Alternative Legal Careers

Many readers have been asking me for my list of Alternative Legal Careers. I misplaced my original list when my old computer crashed. But, here's what I remember from it:

• Polititian (As a matter of fact, fourteen of Canada's twenty prime ministers were, or continue to be, lawyers. Among the prime ministers who were not lawyers was a doctor, a diplomat, a labour expert, and a printer - and once you are done politicing, then maybe you'll be ready to return like this guy did.)
• Legal researcher
• Business Executive (here is a compelling case for lawyer-CEO's)
• Consultant
• Member of various Board of Directors (I have heard of some people who actually make a living doing this!)
• Lawyer for Contract (have a say in your hours and types of work!)
• Legal Publishing (what we say "where lawyers go to die" or "where law students get overpaid whilst studying")
• Policy work - in government
• Real Estate Agent
• Law Professor (you only need an LL.M. in Canada to do this)
• Author (Any future John Grisham’s out there?)
• Sports Agent – almost every one I have ever known was a lawyer or had a law degree
• Full time Mediator

If you have further ideas for alternative legal careers, please post them in the comments section. Thanks!

Which undergrad works best for pre-law?

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Very busy with a couple of heavy litigation files.

Lots of people have asked me what the best undergraduate program is for prepping yourself for law school. This question usually evokes two prongs: 1) what is the best content to prep you for law school; 2) how can I ensure that my GPA will be sufficient to make me a competitive applicant.

This is a very subjective subject. There is a great discussion at lawstudents.ca on this very subject. You may want to add to that discussion.

I'll give you my $0.02. My law school class was full of a huge diversity of people. We had a class of about 175 people. There were people from Poli-Sci, Psychology, Business, MBA, English, Philosophy, Chemistry, Biology, Military College, etc. There were some people with two degrees, some with Masters, some with Doctorates. Who did the best? Again, unpredictable. A scientist, a policital scientist, an English major...

I liked one comment on lawstudents.ca that implied that your grades are more dependant on the time that you put in. I would also add innate intelligence. Do your homework - find out what programs have reputations of having very low curves, and what ones have high curves. Choose a program that you are passionate about. Chances are that a part of your undergraduate program will follow you throughout your career. My uncle wanted to be an opera singer when he started his undergrad. He realized he needed a better paying career for his family, and went into law. Later in life, he remembered his passion and was a participant in many musicals. He decided he was more "artsy" and went into environmental law, and is loving it.

For myself, my English degree follows me everywhere I go. I love to write, to read, and to analyze written material. I can't seem to get away from publishing, editing and writing. I love that part of life, and it serves me well in my new career as a lawyer too.

Study hard, get the best grades you can. Take fun classes too - stuff you can get good grades in, while creating memories along the way. Prepare for the LSAT early on if you are able, and read my book - it really will help to pave the way for your new career as a lawyer.

The Life of a Lawyer

This is from more recent times (i.e. December 2006):

I am currently doing a lot of real estate. What does that mean? It means that I represent either sellers or buyers of residential homes. Sometimes I only do the transfer/conveyance. Sometimes I also do the mortgage. If I do the mortgatge, I am also representing the bank that is giving the loan. That means that I have to make sure that the bank obtains sufficient security on the property in question. Most of the time, things go smoothly with these transactions. Usually, if a problem arises, it is because of something that the other lawyer has neglected to do. Some lawyers get really lazy about timelines, requirements, etc. It's really frustrating. But, sometimes I miss little things too. It is so essential to have a really good paralegal on the job to make these transactions go smoothly, and to make them more profitable for our firm.

I am also preparing a lot of wills. I really like this. Some lawyers find it boring, but I really like meeting with the clients, advising them on how to set up their estates, plan for the future, and avoid any potential pitfalls. I really like drafting the wills, and enjoy meeting with the client again to go over the documents and execute them. The client invariably walks away happy. It's a happy reprieve from conflict.

I am doing a lot more litigation that I had anticipated. I am learning to really love litigation. It's exciting. I deal with some really interesting people - people I would never normally meet. Sometimes I have to use a lot of judgment in deciding whether I want to take the person on as a client. There are lots of variables - whether I think they can pay, whether I think they will put me into an ethical tight spot, whether I think they will be bossy or unreasonable, whether they have shopped around for a lawyer, whether they have hopped from one lawyer to another. It's hard, but it's fun to have the choice to make these discernments, now that I have my own law firm.

I have started doing Dependant Adult applications, which I find interesting. Some might find it boring, but I enjoy the administrative aspect of it. It's fairly straightforward, unless someone contests the application for Guardianship.

We are now on the Legal Aid list, and have started to get some interesting cases through that. Mostly family law. But, some of our clients are in jail, and that makes life interesting.

I also spend quite a lot of time preparing precedents for my assistants to work with. It's really important to set up good systems for your staff, so that the work is done more efficiently. I don't like spending time on things that can be done by my assistants. I would rather be working on more complex legal issues, speaking to clients, and most importantly, building up business.

Client Development takes up a lot of my time, as we are a relatively new firm. I really enjoy this. I love working on our marketing and advertising campaigns, networking, making calls to other lawyers and business people that I know. I love coming up with new ideas for generating relationships and work. I am also working on some really cool new cases that will hopefully be lucritive, but also that are really important for me and for some other people that are important to me.

All in all, I am really enjoying being a lawyer. Being a partner in my own firm is awesome. The autonomy is priceless.

Well, back to work...

The Life of a Lawyer

Lots of prospective and current law students have been asking me what the daily life of a lawyer is like. Well, I can't speak for every lawyer out there, but I can tell you what my life is like, and what my colleague's lives are like. I'll probably post a few entries on this topic, and will add it to the second edition of my book.

