building relationships the Capital is all that possible.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Nadia_H: *
i don't possess the smarts or the patience to get into lawschool.
[/QUOTE]
Nadia, Mash'Allah you are an intelligent gal.
A former coal miner I met a long time ago said to the group of people around him, "if a coal miner can get into law school and pass, anyone can".
Everyone has the potential to be anything they want to be. smile
p.s. Mubarak ho to your sis. Mash'Allah.
p.s.s. Didn't mean to go off-topic.
aw Munni. That is so sweet of you. i am truly touched. Thank you.
i think it would be a good idea if she read this thread; there are some really helpful responses from each and everyone of you who replied. Thank you.
er this is why i'm not in law school, this is a dumb question but - if she were to study down south, wouldn't that mean she wouldn't be able to practice in Canada? i THINK she would rather work in Canada in the long-term - not because of any other reason but simply because of personal issues relating to where she (and her soon-to-be hubby) plan to live eventually.
Anyhowz... i really do appreciate the helpful responses. Thank you SO much.
I am not sure of what the exact requirements are but I am guessing that the degree is recognized everywhere and where you can practice is dependant on the law exmas/the bar. If she only wants to practice in Canada then I would highly recommend she study there unless she gets into some place like Harvard whose name brand is significant enough to over come the geographic differences.
Most of her career will depend on her peoples skills+ the cases she gets to prosecute and how well she does with them.
Nadia, no need to thank me. But you're welcome. smile
I would imagine your sister is not intending to practise US law. I believe our legal system is different than that of Canada.
In the states, you need to take the bar exam for the state you want to practise law in because each state has different laws as well. So if I want to practise in New York, I cannot go to Florida and take the Florida bar exam. If she is planning to stay in Canada, its best for her to study there. smile
If I wanted to practise law in London, I could possibly get my JD here, and then go to London, but there I would have to do additional studying of about a year in order to understand the different legal system there.
Nadia, the legal system is completely different in the States. I'm pretty sure she will have to redo a few courses and her bar examinations if she wants to practice in the States.
On a side note, there is already quite a significant "brain drain" in Canada since so many Canadians study here and then move to the States for work. I hope your sister doesn't contribute to this. :p