best schools for law in canada
best schools for law in canada
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto, located in the vibrant city of Toronto, is one of Canada’s oldest schools. With over 6,000 students and a small average class size of only 20 students per class, University of Toronto offers the best possible classroom experience for their student body. Some notable alumni include former Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson; Roy McMurtry, former Attorney General of Ontario; and Roy McMurtry’s son Rodger (a real family affair).
To be admitted to the program with a Bachelor’s degree from outside Canada, you will need to complete an additional year-long program at University of Toronto that fulfills all admission requirements. It should be noted that tuition is extremely affordable at $3,300 CAD for international students.
In addition to their LLB program (Bachelor’s degree in Law), University of Toronto also offers an accelerated 4-year JD/MBA option for those interested in pursuing both business and law degrees simultaneously. Upon graduation from the JD/MBA program you’ll be well prepared to live out your dreams as a high-powered lawyer running a company dedicated to making maple syrup ice cream sandwiches. (That’s not a real thing yet—but it should be.)
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is located in the city of Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1878, it has a total of about 67,000 students enrolled and is one of Canada’s top research universities. The law school itself was founded in 1897 and has a history of being among the best in the nation.
Université de Montréal is known for taking on high-profile cases, including an attempt to have Section 1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms declared unconstitutional.
It isn’t just big-name cases that keep this university at the forefront of legal education: its faculty members have been lauded for successful publications, with titles such as “Interpreting Law” by Professor Vrignaud and “Legal Theory Lexicon” by Professor Ezorsky still making waves today.
McGill University
McGill University is a public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 during the British colonial era, it is one of Canada’s oldest institutions of higher learning and one of the country’s leading post-secondary institutions. It ranks among the top universities in Canada and the world on a variety of measures.
According to Maclean’s magazine, McGill has produced more Rhodes Scholars per capita than any other school in North America. The Faculty of Law at McGill University was established in 1848 and is the oldest faculty at McGill University and one of the oldest law schools in Canada.
Université Laval
[Université Laval] is the oldest center of higher learning in Canada, founded in 1663. It offers a civil law degree through the Faculty of Law. Students can also receive dual degrees with Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and University College Dublin.
Ranking: 8th overall (of 12)
Tuition: Canadian students pay CA$2,968 per term; international students pay CA$9,917 per term
University of British Columbia
- Location: Vancouver (main campus), Kelowna, and more
- Campus size: 295 acres (Vancouver), 89 acres (Kelowna)
- Students: approximately 66,000 in total
- Faculty members: over 4,000 professors and instructors
- Rankings: #2 in Canada, #34 in the world according to QS World University Rankings 2020
Western University
- Located in London, Ontario.
- Western Law has a great reputation.
- It has a great student/teacher ratio.
- They have a strong program in Aboriginal law.
- They are very strong in commercial law as well.
- They have a great moot court program.
- Also, they have a very strong clinical program.
Queen’s University
- Queen’s University has a law school for study at the undergraduate and graduate level. This university is located in Kingston, Ontario.
- Queen’s University law school is one of the oldest in Canada. It is known for its academic excellence, as well as its small class sizes that allow students to get to know each other and professors alike.
Dalhousie University
- Location: When you think about a school for law, the location is probably the last thing on your mind. But Dalhousie University is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia which is an ideal place to study law. The city’s proximity to the ocean makes it a great place for students to recharge and focus on their studies.
- School Ranking: In 2013, Dalhousie University was ranked as the number 1 school in Canada by Maclean’s Magazine. This ranking was based on student evaluations of their professors and their overall satisfaction with their learning environment.
- Programs: The faculty offers a wide range of programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels including Doctor of Philosophy, Juris Doctor, Masters of Law and Bachelor degrees in areas such as history or sociology.
- Admissions: To be admitted into this prestigious program requires hard work and dedication from all applicants but if you’re willing to put in the effort then it will pay off tenfold as there are many opportunities here that may not exist elsewhere including internships with actual lawyers where you’ll learn all aspects of what goes into being successful at this profession before having even graduated!
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta was recently ranked sixth in the world for its law schools, which is an impressive feat that’s garnered national attention. With over 40,000 students who hail from all over the world, the campus has become a popular destination for Canadian and international students interested in pursuing a career in law.
University of Ottawa, Common Law Section
Located in the nation’s capital, Ottawa, the University of Ottawa is considered one of Canada’s best universities. The university’s Faculty of Law was established by the merger of the former law schools of both the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, which took place on July 1st, 1989 by an act of Parliament. With a student population numbering over 28,000 people, this school is one of Canada’s largest universities as well as a world-class research institution.
With more than 450 professors teaching in both official languages (French and English), Ottawa offers approximately 850 courses in common law. The Common Law Section is well known for its bilingualism and bijuridicialism (the ability to understand civil law). In addition to three-year civil law programs taught entirely in French or English, there are also unique bilingual four-year programs that teach criminal law courses in English and civil law courses in French.
As Canada’s only bilingual university with a focus on research and academic excellence, many students go on to become leaders in their fields after graduating from this program. Some notable alumni include Paul Dewar (former MP for Ottawa Centre), Sharon Carstairs (first female leader of a recognized political party in Manitoba), David Daubney (Ontario MPP), Peter Harder (Deputy Government Representative to the Senate) and Howard Hampton (Former Ontario NDP leader).
With the best education and training, you can become a great lawyer.
With the best education and training, you can become a great lawyer. A good lawyer is only as good as their school, so it’s important to have the best one. The best law schools have the following qualities:
- Great professors.
- Many resources for learning.
- A great alumni network.
- The best reputation in the field of law.