This was from one day last year (2005):

The biggest thing that I did was to help one of our clients settle a claim for a substantial amount of debt. We did it through a 4 way negotiation, whereby the lawyer for the debtor (other side) put forward some information and an offer to settle the debt. We asked a bunch of questions, then caucused for quite a while. In the end, we ended up agreeing to the offer, as we felt the risk of trying to pursue the remainder was too high. Our client would end up with about $0.70 on the dollar, and I guess they were willing to take that. It probably would have ended up costing them a lot more to try to pursue the remainder, and the interest. One of the biggest parts of the practice of law is advising clients on risk. That was my main job in this matter. There was a chance that all could have been lost. All parties ended up fairly happy, and the matter was finalized very quickly. Had it gone to trial, everyone would have been very unhappy.

Today, I completed a quantum assessment for a personal injury file. Basically, what I had to do was an exhaustive search of case law that typified the type of injury and the circumstances of the accident. I gathered this information and analyzed it, coming up with a range of potential general damages that might be awarded to our client. We will then bring that analysis to the other side and see if they would like to negotiate a settlement. The reason for doing this quantum is to show the other side that indeed the courts have awarded $ for similar incidents.

Today I also completed an application for a new non-profit society, and am in the process of completing two applications for trade-marks. Other stuff I have on my plate right now include a huge donation to a church, which includes just a ton of paperwork; an application for registry of a federal corporation; a sale agreement for some agricultural equipment; a residential tenancies issue; an ongoing debtor-creditor litigation matter which involves some tricky arguing about Limitation periods; drafting of a contract for an online publisher; and a breach of contract matter. Lots of variety. Lots of challenges.

Tomorrow I have to go and make an application in Masters Chambers at the courthouse for an order to release some property. It's not all fancy courthouse stuff in my practice, as I tend to do a lot more solicitor's work, and most of my litigation matters never reach trial.

More later...back to work.

Law Review

Not all law schools have a Law Review or similar student run academic journal. If your chosen school does not, please ignore this post.

If your school does have a Law Review or other student run academic journal, you should seriously consider participating on its editorial board or committee.

In the U.S., Law Reviews are very serious business. Depending on the Canadian law school, Law Reviews can be serious business as well. In most U.S. law schools, only those who are invited get to sit on the Law Review editorial board. Only the cream of the crop ever gets the opportunity. Law Review is considered very highly by employers, and is almost always a requisite for graduate studies in law or professorship.

As an example, the Alberta Law Review, a publication that has been in print for 51 years (established in 1955, with its predecessor, the Alberta Law Quarterly, established in the 20’s), follows the same basic format as the U.S. Review system. Second year students (i.e. those who are entering 2L) apply to the Law Review, and applications are reviewed by the Law Review executive (Co-Editors-in-Chief, Treasurer) and Faculty Advisors (usually four). Each of these people is given one vote, and out of those votes 14-16 new members of the Editorial Board are chosen. It is a big honour to be selected to the committee. Many applicants are turned down. For the most part, grades are the prime criterion for selection. However, as the Editorial Board is broken down into various committees, it is possible for a student to gain acceptance, even if their grades are not at the very top of their class, if they can offer unique and useful skills that will help the Law Review to run smoothly. The Alberta Law Review is a business with an operating budget of over $100,000. As a result, committee members are given a lot of responsibility, and it is very important to ensure that committee members have the requisite skills to complete their particular tasks. Being good at law exams does not necessarily indicate this requirement.

If you are selected to the Editorial Board (you apply in the first week of 2L), you will have a 2-year commitment, consisting of 52 hours of work per year for each of the two years for a total of 104 hours. These 104 hours are broken down into editing and committee work. Each member of the Editorial Board must complete a minimum of two full edits (usually 20-80 hours of work each) over the two years. The rest of the time is made up with committee work. As a reward for your hard work over the two years, you are given credit for one 3-credit course in the last year of your last semester. As well, as a member of the Editorial Board, you have the option of registering for the Law Review Research Paper course, which requires you to write a 20-page case comment and to present this comment to a group consisting of Editorial Board members. These two credit opportunities can really take a load of pressure off your shoulders during your last year of law school.

Other benefits of being on the Alberta Law Review include a personalized letter from the Alberta Courts inviting you to apply for clerkships with the Alberta Courts. This is a nice “in.” More importantly, recruiters tend to look very highly upon experience on the Law Review. Inclusion indicates that you are most likely the best of the best, that you have gained considerable experience in legal research and writing, that you have developed an eye for detail, and that you are aware of a number of current legal issues. As well, if you are considering graduate school in law, inclusion on a Law Review will go a very long way for you, especially if you apply in the States. It is a well-kept secret that Law Review does not hold quite the same status in Canada as it does in the States.

A further opportunity comes in your third year of law school if you are elected as Editor-in-Chief (as I was). This is a full-time paid position during the spring/summer of after your second year, and a part-time paid position during your third year. This is an excellent opportunity to beef up your curriculum vitae, to make amazing contacts, and to learn leadership skills. I was able to converse often with leading academics, practitioners, and judges during my term. I also had the opportunity of having dinner with the Chief Justice of Canada, and of having dinner meetings with former members of the Supreme Court of Canada, the Court of Appeal and the Court of Queen’s bench of Alberta. Among some other key things, I attribute this opportunity to landing me so many interviews and subsequent job offers during the articling recruitment period.

Each law school will have a somewhat different process and organization for their law journal. Be sure to inquire with your law school early and find out how you can become involved. Some schools will offer more or less credit than the Alberta Law Review.

If you have any questions about the Law Review experience or process, send me an email.

