Why should I go to an American school?

[HappyCritter]

Q: Why should I go to an American school?
A: What are the other options? 

[gillesthegreat]

Which States allow lawyers to practice in the Great White North?

Euh? That's not how it works. To practice law in a given territory, you need the permission of that territory. NY allows grads from non-ABA approved law schools to practice if they pass the NY bar. That's how grads from Canadian schools do it. The same goes for CA. Provinces, however, would have their own rules. And they are not the same for all provincse. Quebec is particularly nasty in such regards, practically barring foreigners. Ontario is a bit more relaxed, but I believe the requirement is about one year of law school in Ontario, and then the bar.

[P-155]

Oh, thats what I wanted to know. So, more or less, that means completing a LLM. Ahh

[MorningStar]

General rule is U.S law grads with a J.D need to get an LLM to practice in Canada (although some work at firms, usually in senior positions, without ever passing the Canadian bar).

With a Canadian LLB you can practice in Mass. or NY without having to do anything extra.  You can also pass the bar in California but you will first have to be a member of a bar in Canada.  Most other states in the U.S either require a J.D from a U.S school or an LLM from a U.S school. 

While there are numerous people that have succeeded in making the jump straight from Canadian LLB to NY/Mass. one should not underestimate the difficulty of attempting to practice and pass the bar without being formally educated on American law. 

Another avenue Canadian law students wanting to practice in the U.S can persue is getting an LLM in the U.S after an LLB which would allow them to practice in most states and be comfortable with U.S law.  It only takes a year and when you consider that in the U.S there is no one year articling period (at lower pay), it doesn't seem like such an inefficient use of time. 

[thestradgirl]

Harvard:
2007-2008 Tuition: 39,325 USD

U of T:
2007-2010 Tuition: 49,920 CDN




See you at U of T, man.

[MorningStar]

UofT tuiton = 51,840  (http://www.law.utoronto.ca/prosp_stdn_content.asp?itemPath=3/6/15/6/0&contentId=828) but that's just nit picking.

I'm not going to try and make the case that it's cost effective in the short term to go to law school in the U.S BUT consider this:

3 years at Harvard = 117,975
3 years at U of T = 51,840

1st year at BIG law out of school:
UofT = Articling salary max out at 67,000$
Harvard = 150,000$  (can go as high as 165,000 in NYC/Boston/LA or tons of small/medium markets at 110-130).

Difference of roughly 83,000$.  These are comparing 2 students who are likely towards the top of their class.  If we step down to bottom quarter range it would likely be approx UofT:  35k articling vs 90k 1st year big law (Harvard grad with half a head can get a 90k job in his sleep).  My point is primarily that one has to consider the effect of the one year of articling in Canada in weighing tuition costs. 

Now if you get top 10% in UofT and decide you want to make the push to NY / Mas big law straight out, that would really be the best cost/benefit scenario.

[12345]

Harvard:
2007-2008 Tuition: 39,325 USD

U of T:
2007-2010 Tuition: 49,920 CDN




See you at U of T, man.

U of T over Harvard...are you kidding me? You're out of your mind. In the context of the REAL world now, let's compare the opportunities from each school, I mean... oh, (foot in my mouth again)...I'm sorry...slight miscalculation on the circumstances here...nevermind what I said...tell yourself whatever you need to in order to consol yourself now that you own an official Harvard rejection letter...(Here I'll help...together now)... Go U of T! Yay, Toronto!! Yay, Canada!!!

[thestradgirl]

Thanks MorningStar.

I was half joking, but haha.. 12345, we'll see YOU at U of T. 

[thestradgirl]

Re: Why should I go to an American school?

Bc I go to one. 

::le sigh::

[thestradgirl]

For anybody who may find this useful, a post entitled No reason to work in Canada from this place:

posted by PoorCanada
...
I graduated from a Canadian undergrad, then went to law school in the US.

Now I got a fellowship doing pro bono work, which will pay me about $65k US per year in the next 3 years.

So basically, I will be making Canadian corporate law salary, doing something that is meaningful (not to mention working 40-50 hours a week).

I am living in New York. My tax rate is comparable to Canada, and though my place is very small, my rent is only $1000US a month (I find that people grossly exaggerate how expensive it is to live in New York, especially when compared to Toronto).


I just want to write this to encourage you guys to look for opportunities in the US. I find it a little depressing that people will do corporate law in Toronto for money, when you can make the same amount doing meaningful work. If you really want to make money, NY law firms pay about $165K + $35K bonus.

Either way, as a proud Canadian, I am a little disappointed at the fact that the pay for the legal industry is so low (corporate or not). And they wonder why there is a brain drain.

Again, my tax rate is not higher than Toronto, and my expenses are comparable. I won't argue that New York is a BETTER city to live in than Toronto (they both have goods and bads), but it is a blatant lie to say that Toronto is SO much better or SO much cheaper than New York to justify the vast difference in pay.
...

and so on.