Summary

For lawyers, the requirements in the six provinces surveyed are essentially the same: a law degree, completion of a bar admission course and a professional internship known as the articling term. Good character is a requirement everywhere, as well. None of the regulatory bodies requires a formal assessment of language competency.

While the rest of Canada follows the common-law system, Quebec follows the civil-law system, and therefore applicants to the bar in that province must have a civil-law degree.

The length of the articling term varies from six months in Quebec to between nine and 12 months elsewhere. Internationally trained applicants to the bars of Ontario, Alberta and Quebec can be exempted from this requirement, however, if they have sufficient professional experience. British Columbia and Manitoba offer reductions for up to half of the articling term if applicants demonstrate equivalent experience.

While the subject matter is consistent across provinces, the length and format of the bar admission course vary, depending chiefly on whether the course must be undertaken concurrently with the articling term or not. The course runs for four weeks in Quebec and 10 in British Columbia, while elsewhere it runs the length of the articling term. In Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, applicants must pass formal examinations; in the other provinces, the evaluations are staggered and embedded in the bar admission course. All the provinces except Ontario and Saskatchewan offer exemptions for portions of the bar admission course.

Information is accurate as of January 2010. Check the regulatory bodies' websites for the most up-to-date information.

Comparison

This table is accurate as of January 2010 and compares the requirements for full registration. Applicants may be able to practise under other types of licence. Check the regulatory bodies' websites for the most complete and up-to-date information.

Entry-to-Practice Requirements: Lawyers	Ontario	British Columbia	Alberta	Saskatchewan	Manitoba	Quebec
Canadian bachelor of laws (LLB) or juris doctor (JD) degree or Certificate of Qualification from NCA
Quebec civil-law degree or equivalent
Good character
Canadian citizenship or permanent residency
Length of articling term	10 months	9 months	12 months	12 months	12 months	6 months
Maximum possible reduction in articling term	10 months	5 months	12 months	0	6 months	6 months
Length of bar admission course	10 months	10 weeks	12 months	12 months	12 months	4 months
Bar admission course can be concurrent with articling term
Possibility of exemption from bar admission course
Number of formal licensing examinations	2	2	0	0	0	1
Formal assessment of language proficiency (languages accepted)						(Fr)
Typical length of registration process	11 to 11.5 months	11.5 months	12 months	12 months	12 months	10 to 14 months

British Columbia

Regulatory body: Law Society of British Columbia (LSBC), www.lawsociety.bc.ca

• Requirements for Full Registration
• Documentation Required
• Credentials Assessment (Third Party and/or Internal)
• Academic/Program Requirements
• Work Experience Requirements
• Examinations
• Language Requirements
• Fees Associated with the Licensing Process
• Third Parties Involved in the Licensing Process
• Typical Length of the Licensing Process
• Internal Review/Appeal Process

Requirements for Full Registration

• A Canadian LLB degree or National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) Certificate of Qualification
• Completion of the 12-month Law Society Admission Program (LSAP), which includes:
  • Nine months of articling under a principal
  • A 10-week Professional Legal Training Course (PLTC), which requires successful completion of two qualifications examinations, four skills assessments and various assignments and exercises
• Good character and repute, fitness to practise: All prospective applicants for call and admission to the bar are screened by LSBC staff in respect of this requirement. Such screening could include investigation of any criminal charges, financial difficulties, drug or alcohol abuse, treatment for serious illnesses or any other factors that may affect an applicant's character or fitness for practice.

Documentation Required

For Enrolment in LSAP

• Enrolment application form
• Articling agreement
• Articling skills and practice checklist
• Official transcript for LLB degree or NCA Certificate of Qualification

For Enrolment as a Lawyer

• Petition for call and admission
• Declaration of the principal
• Declaration of the applicant
• A joint report of the principal and the applicant certifying completion of their obligations under the articling agreement
• A completed questionnaire
• Written consent for the release of relevant information to the LSBC
• An errors and omissions insurance application or exemption form

For Application for Reduction of Articling Term

• Written request for a reduction
• Written confirmation that the principal has agreed to the reduction
• Original certificate of good standing (issued within the last six months), forwarded directly from the home law society
• Original letters from employers, colleagues or judges verifying the applicant's precise periods of legal employment and detailing in full, with specific examples, the type of practice experience obtained

