Real estate
lawyers are attorneys who specialize in real estate issues. Real estate lawyers may represent residential and commercial clients in all aspects of buying, selling, financing, leasing and operating a home, a building or some other real estate. Six to eight years of post-secondary schooling is required to become a real estate lawyer in Canada.
Instructions
1. Complete a bachelor's or undergraduate degree. Coursework varies, but you should focus on developing critical reasoning skills, reading and writing. Additional courses in real estate are helpful. For example, York University in Toronto offers real estate certificate courses. Entry into law schools is highly competitive so maintaining high grades is essential.
2. Score well on the law school admission test (LSAT). The LSAT is a standardized test that measures logical and verbal reasoning skills. Each law school in Canada has its own required LSAT score, with the best schools typically requiring higher scores. According to the Maclean.ca website, the top three law schools in Canada are the University of Toronto, McGill University and Osgoode Hall at York University.
3. Apply to one of the 21 law schools in Canada. Five of the 21 are in the province of Quebec, where civil law is taught. The rest of Canada practices common law, which is why the other 16 law schools teach common law. Graduates are awarded a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or a Juris Doctor (J.D.).
4. Join your provincial bar association as a student member. The Canadian Bar Association and its provincial branches provide professional development programs to ensure lawyers can meet the requirements set by the provincial law societies. This also provides an opportunity to network, learn from experienced lawyers in your field of specialization and supplement the course material covered in law school. After graduation, your membership status will change and you will have access to more programs to further your legal education.
5. Satisfy the admission requirements of the applicable provincial law society. Membership in a law society is required to practice law within that society's jurisdiction. Requirements include graduating from an accredited law school, passing the barrister and solicitor licensing examinations and paying fees. Provincial law societies are the governing bodies for lawyers and paralegals within their province. They set the standards for admission to the bar as well as the professional conduct of members.
6. Complete the final licensing requirements needed to become a lawyer in Canada. This includes passing an ethics exam, fulfilling articling requirements and paying the required licensing fee. Articling involves being an apprentice in a professional law firm and requires completing the Professional Responsibility and Practice Course and satisfying an assessment administered by an accredited articling principal. Articling typically takes 10 months. When these final requirements are satisfied, you become licensed to practice law in that Canadian province, and you may practice as a real estate lawyer.
7. Complete a certified specialist program in real estate law offered by the bar association of your province to enhance your credentials. To qualify for this certification program, you must practice for a minimum of seven years and comply with all professional development and standards requirements.
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