Graduate Studies in Law in Canada: LLM Guide

I just came across a fairly useful website (LLM GUIDE - http://www.llm-guide.com/canada) for those interested in pursuing an LL.M. (Master of Laws). For those of you who are unititiated, a Master of Laws allows you to teach in law school. Many consider it the equivalent of a Ph.D., as some consider the LL.B. equivalent to graduate school (i.e. the MBA). In any case, you might find it to be interesting reading, whether you are serious about considering an LL.M. or not. I will write more on this blog about the LL.M. some time soon.

Judge Advocate General (JAG)

I posted some information on my other blog (Law Eh?) about becoming a Judge Advocate General. It is appropriate to post it at this blog as well:

Noun

1.

judge advocate general - the senior legal advisor to a branch of the military

Here's how the Office of the Judge Advocate General for the Canadian Forces describes itself:

"Whether providing legal advice at one of the many bases and wings across the country, defending an accused at a court martial, teaching courses to other CF members, or advising a commanding officer in an operational theatre, the legal officers and staff of the Office of the Judge Advocate General constantly strive to uphold the ethical and legal principles established by both the Canadian Forces and the Government of Canada."

According to the JAG website, "The Office of the JAG comprises 114 regular force legal officer positions and 64 reserve force legal officer positions. The regular force legal officers are employed throughout the CF, in Canada and abroad...The JAG is statutorily responsible to the Minister of National Defence and 'accountable' for the legal advice given to the Chief of the Defence Staff, the military chain of command, and to the Deputy Minister. This clear accountability structure was designed to enhance the integrity of the Office of the JAG and ensure the independence of the JAG from the chain of command in the provision of legal advice in all areas including military justice."

Those that join up "join from a variety of backgrounds — some with no previous military experience; some with prior regular or reserve force experience; some through internal career change programs. They must all be members in good standing of a provincial law society in Canada, meet Canadian Forces medical standards and successfully complete the 14-week Basic Officer Training Course before they can become a legal officer."

"Legal officers come from a variety of backgrounds but most share some common characteristics. First and foremost is a desire to serve Canada as a member of the Canadian Forces - they are all commissioned, uniformed officers joining in the rank of Captain with the opportunity to rise to the rank of Brigadier-General (although the current JAG is a Major-General). As regular force members of the Canadian Forces, they accept that service may involve relocation upon receiving a new posting and periods of separation from their families when duty calls."

"If you want to become a legal officer in the Office of the JAG you will have to join the Canadian Forces and go through the same selection process as all applicants who volunteer to enroll in the military. Upon acceptance to and enrolment in the Canadian Forces, you would be required to undergo Basic Officer Training and official language training (depending on your abilities in the official languages) prior to being posted for employment and further professional development as a legal officer in the Office of the JAG."

Pay and allowances: "Legal officers are specialist officers and are generally paid on a different scale ^B than general service officers. Legal officer pay is linked to that of the Department of Justice with a 6.5% “military factor” added on to recognize the exigencies of military life."

Pension: "The Canadian Forces Superannuation Act guarantees a pension to personnel who have served in the Canadian Forces for at least twenty years. This pension is based on an average of your wages for the best five years of your career. The pension begins at 40% after twenty years service and maximizes at 70% after 35 years of service."

These links are interesting:

Office of the JAG Organizational Chart ^C
JAG offices across Canada ^C
JAG offices around the world ^C

It looks as though the JAG is separated into various areas of law (Prosecution, Defence, Military Justice and Admin Law, etc.).

If you want to learn more about Military Justice in general, go here: http://www.forces.gc.ca/jag/military_justice/default_e.asp. It gives a good overview.

There is a short entry on Wikipedia that gives some current stats: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Advocate_General_(Canada)

And for those of you who want to steep yourselves in JAG culture:

If any of you have further information about what being JAG is like, or how one becomes JAG, please feel free to provide us some information through a comment. Thanks.

I was in the military, and went through boot camp, and engineering boot camp. It was pretty brutal. I heard that Officer Training boot camp is a lot lighter, but I might be wrong. Anyone dispute that claim?

In any case, it looks like a pretty interesting career choice.

Canadian Law Reviews and Journals

Alberta Law Review
UBC Law Review
Manitoba Law Journal
McGill Law Journal
UNB Law Journal
Osgoode Hall Law Journal
Ottawa Law Review
Queen's Law Journal
Saskatchewan Law Review
University of Toronto Law Journal
Appeal - Review of Current Law and Law Reform - UVic
Windsor Review of Legal and Social Issues
Canadian Journal of Family Law - UBC
Canadian Business Law Journal - UofT
Canadian Journal of Women and the Law - UofT
Innovate Magazine - UofT - Centre for Innovation Law and Policy
Journal of International Law and International Relations - UofT
The University of Toronto Journal of Law and Equality - UofT
Indigenous Law Journal - UofT
University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review
Canada - United States Law Journal - UWO
Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice
The Canadian Journal of Law and Technology
Dalhousie Law Journal
Canadian Journal of Law and Technology
Les Cahiers de Droit
Canadian Bar Review
Criminal Law Quarterly
Health Law Journal - UofA
Health Law Review - UofA

Book Reviews - So, You Want to be a Lawyer, Eh? by Adam Letourneau

Here is a collection of current reviews by readers of the book:

Amazon.ca - 5 STARS - "This book was very informative. It walks you through the law school experience in Canada, from applying to first year all the way to choosing your articles. I was very pleased with the wide range of, from the best way to manage your study time to the advantages/disadvantages of laptops in classes. It also addresses the big issues (articles, interviews, etc) from a variety of viewpoints. That is to say, it can function as a road map to big law, small firms or a variety of other law goals.
Finally, the conversational tone of the book made it a more entertaining read than many reference books. It seemed more like a friendly discussion with someone who had been through it already than a boring list of facts and suggestions. All in all a great purchase."
~Ian Gordon


Amazon.ca - 5 STARS - "I have read a number of guidebooks on how to succed at law school and this is by far one of the best. Mr. Letourneau's book is excellent, clear and offers pretty much some of the best advice when it comes to navigating law school and beginning your career. He clearly outlines the steps you have to take to succed while in law school and gives you serious food for thought about what you may want to do after law school. If your thinking of law school, are already on your way, or already there, this book is an excellent resources to help you understand what is going on and what you should be doing.