For Application for Exemption from the PLTC

• Written request for exemption, including specification of the portions of the PLTC from which the applicant wishes to be exempted
• Written confirmation that the principal agrees to the exemption
• Original certificate of standing from the home law society or governing body
• Original letters from employers, colleagues or judges verifying the applicant's precise periods of legal employment and detailing in full, with specific examples, the type of practice experience obtained
• Confirmation of whether the applicant completed a bar admission course in the home jurisdiction and, if so, the content of the course completed and the applicant's marks

Credentials Assessment (Third Party and/or Internal)

The LSBC uses the National Committee on Accreditation to assess the credentials of applicants who obtained their law degree outside of Canada or in Quebec in the Civil Code. The LSBC does not undertake any credentials evaluation itself. The LSBC also has no contact with the NCA on individual applications and will not overrule a decision of the NCA or waive the requirements for a Certificate of Qualification in lieu of a Canadian LLB.

Academic/Program Requirements

• All applicants must have a Canadian LLB degree or NCA Certificate of Qualification.
• All applicants must also complete the PLTC. Applicants may not enrol in the program until they have a degree or NCA certificate. The course is 10 weeks long, full-time (Monday to Friday, 9-3:30, with exceptions for practice and assessment days). The course teaches students about the practice of law and focuses on these three areas:
  • Knowledge (civil litigation, commercial, company, creditors' remedies, criminal procedure, family, real estate, estates, law office management)
  • Skills (advocacy, writing, interviewing, drafting, legal research, alternative dispute resolution [mediation], problem solving)
  • Attitudes (ethical issues)
• The PLTC requires successful completion of two qualifications examinations, two written skills assessments (an opinion letter and a contract), two oral skills assessments (advocacy and client interviewing) and various assignments and exercises.

Note: Applicants may be exempt from some or all of the PLTC if they have completed a bar admission course in another Canadian jurisdiction, or they have engaged in the active practice of law in a common-law jurisdiction outside of Canada for at least five full years.

Work Experience Requirements

• All applicants must complete nine months of full-time articling under the supervision of a principal. In British Columbia a principal is a lawyer who has been practising in Canada for at least seven of the 10 years immediately preceding the articling start date and who has been working full-time for three of the five years immediately preceding the articling start date.
• The articling period may be reduced if the applicant has completed a clerkship or has completed articles in another Canadian jurisdiction, or holds professional legal qualifications in a foreign common-law jurisdiction outside Canada and has been in the active practice of law in that jurisdiction for at least one full year.
• The articling term may be reduced by up to one month for each full year of active practice experience in another jurisdiction, up to a maximum reduction of five months.
• Candidates may apply to undertake their articling on a part-time basis. The proposed articling term must be a continuous period that will give the student work experience equivalent to the regular nine-month articling period, and the articles must be completed within two years of the articling start date.

Examinations

At the end of the PLTC, applicants must pass the two qualifications examinations based on course materials. Both exams include issues in professional responsibility, practice management and taxation.The first exam covers commercial law, company law, real estate and estates; the second exam covers civil litigation, family law, creditors' remedies and criminal procedure.

Language Requirements

The LSBC does not require a formal assessment of language competency or proof thereof. However, all internationally trained candidates for admission must pass the bar examinations, which are time limited and call for both short- and long-version written responses in English. Most internationally trained candidates must also pass two written skills assessments (an opinion letter and a contract) and two oral skills assessments (advocacy and client interviewing). In the skills assessments, proficiency in the English language is required to obtain a passing grade. In the examinations and skills assessments, candidates do not receive special allowances on the basis of English being other than their first language.

Fees Associated with the Licensing Process

• Admission program enrolment fee: $250
• Call and admission fee: $200
• Practice fee: $1,633.50 (subject to being prorated)
• Special compensation fund fee: $150
• Lawyers' insurance fund fee: $1,400 (where applicable, and subject to being prorated)
• Professional Legal Training Course fee: $2,250 (for second attempt: $3,500, subject to reduction to $2,250 on compassionate grounds)
• Qualifications examinations fee: no fee for first attempt; $50 fee for rewrite

Third Parties Involved in the Licensing Process

The NCA evaluates the legal training and professional experience of persons with international or non-common-law legal credentials.

