Practise Law in Canada

My assessment gives me an option to take NCA challenge exams or courses at a Canadian law school:

Most lawyers and law graduates from common law or hybrid common/civil law jurisdictions have a choice of writing NCA challenge exams or taking courses at a Canadian law school in the subjects specified on their assessment.

You can consider the following options to help you complete your requirements:

• The Professional LLM in Canadian Common Law allows most candidates to complete all their NCA subjects within an academic program.
• Single Course Enrollment for NCA Accreditation gives you up to 12 credits of course work toward your NCA requirements.
• Online NCA Exam Prep provides assistance in preparing for your NCA challenge exams.
• Students in any of our Professional LLM programs may use some of their credits (on average 6-12 credits) to complete NCA subjects.

My assessment requires me to take a course or a program at a law school

This category of NCA assessments typically either require you to complete specific subjects in school, or to spend a particular period of time in law school, or both.

The most common profiles are discussed below.

1. lawyers/law graduates from civil law jurisdictions generally need to take at least four of the mandatory NCA subjects at a Canadian law school before they can obtain a revised assessment and be eligible to write NCA exams (if they choose to do so). If you are in this category, we recommend the following options:

• The Professional LLM in Canadian Common Law allows most candidates to complete all their NCA subjects within an academic program.
• Single Course Enrollment for NCA Accreditation gives you up to 12 credits of course work toward your NCA requirements.
• Students in any of our Professional LLM programs may use some of their credits (on average 6-12 credits) to complete NCA subjects.

2. lawyers/law graduates from distance education law degree programs generally need to complete the equivalent of two years of in-class education in Canada. If you wish to take both years of study at OsgoodePD, you will need to complete two Professional LLMs. We recommend the following approach:

• Begin with the Professional LLM in Canadian Common Law or a similar program at another law school. This program allows candidates to complete most or all of the required NCA subjects within their first one year of study.
• Second, complete a Professional LLM or similar program at another law school that focuses on a specialization you are interested in. Students in any of our Professional LLM programs may use some of their credits (on average 6-12 credits) to complete NCA required subjects. For your remaining in-class study in this second program, the NCA will generally approve courses in any legal specialization.

3. lawyers/law graduates with very low grades from their law degree programs or who have not practised or studied law in many years may receive an assessment requiring them to go back to school to update their credentials. In general, these candidates should consider doing any Professional LLM degree program to upgrade their profiles for assessment.

If you’re actively looking to become accredited, we recommend applying for your NCA assessment right away. Your assessment will set out specifically what you need to do to become accredited.

If you’re looking to apply to or start an academic program in the meantime, you can apply to a Professional LLM without an NCA assessment. For a Single Course Enrollment application, an NCA assessment is required.

Here is some general information on assessments for our most frequently encountered profiles:

1. Graduate entry/two year LLB graduates from common law jurisdiction: generally permitted to write NCA challenge exams or take courses at a Canadian law school; usually require 7 subjects (Canadian Administrative Law, Canadian Constitutional Law, Canadian Criminal Law, Canadian Professional Responsibility, Foundations of Canadian Law, plus 2 additional)
2. Three-year LLB program from a common law jurisdiction: generally permitted to write NCA challenge exams or take courses at a Canadian law school; if you have at least 2 years’ pre-law-school university education, usually requires 5 core subjects (Canadian Administrative Law, Canadian Constitutional Law, Canadian Criminal Law, Canadian Professional Responsibility, Foundations of Canadian Law); if you do not have pre-law-school university education, usually requires some additional subjects
3. Five-year combined Bachelor’s & Law degree from a common law jurisdiction: generally permitted to write NCA challenge exams or take courses at a Canadian law school; usually requires 5 mandatory subjects (Canadian Administrative Law, Canadian Constitutional Law, Canadian Criminal Law, Canadian Professional Responsibility, Foundations of Canadian Law)
4. Law degree from a hybrid jurisdiction (such as Scotland, Israel, the Philippines): generally permitted to write NCA challenge exams or take courses at a Canadian law school; usually require all 8 core subjects (Canadian Administrative Law, Canadian Constitutional Law, Canadian Criminal Law, Canadian Professional Responsibility, Foundations of Canadian Law, Contracts, Property, Torts).
5. Law degree from a civil law jurisdiction: generally require 8 core subjects (Canadian Administrative Law, Canadian Constitutional Law, Canadian Criminal Law, Canadian Professional Responsibility, Foundations of Canadian Law, Contracts, Property, Torts); generally must take at least four of these at a Canadian law school before having the option to complete the remainder through challenge exams or courses
6. Distance-education LLB, or less than 2 years of in-person law education: generally must complete the equivalent of 2 years of law school, in which you complete the 8 core subjects (Canadian Administrative Law, Canadian Constitutional Law, Canadian Criminal Law, Canadian Professional Responsibility, Foundations of Canadian Law, Contracts, Property, Torts).

You will be able to apply for your NCA assessment as you approach completion of your law degree. You will need to send the NCA your final transcript and proof that you have been awarded your law degree in order to receive your assessment. For help in determining what your assessment is likely to require, see the “I am a lawyer/law graduate from outside Canada and do not have my NCA assessment yet” section, above.

If you are interested in pursuing a master’s degree or graduate diploma after your law degree, you may apply in your last year of your law degree, as long as your degree will be conferred before your graduate program begins. See the Academic Programs tab for more information.

In order to practise law in Canada you must have a qualifying law degree from Canada, or you must take a law degree outside Canada and then go through the process required by the National Committee on Accreditation.

Osgoode Hall Law School offers a Juris Doctor program for those interested in pursuing a career in law.