I just have one thing to say: wish I had found the book before entering law school!"
~Dan (Ontario, Canada)


Amazon.ca - 5 STARS - "I picked up this book out of curiosity because of the catchy title. Once I started reading it, I knew it was a must have. It gives an honest discussion of why one should consider a career in law,the LSAT and application process, the realities of law school, and how to keep one's sanity while being a successful student. It gives specific strategies to use (scarce) study time effectively. It ends by giving practical tips on articling. It was a treat to read something about the Canadian Law school experience. This book is worth every dime I spent on it and I know I will refer to it as I am getting into the routine of law school."
~Kelly "Kelly" (Western Canada)


Amazon.ca - 5 STARS - "Alan Dershowitz once remarked that giving advice is among the most hazardous of undertakings. He contends that one should always be skeptical of 'wholesale' or 'one-size-fits-all' advice; the best advice is always custom tailored to the particular person seeking it.

I am happy to report that Adam Letourneau's 'So You Want To Be A Lawyer, Eh?' is a truly unique and remarkable resource that assembles the hard-learned lessons from Letourneau's own experiences as a former student (and Law Review Editor in Chief) at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law in addition to a broad sampling of advice from his peers at other Law Schools.

As an entering 1L myself, I'm particularly interested in advice on the following issues: Is law the right profession for me? How should I prepare for class and study for exams? Are 1st year law grades 'all important'? How and when should I look for a coveted articling position?

SYWTBALE offers lots of terrific advice on all the abovementioned questions, and more (e.g. 'Should I have a laptop for law school'). More importantly, the wide range of perspectives offered in SYWTBALE lets the reader extrapolate from Letourneau's experiences to one's own unique situation. SYWTBALE is organized in such a way that a prospective law student, current law student, or recent law grad can each jump in and read only the information they find most relevant.

This book is by far the most comprehensive, helpful, and thoroughly readable resource on the Canadian law school experience I've yet encountered. Don't miss it!"
~Son H. Le (Calgary, AB)


Amazon.ca - 5 STARS - "The book is an absolute must-read for those considering pursuing a career in the law. A number of books address the topic in the U.S. context; however, this is the first book I have encountered that thoroughly addresses: (1) Canadian law school life, (2) tips that will help one land the articling position of their choice; and (3) work as an articling student and junior lawyer in Canada. The book is very comprehensive, well-written, and well-researched."


Amazon.com - 5 STARS - "Applying to and attending law school in Canada can be a challenging process. Unlike the many books that focus on the experience in the US, this book specifically looks at the Canadian system. 'So, You Want to Be a Lawyer, Eh?' outlines the process and offers tips to improve your results in the application process, at law school and in finding an articling position. I will be attending law school next year and I am confident that this book will help me succeed.

I highly recommend anyone considering a career in law in Canada to read this book!"
~Jaime (Ontario, Canada)


Amazon.com - 5 STARS - "As a future Canadian law student, I was frustrated with the lack of guide material available to Canadian law students. All of the material I was able to find was aimed toward American students. Since there are some differences between the way the two countries educate their lawyers, it was important to find a book like this that addresses the particular elements of Canadian Law School.

I highly recommend this to anyone contemplating law school in Canada."
~F. Voisin (Ontario, Canada)


Amazon.com - 5 STARS - "This book proved to be a good reference material that is written in laymen terms and formatted in an easy to follow chronological order taking you from the application process to the law school experience to seeking out law firms for articling.

The author, an articling law student, has taken the time to explain what potential law students should consider when seeking a career in this field.

This book also provides reference to several websites that will be useful in preparing one for the LSAT to selecting a law school to financing your education.

I definitely recommend this book as a planning tool for highschool/university students and mature adults considering a career in this field."
~Natasha L. Bastien


Chapters.ca - 5 STARS - "I bought this book about six months ago while going through the important decision-making process of investigating law school. This book offered excellent advice (and reassurance) about everything from the LSAT to articling to practicing as a professional. It was well worth investing in this book before making the much larger investment of actually going to law school!! I would hightly recommend that someone purchase this book before they even consider going to law school in Canada."
~Sean (Calgary)


Chapters.ca - 5 STARS - "Although there a number of books about applying to and attending law school, 'So, you want to be a Lawyer, Eh?' looks specifically at the process in Canada. Written from the perspective of a recent law school graduate, this book is informative and entertaining in detailing the experience of someone who has been through the whole law school experience. I will be attending law school this September and I feel that this book has given me a good understanding of what to expect. I'd highly recommend this book for anybody who has applied or is thinking of applying to law school in Canada!"
~James (Ontario)

About the Author - Adam Letourneau

Adam Letourneau earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Calgary in 1997. He then undertook a career in business, technology and publishing, gaining valuable experience in business start-ups and executive management. In addition to working on other ventures, Letourneau acted as Vice President of Operations of a high-tech/publishing company, and before that as Vice President, Editing Operations of a publishing house in the United States. While working in business, Letourneau earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Athabasca University in 2002. Letourneau earned a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta in 2005. While at the University of Alberta, he acted as Editor-in-Chief of the Alberta Law Review, among other leadership and academic positions. He also did a summer legal internship at a large multinational corporation. Letourneau is currently a partner in his own law firm, Letourneau Eden LLP, is the Chairman of Apeetogosan (Metis) Development Inc., and is President of a publishing house. In his spare time, Letourneau enjoys cycling, bodybuilding, fishing and gardening. Letourneau and his wife, Carmen, have two daughters and a son. They are expecting another baby boy soon.