Typical Length of the Licensing Process

• The typical length of the licensing process is 11.5 months (nine months of articling and 10 weeks for the PLTC).
• Applicants who are eligible for a reduction in the nine-month articling term may see the process reduced by up to five months. Those who are exempt from all or some portions of the PLTC may see it reduced further.
• Applicants who undertake their articling on a part-time basis may take up to two years for the process.

Internal Review/Appeal Process

• If applicants fail the PLTC (the assignments, assessments and/or examinations), they may apply to the Credentials Committee for a review of their failed standing (in writing, within 21 days of the decision). The Credentials Committee is appointed by the president of the LSBC and consists of a chair and a vice-chair (both of whom are benchers, that is, members of the board of directors) and other benchers and lawyers. The Credentials Committee may then do one of the following:
  • Confirm the failed standing
  • Grant a student an adjudicated pass in a training course examination, assignment or assessment, with or without conditions
  • Require a student to complete further examinations, assignments or assessments, and to pass them at a standard set by the committee
  • Require a student to complete or repeat and pass all or a portion of the training course
  • Require a student to complete a specified program of training at an educational institution or under the supervision of a practising lawyer, or both
• The Executive Director receives all applications for call and admission to the bar and either authorizes the call and admission or refers the application to the Credentials Committee if there are concerns about the fitness and character of the candidate. The Credentials Committee then authorizes the call and admission, authorizes it with conditions or limitations, or orders a hearing.
  • If the committee authorizes with conditions or limitations, the applicant may apply to the Executive Director to have the conditions or limitations varied or removed. Note, however, that the Executive Director refers the application back to the Credentials Committee for a decision.
  • If hearings are ordered, they are conducted before a panel, and the panel may grant the application, grant it subject to conditions and limitations, or reject it. If the panel imposes conditions and limitations or rejects the application, the applicant may request a review of that decision from the benchers or members of the board of directors. That decision of the benchers may also subsequently be appealed to the province's Court of Appeal.

Alberta

Regulatory body: Law Society of Alberta (LSA), www.lawsocietyalberta.com

• Requirements for Full Registration
• Documentation Required
• Credentials Assessment (Third Party and/or Internal)
• Academic/Program Requirements
• Work Experience Requirements
• Examinations
• Language Requirements
• Fees Associated with the Licensing Process
• Third Parties Involved in the Licensing Process
• Typical Length of the Licensing Process
• Internal Review/Appeal Process

Requirements for Full Registration

• A Canadian common-law degree or National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) Certificate of Qualification
• Completion of a 12-month articling term under an approved principal
• Completion of the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED) program, consisting of nine competency evaluations and various assignments
• Good character and repute

Documentation Required

For Enrolment as a Student-at-Law

• Application form (includes disclosure of information relating to character and repute, e.g., convictions, suspensions, disciplinary actions)
• Certificates of character and reputation (completed by two persons who have known the candidate for more than two years)
• Education plan
• Articles of clerkship
• Last page of articling manual (completed by principal)
• Certificate of standing from each governing body of which the candidate has been a member
• Official law school transcripts, including conferral of law degree
• Proof of name change, if applicable

For Enrolment as a Lawyer

• Certificates of character and reputation
• Certificate of student-at-law
• Certificate of principal
• Application for professional liability insurance
• Official law school transcript (if not previously submitted)
• Other forms or documents as necessary (Membership Services will determine if any supplemental documents are required to complete the application)

Credentials Assessment (Third Party and/or Internal)

The LSA uses the NCA to assess the credentials of applicants who obtained their law degree outside of Canada or in Quebec in the Civil Code. The LSA does not undertake any credentials evaluation itself. The LSA also has no contact with the NCA on individual applications and will not overrule a decision of the NCA or waive the requirements for a Certificate of Qualification in lieu of a Canadian common-law degree.

Academic/Program Requirements

• All applicants must have a Canadian common-law degree or NCA Certificate of Qualification.
• All candidates must also complete the CPLED program. Candidates must be registered as students-at-law in order to participate in the CPLED program. The face-to-face sessions are offered twice annually in Calgary and Edmonton.
• The CPLED program requires candidates to demonstrate competency in lawyering skills, practice and management skills, ethics and professionalism and legal knowledge. It consists of eight modules where students must research, analyze, write, draft, debate, present and discuss a number of real-life situations. There are five online modules (debtor/creditor law; family law/wills and estates; real estate; business law; civil litigation) and three one-week-long face-to-face modules (oral argument; interviewing; negotiation; advocacy).
• The CPLED program involves 14 voluntary assignments and nine mandatory competency evaluations. Assignments and competency evaluations will be assessed as "Competency Demonstrated" or "Competency Not Yet Demonstrated." Full-time attendance, participation, professional conduct and academic integrity are also mandatory to obtain a pass in the program. Candidates who do not pass a requirement may attempt it one more time. The maximum number of supplemental attempts for all competency evaluations is three, in total.
• After being admitted as students-at-law, internationally trained applicants with an NCA Certificate of Qualification may apply for a modification or waiver of the CPLED program.

Work Experience Requirements

• All applicants must complete 12 months of full-time articling under the supervision of a principal. A principal in Alberta is a lawyer who is a member of the LSA and has been practising for no less than four years prior before the commencement of the articling term.
• If applicants choose to article under a judge or court, they must complete a 15-month term, and at least five months must be served in a law firm setting.
• Five of the seven following areas must be covered and supervised by the principal during the articling term: real estate, civil litigation, criminal law, family law, business law, wills and estates law, administrative law.
• Candidates may apply to undertake their articling on a part-time basis. The articles must be completed within the two-year period immediately preceding submission of the application for enrolment.
• Applicants with an NCA Certificate of Qualification may apply for an exemption or a reduction in the length of the articling once they are approved to commence articling.

Examinations

There are no formal bar examinations. Examinations may, however, form part of the required activities involved in the modules for the CPLED program, along with assignments, exercises and competency evaluations.

Language Requirements

The LSA does not require an assessment of language competency or proof thereof.

Fees Associated with the Licensing Process

• Student-at-law application fee: $168 (non-refundable)
• Student-at-law admission fee: $399
• Bar admission program (CPLED) fee: $2,679.60
• Fee for appeal of failed requirements in CPLED: $100

Third Parties Involved in the Licensing Process

• The NCA evaluates the legal training and professional experience of persons with international or non-common-law legal credentials.
• The Legal Education Society of Alberta delivers the CPLED program on behalf of the LSA.

Typical Length of the Licensing Process

The articling term is 12 months long and the bar admission course is undertaken concurrently. Once the candidate has submitted a complete application for enrolment as a member, 30 days are required to process the application and issue the admission documents. Once the LSA issues the admission documents, candidates must make arrangements with the courts to be called to the bar, and the time required for this varies. (Calls to the bar are done on an individual basis in Alberta.)

Internal Review/Appeal Process

• The Executive Director considers each application for admission and enrolment. If an application is not approved, the Executive Director notifies the applicant of the right of appeal to the Registration Committee.
• Candidates who receives non-pass marks on mandatory requirements for the CPLED program may apply for re-marking. If the non-pass still stands, they may attempt the requirement again. If they still do not pass, they may appeal the failed requirement if they feel there have been extenuating circumstances and they have exhausted the maximum number of supplemental attempts to pass. They must appeal in writing to the Executive Director within 14 days of receiving their grades.
• Candidates may also appeal the following with respect to the CPLED program: a denial of admission, a suspension or expulsion, or an inability to repeat the program.

Saskatchewan

Regulatory body: Law Society of Saskatchewan (LSS), www.lawsociety.sk.ca

• Requirements for Full Registration
• Documentation Required
• Credentials Assessment (Third Party and/or Internal)
• Academic/Program Requirements
• Work Experience Requirements
• Examinations
• Language Requirements
• Fees Associated with the Licensing Process
• Third Parties Involved in the Licensing Process
• Typical Length of the Licensing Process
• Internal Review/Appeal Process

Requirements for Full Registration

• A Canadian LLB degree or National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) Certificate of Qualification
• Completion of a 12-month articling term under a principal
• Completion of the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED) program, including competency evaluations and assignments
• Good character and repute