Book Description - from the Publisher

So, you are Canadian or you would like to study in Canada and you have been considering law as a career, eh? There are around 85,000 lawyers altogether in Canada, with about 65,000 of them practicing law. That's approximately 0.027% of the total Canadian adult population. If you have heard rumours that getting into law school is difficult, and that law school is hard, your sources are correct. The standards are very high, both for GPA and for the LSAT score (standardized test for law school applicants). However, the odds are not insurmountable. If law is something that you have become passionate about, or if you think you would make a great lawyer, buying and reading through this book will help you to make your decision, and will help you to succeed in gaining acceptance to law school, to excel at law school, and to land a great job in the legal field.

There are 22 law schools in Canada in total. Some are considered more prestigious or desirable than others. Those schools in Quebec, with the exception of McGill will only allow you to practice law in Quebec. Each law school accepts between 50 and 200 law students each year. If you would like to know more about the process of getting into law school, read this book.

How do you know if law is the career choice for you? Well, that is not an easy question to answer. It is answered more clearly and in detail in this book. To start, you should do a personal inventory and see if you remotely fit into the following descriptions:

1. You have a reasonably high GPA in your undergraduate studies. 2. You like to write and write well. 3. You have great analytical skills. 4. You are a great problem solver. 5. You are a stickler for details. 6. You like taking on big projects. 7. You are honest and trustworthy. 8. You find yourself seeking out law related movies and books. 8. You set very high standards for yourself. 9. You have enjoyed a law-related course in the past. 10. You get upset when justice is not served. 11. You have compassion for others.

If you do, then start following your passion. Buy this book and find out - do you want to be a lawyer? If so, this book will tell you exactly how you go about it in Canada.

Canadian Law School Outlines or CANS

For those of you who don't know, CANS or Outlines are Condensed Annotated Notes or Summaries of law courses. Everybody does their CANS/Outline a little bit different. Some are definitely more useful than others. You can ask classmates to share their notes, and vice versa, but that doesn't always work. Many students find that accessing the notes and summaries of somebody to be useful in preparing for class and especially for law exams. As such, I have provided a bunch of my notes, CANS and summaries from my law school experience on www.canadianlawschool.ca. All they do now is collect dust on my shelf, unless I am totally lost on a legal subject at work. I thought you might find them useful in saving time and energy, and maybe even learning something, heaven forbid! I don't promise that my notes or the notes of others are comprehensive, accurate or that they will save you during cram time, but I am confident that they can help. Enjoy.

Find tons of class notes, CANS or Outlines that you need for law school. Includes 1L, 2L, 3L (First Year, Second Year, and Third Year) Cans and Outlines. Great resources for law students attending law school in Canada. It is advisable for you to create your own CANS/Outlines to achieve optimal success in law school. Use these at your own risk.

I have found some sites that weren't around when I was in law school - it's great to see people sharing :).

University of Manitoba - Ed Chan Law Outlines

Duhaime.org - Law Resources - law dictionary, info pages on most types of law

University of Victoria - UVic Student Outlines

The Unofficial Queen's Law Outline Page

CANS from Osgoode

University of New Brunswick Law Students Society - CANS

University of Calgary - Women in Law at the University of Calgary - CANS

If you have CANS or Outlines or Class Notes that you would like to share with the rest of the world (there are others out there who are pleading!), please email them to me at adam dot letourneau@gmail dot com and I will post them here. Likewise, if you know of an online repository of CANS/Outlines that should be included here, please let me know.

Canadian Law School CANS / Outlines

Here are some CANS that I pulled out of the woodwork - I haven't looked at them for a long time. Some were mine, some were classmates. Some, I probably found on the Net or something...enjoy, but at your own risk.

I'll post more when I can.

Admin 1
Admin 2
Admin 3
Admin 4
Bankruptcy
Constitution
Contracts
Criminal
Evidence
Evidence 2
Family 1
Family 2
Insurance
Intellectual Property
Public International
Labour 1
Labour 2
Labour 3
Property
Tax
Torts
Wills 1
Wills

Featured Law School Resource Books

Featured Law School Books

Acing Your First Year of Law School: The Ten Steps to Success You Won't Learn in Class by Shana Connell Noyes (Author), Henry S. Noyes (Author), CDN$ 21.95

From the Publisher

Law school attendance continues to rise each year. As more and more students enter law school, it becomes even harder to stand out in the crowd of other students. This book will teach you how to stand head and shoulders above your colleagues in law school, and succeed in your most critical year of law school, the first year.

Product Description: Most first-year law students waste a tremendous amount of time learning piles of information they don't need to know, because they have no one to guide them. This text, in ten easy-to read chapters, is the guide for students entering or contemplating law school. After reading the ten chapters, set up as lessons, student will know how to study the law.