Documentation Required

For Admission as a Student-at-Law

• Application form (includes disclosure of information relating to character and repute, e.g., convictions, suspensions, disciplinary actions)
• Birth certificate or other satisfactory evidence of age (original or notarized copy)
• Proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent residency (original or notarized copy)
• Testimonials of character and reputation (completed by two persons who have known the candidate for more than three years)
• Proof of completion of at least two years toward a degree from a common-law faculty in a Canadian university, or an NCA Certificate of Qualification
• For an applicant who was previously admitted as a student-at-law in another province, a document stating the particulars of the experience
• Certificate of Standing from any governing body in Canada of which the candidate is a member, along with a document stating the particulars of the experience
• Any other information and documents required by the Legal Profession Act or the LSS Rules that is requested

For Admission as a Lawyer

• Application form (includes disclosure of information relating to character and repute, e.g., convictions, suspensions, disciplinary actions)
• Affidavit completed by the principal or supervising justice (if the candidate served as a law clerk)
• Affidavit of attendance in the CPLED program
• Any other information and documents required by the Legal Profession Act or the LSS Rules that is requested

Credentials Assessment (Third Party and/or Internal)

The LSS uses the NCA to assess the credentials of applicants who obtained their law degree outside of Canada or in Quebec in the Civil Code. The LSS does not undertake any credentials evaluation itself. The LSS also has no contact with the NCA on individual applications and will not overrule a decision of the NCA or waive the requirements for a Certificate of Qualification in lieu of a Canadian LLB.

Academic/Program Requirements

• All applicants must have a Canadian LLB degree or NCA Certificate of Qualification.
• All applicants must also complete the CPLED program. The course consists of eight modules, five online and three face-to-face. The latter are each one week long. Modules 1 to 4 may be completed before candidates have secured an articling position, but before undertaking modules 5 to 8 candidates must have secured a position.
• The three face-to-face sessions are offered once a year in one location, either Regina or Saskatoon.
• Candidates must demonstrate competency on all assignments and competency evaluations in the following skills areas: problem solving, legal research, writing, drafting, interviewing and advising, advocacy, dispute resolution, personal practice management, office management, ethics and professionalism. Assignments and competency evaluations will be assessed as "Competency Demonstrated" or "Competency Not Yet Demonstrated." If the latter standing is attained on anything, the candidate must complete a supplemental competency evaluation at the end of the CPLED program.
• Obtaining a pass in the program involves all of the following: attending all face-to-face modules, participating fully in all online modules, submitting all competency evaluations and assignments on time and attaining "Competency Demonstrated" on all competency evaluations and assignments. Candidates who do not pass the program may repeat it, but only once.
• The CPLED program and articling must be completed within two years of commencement of the program or the articling term, whichever comes first.
• Currently the LSS does not have a policy for exemptions from the CPLED program for applicants who were engaged in the active practice of law in a common-law jurisdiction outside of Canada. However, the LSS will be working to develop further policy in this area, so exemptions may become available in the future.

Work Experience Requirements

• All applicants must complete 12 months of full-time articling under the supervision of a principal. A principal in Saskatchewan is a lawyer who is a member of the LSS and has been engaged in full-time active practice for no less than five years before the commencement of the articling term.
• Candidates may apply to undertake their articling on a part-time basis. The articles must be completed within two years of the articling start date.
• Currently the LSS does not have a policy that provides for any reduction in the articling period for applicants who hold professional legal qualifications in a foreign jurisdiction and have practice experience. The LSS will be working to develop further policy in this area so reductions may become possible at some point.

Examinations

There are no formal bar examinations. Examinations may, however, form part of the required activities involved in the modules for the CPLED program, along with assignments, exercises and competency evaluations.

Language Requirements

The LSS does not require an assessment of language competency or proof thereof.

Fees Associated with the Licensing Process

• Student-at-law admission application fee: $100
• Articling fee: $100
• Bar admission program (CPLED) fee: $2,200
• Lawyer admission application fee: $100
• Lawyer admission fee: $100
• Active member annual fee: $1,615

Third Parties Involved in the Licensing Process

• The NCA evaluates the legal training and professional experience of persons with international or non-common-law legal credentials.
• Saskatchewan Legal Education Society Inc. delivers the CPLED program on behalf of the LSS.

Typical Length of the Licensing Process

• The articling term is 12 months long and the bar admission course is undertaken concurrently.
• Applicants who undertake their articling on a part-time basis can take up to two years for the process.

Internal Review/Appeal Process

• The Executive Director receives all applications for admission as a student-at-law and for admission as a lawyer. The Executive Director grants the application, refuses the application or refers the application to the Admissions and Education Committee. The committee then either makes a decision or orders a hearing.
• When refusing applications, the Executive Director must notify applicants and provide reasons for refusal, and inform the applicants of their right to appeal for review to the benchers.
• If applicants do not successfully complete the CPLED program and are required to repeat it, they may apply to the Executive Director for a review within 14 days of receiving their grades. The Executive Director may require them to repeat the program or assign them supplemental competency evaluations and examinations.

Manitoba

Regulatory body: Law Society of Manitoba (LSM), www.lawsociety.mb.ca

• Requirements for Full Registration
• Documentation Required
• Credentials Assessment (Third Party and/or Internal)
• Academic/Program Requirements
• Work Experience Requirements
• Examinations
• Language Requirements
• Fees Associated with the Licensing Process
• Third Parties Involved in the Licensing Process
• Typical Length of the Licensing Process
• Internal Review/Appeal Process

Requirements for Full Registration

• A Canadian common-law LLB degree or National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) Certificate of Qualification
• Completion of a 52-week articling term under an approved principal
• Completion of the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education program (CPLED), including competency evaluations and assignments
• Proof of good moral character and of being a fit and proper person

Documentation Required

Note: Applicants who are unable to meet any of the documentation requirements are directed to contact the Admission and Membership Department to discuss possible alternatives.

For Admission to the CPLED Program and as an Articling Student

• Application form (includes disclosure of information relating to character and repute, e.g., convictions, suspensions, disciplinary actions)
• Original official transcripts from each postsecondary institution attended, showing conferral of degrees and final marks
• National criminal records check (RCMP, fingerprint-based)
• CPLED program education agreement
• Articling agreement
• Education plan
• Original character reference from one person who has known the applicant for at least five years

For Enrolment as a Lawyer

• Certificate of completion of articles
• Application and petition for call and admission
• Final assessment of education plan

Credentials Assessment (Third Party and/or Internal)

The LSM uses the NCA to assess the credentials of applicants who obtained their law degree outside of Canada or in Quebec in the Civil Code. The LSM does not undertake any credentials evaluation itself. The LSM also has no contact with the NCA on individual applications and will not overrule a decision of the NCA or waive the requirements for a Certificate of Qualification in lieu of a Canadian common-law LLB.

Academic/Program Requirements

• All applicants must have a Canadian common-law LLB degree or NCA Certificate of Qualification. Candidates with a Canadian common-law degree or Certificate of Qualification dated more than six years before the date of application must be approved by the Chief Executive Officer of the LSM.
• All candidates must also complete the CPLED program. The program is divided into five online and three face-to-face modules. The face-to-face modules are each one week long and are offered once a year.
• Candidates must demonstrate competency on all competency evaluations in the following skills areas: problem solving, legal research, writing, drafting, interviewing and advising, advocacy, negotiating, personal practice management, office management, ethics and professionalism. Assignments and competency evaluations will be assessed as "Competency Demonstrated" or "Competency Not Yet Demonstrated." If the latter standing is attained on a competency evaluation, the candidate must complete a supplemental competency evaluation at the end of the CPLED program.
• Obtaining a pass in the program involves all of the following: attending all face-to-face modules, participating fully in all online modules, submitting all competency evaluations and assignments on time and attaining "Competency Demonstrated" on all competency evaluations. If "Competency Not Yet Demonstrated" is attained on an assignment, the assignment must be repeated. If "Competency Not Yet Demonstrated" is attained on a competency evaluation, the candidate must complete a supplemental competency evaluation at the end of the CPLED program.
• Candidates who have completed a bar admission program in another Canadian jurisdiction may be allowed to complete qualifications assessments or examinations in place of completing all or a portion of the CPLED program. There is no policy on exemptions for applicants with practical experience obtained outside of Canada. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Work Experience Requirements

• All candidates must complete a 52-week articling term under an approved principal. A principal in Manitoba is a lawyer who is a member of the LSM and has been practising for no less than three years before the commencement of the articling term.
• Candidates may apply to undertake the articling term on a part-time basis. Articles must be completed within two years of the articling or CPLED start date, whichever comes first.
• Candidates may have their articling term reduced by up to six months for time served articling or clerking in another Canadian jurisdiction. There is no policy on reductions for applicants with practical experience obtained outside of Canada. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Examinations

There are no formal bar examinations. Examinations may, however, form part of the required activities involved in the modules for the CPLED program, along with assignments, exercises and competency evaluations.