Getting to Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams by Richard Michael Fischl (Author), Jeremy Paul (Author), CDN$ 19.51

Professors Fischl and Paul explain law school exams in ways no one has before, all with an eye toward improving the reader's performance. The book begins by describing the difference between educational cultures that praise students for "right answers," and the law school culture that rewards nuanced analysis of ambiguous situations in which more than one approach may be correct. Enormous care is devoted to explaining precisely how and why legal analysis frequently produces such perplexing situations. But the authors don't stop with mere description. Instead, Getting to Maybe teaches how to excel on law school exams by showing the reader how legal analysis can
be brought to bear on examination problems. The book contains hints on studying and preparation that go well beyond conventional advice. The authors also illustrate how to argue both sides of a legal issue without appearing wishy-washy or indecisive. Above all, the book explains why exam questions may generate feelings of uncertainty or
doubt about correct legal outcomes and how the student can turn these feelings to his or her advantage. In sum, although the authors believe that no exam guide can substitute for a firm grasp of substantive material, readers who devote the necessary time to learning the law will find this book an invaluable guide to translating learning into better exam performance.

Law School For Dummies by Rebecca Fae Greene (Author), CDN$ 20.29

The straightforward guide to surviving and thriving in law school.

Every year more than 40,000 students enter law school and at any given moment there are over 125,000 law school students in the United States. Law school’s highly pressurized, super-competitive atmosphere often leaves students stressed out and confused, especially in their first year. Balancing life and schoolwork, passing the bar, and landing a job are challenges that students often need help facing. In Law School For Dummies, former law school student Rebecca Fae Greene uses straight talk, sound advice, and gentle humor to help students sort through the swamp of coursework and focus on what’s important–all while maintaining a life. She also offers rare insight on the law school experience for women, minorities, non-traditional, and non-Ivy League students.


Law School Confidential: A Complete Guide to the Law School Experience: By Students, for Students by Robert H. Miller (Author), CDN$ 18.17

I wish I knew then what I know now! Don't get to the end of your law school career muttering these words to yourself! Take the first step toward building a productive, successful, and perhaps even pleasant law school experience...read this book! Written for students about to embark on this three year odyssey, by students who have successfully
survived law school. Law School Confidential demystifies the life-altering thrill ride that defines an American legal education by providing a comprehensive, blow-by-blow, chronological account of what to expect. Law School Confidential arms students with a thorough overview of the contemporary law school experience. This isn't the advice of graying professors or battle-scarred practitioners decades removed from the law school. Fresh out of University of Pennsylvania Law School, Robert Miller has assembled a panel of recent law school graduates all of whom are perfectly positioned to shed light on what law school is like today. Law School Confidential invites you to walk in their steps to success and to learn from their mistakes. From taking the LSAT, to securing financial aid, to navigating the notorious first semester, to exam-taking strategies, to applying for summer internships, to getting on the law review, to tackling the bar and beyond...Law School Confidential explains it all.


The Practice of Law School: Getting in and Making the Most of Your Legal Education by Esq.,, Christen Civiletto Carey (Author), CDN$ 26.57

This handbook for aspiring lawyers coaches them to make the most of law school by taking charge of their education and burgeoning careers early on. It provides current and future law students with invaluable information about the law school application process, financing law school, selecting classes, evaluating study groups, developing effective exam-taking strategies, choosing extracurricular activities and summer jobs, preparing for the bar exam, and balancing school with family life. Demonstrated are the ways in which students can begin to think like practicing lawyers and attain experience in law school that is relevant, practical, and essential to practicing law in the real world.


Starting Off Right in Law School by Carolyn Nygren (Author), CDN$ 15.83

The result of eight years of Nygren's work with first-semester students in five different law schools, this book melds information about the legal system usually found in legal methods books with information about study skills
usually found in books with a "how to succeed in law school" focus. The book uses one area of law — the implied warranty of merchantability as it applies to food — to illustrate various legal issues and the skills needed to master them. It introduces basic legal concepts and vocabulary in the context of one hypothetical case, and then focuses on the structure of cases and types of reasoning courts use. When finished with the book, readers will have the background they need in order to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of legal materials.


One L: The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School by Scott Turow (Author), CDN$ 15.96

One L, Scott Turow's journal of his first year at law school introduces and a best-seller when it was first published
in 1977, has gone on to become a virtual bible for prospective law students. Not only does it introduce with remarkable clarity the ideas and issues that are the stuff of legal education; it brings alive the anxiety and competiveness--with others and, even more, with oneself--that set the tone in this crucible of character building.
Turow's multidimensional delving into his protagonists' psyches and his marvelous gift for suspense prefigure the achievements of his celebrated first novel, Presumed Innocent, one of the best-selling and most talked about books of 1987. Each September, a new crop of students enter Harvard Law School to begin an intense, often grueling, sometimes harrowing year of introduction to the law. Turow's group of One Ls are fresh, bright, ambitious, and more than a little daunting. Even more impressive are the faculty: Perini, the dazzling, combative professor of contracts, who presents himself as the students' antagonist in their struggle to master his subject; Zechman, the reserved professor of torts who seems so indecisive the students fear he cannot teach; and Nicky Morris, a young, appealing man who stressed the humanistic aspects of law. Will the One Ls survive? Will they excel? Will they make the Law Review, the outward and visible sign of success in this ultra-conservative microcosm? With remarkable insight into both his fellows and himself, Turow leads us through the ups and downs, the small triumphs and tragedies of the year, in an absorbing and throught-provoking narrative that teaches the reader not only about law school and the law but about the human beings who make them what they are. In the new afterword for this edition of One L, the author looks back on law school from the perspective of ten years' work as a lawyer and offers some suggestions for reforming legal education.


1000 Days to the Bar: But the Practice of Law Begins Now by Dennis J. Tonsing (Author), CDN$ 21.36

1000 Days to the Bar explains the relationship between the professional practice of law and the practice you need to perform each week to achieve your objectives. This unique guide is designed to empower first-year law students by presenting the components for academic success in a step-by-step format that lays out a practice-centered approach to legal studies. In this book you will discover how to: - Read and brief court opinions - Take and transform class notes into course summaries, outlines and flow charts. - Learn essential elements of the law "by heart." - Gain fluency in the "language of the law." Special supplements include: - Study tips from law school professors and academic support professionals. - Detailed descriptions of many of the most popular commercial study aids. - Time management details and time allocation methods, including creation of a personal Flexible Time Resource Allocation Chart. - Guidelines for powerful, effective study groups. - Instructions for preparing a practical and efficient law study environment.