Language Requirements

The LSM does not require an assessment of language competency or proof thereof.

Fees Associated with the Licensing Process

• Application fee for registration as a law student: $31.50
• Admission and CPLED program fees: $1,470
• Call to the bar fee: $498.78
• Call to the bar fee for transfer applicants: $500
• Transfer application fee (if applicable): $157.50

Third Parties Involved in the Licensing Process

The NCA evaluates the legal training and professional experience of persons with international or non-common-law legal credentials.

Typical Length of the Licensing Process

• The articling term is 52 weeks long and the bar admission course is usually undertaken concurrently.
• Applicants who undertake their articling on a part-time basis will require up to two years for the process.
• All of the following applications are usually processed within 30 days after receipt by LSM of all the required documentation and fees:
  • Admission as a law student
  • Approval for call to the bar
  • Admission as a CPLED student
  • Abridgement of articles (must successfully complete CPLED before applying)
  • Credit for articles served elsewhere

Internal Review/Appeal Process

• If an application for admission as a student or as a lawyer is not approved or conditions are imposed, reasons will be provided in writing. All registration decisions may be appealed within 14 days. The appeals are reviewed by the Admission and Education Committee, and applicants may request an oral hearing. The person who made the original decision will not participate in the appeal decision.
• Candidates who do not obtain a standing of "Competency Demonstrated" on one of the evaluations for the CPLED program will be assigned a supplemental evaluation or examination. If they still do not pass, they may appeal the grade to the committee within 14 days. They also have the opportunity to retake the program twice.

Quebec

Regulatory body: Barreau du Québec, www.barreau.qc.ca

• Requirements for Full Registration
• Documentation Required
• Credentials Assessment (Third Party and/or Internal)
• Academic/Program Requirements
• Work Experience Requirements
• Examinations
• Language Requirements
• Fees Associated with the Licensing Process
• Third Parties Involved in the Licensing Process
• Typical Length of the Licensing Process
• Internal Review/Appeal Process

Requirements for Full Registration

• Degree in Quebec civil law or the equivalent
• Completion of the Professional Training Program of the Quebec Bar School (École professionelle du Barreau du Québec), including written evaluations and a final evaluation
• Completion of a six-month articling term under supervision
• Competency in the French language
• Good character and repute

Documentation Required

For Recognition of Diploma or Training Equivalence (for all those educated outside Quebec)

All documents must be original or certified copies. Notarized translations must be provided for documents in a language other than French or English.

• Application form
• School records including course descriptions, the number of related credits or hours and grades
• Diplomas obtained
• Police certificate
• Certification of participation in a training session or any activity of continuous professional training and development in the field of law
• Official proof of the right to practise the profession outside Quebec (permit, certificate of registration or licence)
• Certification of relevant work experience in the field of law
• Birth certificate
• Recent photograph, with signature
• Applicable fees

Credentials Assessment (Third Party and/or Internal)

• Applications for recognition of diploma or training equivalence and the credentials included are assessed by the Equivalences Committee of the Barreau du Québec.
• The Equivalences Committee considers the following in assessing equivalence: total years of schooling in law, nature and content of courses, diplomas obtained, training sessions, nature and duration of work experience and similarity of the law system studied versus Quebec law. Apart from paper documentation, the committee also considers any complementary information provided by applicants, if present in person, during the review of the file.
• The committee will advise applicants of the date on which their application will be reviewed and invite them to present their file in person. The committee will then issue a written decision; in the case of partial recognition, a program of study will be outlined for each applicant to complete in order to become a lawyer and member of the Quebec bar if all the other conditions are met. Courses in the program of study are offered through Quebec university law programs and require the applicant to satisfy admission criteria and pay tuition fees.