Why Law?

So, you are Canadian or you would like to study in Canada and you have been considering law as a career, eh? There are around 85,000 lawyers altogether in Canada, with about 65,000 of them practicing law. That's about 0.027% of the total Canadian adult population. If you have heard rumours that getting into law school is difficult, and that law school is hard, your sources are correct. The standards are very high, both for GPA and for the LSAT score (standardized test for law school applicants). However, the odds are not insurmountable. If law is something that you have become passionate about, or if you think you would make a great lawyer, reading through this website, and through the book, So, You Want to be a Lawyer, Eh? will help you to make your decision, and help you to succeed in gaining acceptance to law school, excelling at law school, and landing a great job in the legal field.

There are 22 law schools in Canada. Some are considered more prestigious or desirable than others. Those schools in Quebec, with the exception of McGill will only allow you to practice law in Quebec. Each law school accepts between 50 and 200 law students each year. If you would like to know more about the process of getting into law school, read the book.

How do you know if law is the career choice for you? Well, that is not an easy question to answer. I answer it more clearly and in detail in the book that I have written on the subject. But to start, you should do a personal inventory and see if you remotely fit into the following descriptions:

1. You have a reasonably high GPA in your undergraduate studies.
2. You like to write and do it well.
3. You have great analytical skills.
4. You are a great problem solver.
5. You are a stickler for details.
6. You like taking on big projects.
7. You are honest and trustworthy.
8. You find yourself seeking out law related movies and books.
8. You set very high standards for yourself.
9. You have enjoyed a law-related course in the past.
10. You get upset when justice is not served.
11. You have compassion for others.

There are many other things to consider before you decide to embark upon a career in law. Come back to this site frequently to find more information, articles, surveys and more, which may help you to decide whether law is the right career choice for you. Further, you should purchase my book for a great read. It will give you a very good feel about what law school in Canada is all about.

Canadian Law School Guidebook

Law Eh? by Adam Letourneau

Buy the Guidebook on Canadian Law School Now and SAVE TIME and STRESS!

Amazon.com - Paperback - only US$13.59! Usually ships within 24 hours.

Amazon.ca - Paperback - only CDN$16.54! Usually ships within 24 hours.

Chapters/Indigo - Want to Buy Canadian? Paperback - only CDN$14.85. Usually ships within 24 hours.

Thinking of becoming a lawyer? Attending law school in Canada? Every year, an estimated 16,000 to 20,000 people apply to 16 Canadian law schools. Do you want to be one of the less than 2000 that gets in? Do you want to be one of the those students that lands a great job?

Adam Letourneau, B.Sc., B.A., LL.B., a graduate of the University of Alberta Faculty of Law, and former Editor-in-Chief of the Alberta Law Review, reveals many insider tips on how to gain admittance to Canadian law school, how to cope and succeed in Canadian law school, and most importantly, how to land a coveted job post-graduation.

Drawing upon personal experience and the experiences of numerous other Canadian law students, Letourneau shares insights on the LSAT, applying for law school in Canada, study strategies, summer jobs, the articling application process and much more, along with plenty of context-specific information for the Canadian law student.

Here are just a few of the topics that are covered in the book:

• Statistics - How Many Lawyers are there in Canada?
• Is law for you?
• How many students apply to Canadian law schools and how many get accepted to law school in Canada? What are your chances?
• What does your GPA and LSAT really need to look like to gain admittance to various Canadian law schools?
• How to prepare for the LSAT
• What is law school in Canada like anyway?
• Help to decide what Canadian law school to attend.
• What is better - a JD or LL.B.?
• First Year attitude and behaviour tips to help you succeed!
• How to land a great summer job and ultimately an articling position.
• The best way to use your time in law school.
• How to land the article (job) of your dreams.
• How to land a great court clerkship.
• How to win at exam time.
• And much, much more...

This book will save you hundreds of hours of research, studying and worrying.

Also available in your local bookstore or university bookstore. Ask the clerk to order it from Ingram if it isn't immediately available.

Thinking of going to law school in Canada?

Thinking of becoming a lawyer? Attending law school in Canada? Finally --it's here-- the guidebook and the website you've been waiting for. Every year, an estimated 10,000 - 15,000 students apply to 16 Canadian law schools, vying for just over 2000 coveted spots. The competition is even fiercer for law students when applying for a job as an articling student.

In his book, and through this website, Adam Letourneau, B.Sc., B.A., LL.B., a graduate of the University of Alberta Faculty of Law, and former Editor-in-Chief of the Alberta Law Review, reveals many insider tips on how to gain admittance to law school, how to cope and succeed in law school in Canada, and most importantly, how to land a coveted lawyer job post-graduation.

Drawing upon personal experience and the experiences of numerous other Canadian law students, Letourneau shares general insights on the LSAT, applying for Canadian law school, study strategies, summer jobs, the articling application process, becoming a lawyer and much more, along with plenty of context-specific information for the Canadian law student.

Because the Canadian law school experience is unique, this book is the only full source of relevant information available to prospective and current law students in Canada. Letourneau will save you hours of research, hours of study and tons of stress.

This book is recommended to all students interested in law school in Canada, all students applying to law school in Canada and to law students in all three years of law school in Canada.

Law School: Official Guide to Canadian Law Schools

If you want a great read about various stats on different law schools in Canada, visit the Official Guide to Canadian Law Schools, published on LSAC's website. It's really complete. I have never come across this resource before, so I am wondering how new it is. Good stuff!

Note that the next LSAT Dates and Deadlines are as follows:

Saturday, December 2, 2006

Monday, December 4, 2006*+

Saturday, February 10, 2007*

Monday, February 12, 2007*+

* This test is NONDISCLOSED. Persons who take a nondisclosed test receive only their scores. They do not receive their test questions, answer key, or individual responses.
+ This test is for Saturday Sabbath observers only.

Visit LSAC.org for full information.

Also, check through the archives of this blog for LSAT information, help and links.

Law School: Contact Information

More Detailed Contact information for all of the Law Schools in Canada:

BRITISH COLUMBIA

University of British Columbia - Faculty of Law, 1822 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z1,Tel: (604)
822-2818, Fax: (604) 822-4781, http://www.law.ubc.ca/, LLB / Combined Program Admissions Inquiries: borthwick@law.ubc.ca, Graduate Student Admissions Inquiries: graduates@law.ubc.ca.

University of Victoria - Faculty of Law, P.O. Box 2400, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 3H7, Tel: (250) 721-8147, Fax: (250) 472-4299 or (250) 721-6390, http://www.law.uvic.ca/, Admissions Office: lawadmss@uvic.ca.

ALBERTA

University of Alberta - Faculty of Law, 485 Law Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H5, Tel: (780) 492-5590, Fax: (780) 492-4924, http://www.law.ualberta.ca/, Admissions: kjwilson@law.ualberta.ca.

The University of Calgary - Faculty of Law, 2500 University Drive, N.W. Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Tel: (403) 220-7116, Fax: (403) 282-8325, http://www.law.ucalgary.ca/, law@ucalgary.ca.

SASKATCHEWAN

University of Saskatchewan - College of Law, 15 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5A6, Tel: (306) 966-5910, Fax: (306) 966-5900, http://www.usask.ca/law/, law_admissions@usask.ca.

MANITOBA

University of Manitoba - Faculty of Law, Room 301, Robson Hall, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Tel: (204) 474-9282, Fax: (204) 474-7580 http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/law/newsite/index.php, UM-LAW@cc.umanitoba.ca.

ONTARIO

Carleton University - Department of Law, C473 Loeb Building, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Tel: (613) 520-2600, Ext. 8212, Fax: (613) 520-4467, http://www.carleton.ca/law/index.html, law@carleton.ca.

York University - Osgoode Hall Law Schoool, 4700 Keele Street, North York, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Tel: (416) 736-5199, Fax: (416) 736-5251, http://www.osgoode.yorku.ca/.

Queen's University - Faculty of Law, Macdonald Hall, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Tel: (613) 533-6000, ext. 74285, Fax: (613) 533-6509, http://law.queensu.ca/index.php.

University of Ottawa - Faculty of Law, Common Law Section, 57 Louis Pasteur, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Tel: (613) 562-5927, Fax: (613) 562-5124, http://www.commonlaw.uottawa.ca/eng/index.htm.

Université d'Ottawa - Faculté de droit, Section de droit civil, 57 Louis Pasteur, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Tel: (613) 562-5902, Fax: (613) 562-512, http://www.commonlaw.uottawa.ca/fra/index.htm.

University of Toronto - Faculty of Law, 84 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2C5, Tel: (416) 978-3718, Fax: (416) 971-3026, http://www.law.utoronto.ca/, law.admissions@utoronto.ca.

University of Western Ontario - Faculty of Law, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Tel: (519) 661-3346, Fax: (519) 850-2412, http://www.law.uwo.ca/mainSite/.

University of Windsor - Faculty of Law, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Tel: (519) 253-4232, Ext. 2930, Fax: (519) 973-7064, http://athena.uwindsor.ca/law.

QUÉBEC

Université Laval - Faculté de droit, Pavillon CharlesDeKoninck, Québec, Québec, G1K 7P4, Tel: (418) 656-3511, Fax: (418) 656-7714, http://www.fd.ulaval.ca/.

McGill University - Faculty of Law, 3644 Peel Street, Montréal, Québec, H3A 1W9, Tel: (514) 398-6604,
Fax: (514) 398-4659, http://www.law.mcgill.ca/, info.law@mcgill.ca.

Université de Montréal -
Faculté de droit, C. P. 6128, succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3J7, Tel: (514) 343-2356, Fax:
(514) 343-2199, http://www2.droit.umontreal.ca.

Université du Québec à
Montréal - Département des sciences juridiques, C.P. 8888, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8,
Tel: (514) 987-3000, ext. 7047, Fax: (514) 987-4784, http://www.juris.uqam.ca/.

Université de Sherbrooke - Faculté de droit, 2500 boul. Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1K 2R1, Tel: (819) 821-7511, Fax: (819) 821-7578, http://www.usherbrooke.ca/droit/.

NEW BRUNSWICK

University of New Brunswick - Faculty of Law, Ludlow Hall, Box 4400, Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 5A3, Tel: (506) 453-4702, Fax: (506) 453-4604, http://law.unb.ca/, warbeau@unb.ca.

Université de Moncton - École de droit, Université de Moncton, New Brunswick, E1A 3E9, Tel: (506)
858-3705, Fax: (506) 858-4534, http://www3.umoncton.ca/UdeM_menu1.cfm?www=http://www3.umoncton.ca/cdem/droit/.

NOVA SCOTIA

Dalhousie University - Dalhousie Law School, 6061 University Avenue, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4H9, Tel: (902) 494-2114, Fax: (902) 494-1316, http://as01.ucis.dal.ca/law/index.html, Law.admissions@dal.ca.