Academic/Program Requirements

• All applicants must have a three-year undergraduate degree in Quebec civil law from one of the six recognized Quebec universities or the equivalent.
  • All of the applicant's education and experience are taken into account when determining equivalence. However, university-level studies must include 90 credits, of which 45 must be in civil law, civil procedure, commercial and corporate law, constitutional law, administrative law, criminal law and penal law.
• All applicants who are not members of a law society must successfully complete the training program prescribed by the Equivalences Committee.
• Preparatory courses are offered for a four-month period in the fall session only . All applicants are free to take these courses, but some applicants educated outside Quebec may be required to take them. Therefore, after obtaining equivalence, applicants must undergo a diagnostic evaluation that will determine whether the courses are required or not.
• The Professional Training Program itself lasts for four months and courses run for four hours a day. The program consists of four thematic and three practical workshops and nine training activities. The program is offered in Sherbrooke, Ottawa, Quebec and Montreal. Candidates must complete two written evaluations, as well as a final two-day evaluation, which includes an objective and development section (first day) and covers all program material (second day). The days are broken into two four-hour sessions.
• Candidates may be exempt from the Professional Training Program and the articling term if they are members of law societies in other countries or other provinces in Canada, and if the law societies of which they are members would offer the same exemption to a lawyer from Quebec. To apply for an exemption, the candidate must:
  • Apply for recognition of equivalence
  • Provide an official document from their law society certifying that they are a member
  • Provide an official document from their law society explaining the conditions a Quebec lawyer would have to meet to become a member of that law society and laying out the pertinent statutory provisions
  If the committee concludes that reciprocity exists, candidates will be able to become members of the Quebec bar if they obtain a grade of 60 per cent on the four transfer examinations (three for candidates from another Canadian province).

Work Experience Requirements

• All candidates must complete a six-month full-time articling term under the supervision of a recognized training supervisor who has been a member of the Quebec bar for at least five years with no disciplinary files.
• Candidates may not begin articling until they have successfully completed the final evaluation of the professional training program.
• The articling term must be completed within three years of the candidate becoming eligible to article.
• Candidates may be exempted from the articling term under certain conditions.

Examinations

• A final evaluation is included in the Professional Training Program of the Quebec Bar School.
• Candidates applying to be exempt from the Professional Training Program and articling period because of substantial prior practical experience must present all required documentation and write four transfer examinations (three for candidates from another Canadian province) to be considered for registration. A grade of 60 per cent must be obtained on all exams. Once authorized to take the examinations, candidates receive a preparation guide. If the candidate fails an exam, it must be rewritten within three years. The Barreau du Québec advises that writing the three or four examinations is demanding and requires upward of three months of study preparation. Most of the material is in French. It is possible to take preparation courses, for which arrangements must be made through the Equivalences Coordinator.

Language Requirements

The language requirements for an applicant for registration in any profession in Quebec are the same, as dictated by the province's Charter of the French Language. Applicants must demonstrate competence in French with at least three years of full-time secondary or postsecondary studies, or by passing the examination of the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF). Applicants who have met all other requirements for licensing may be granted a temporary permit for one year, renewable up to three times if candidates are undergoing the Equivalences Committee process and demonstrate that they are doing so. The OQLF examination is offered free of charge.

Fees Associated with the Licensing Process

• Recognition of diploma or training equivalence fee: $1,128.76 (including tax)
• Professional training program fee: $4,695 ($4,005 plus $690 for books and preparatory course) (including tax)

Third Parties Involved in the Licensing Process

The Professional Training Program and articling period are administered by the Quebec Bar School, which is an organ of the Barreau du Québec, and therefore not a true third party.

Typical Length of the Licensing Process

• The Professional Training Program takes four or eight months, depending on whether the candidate takes the preparatory courses, and articling takes six months.
• Applicants will receive a decision on their application for recognition of equivalence within 60 days of the completion of the review. The Equivalences Committee meets every month, and therefore it should take no longer than a month for an application to come to review.

Internal Review/Appeal Process

• Applicants who are refused recognition of a diploma or training equivalence, or whose articling period is assessed as not meeting requirements, or who feel their decision was infringed upon may request a hearing with the Barreau du Québec to review the decision. The request for review must be filed within 15 days of receipt of the decision.
• All reviewed decisions may be appealed to Quebec's Tribunal des professions.