[blindlaw] Law Study in Canada

[Elizabeth Rene]

Hi, Blaine,

My name is Elizabeth René.

I am a naturalized American from Canada, with relatives in Ontario, 
Manitoba, Alberta, B.C., and the Northwest Territory.

Welcome to the group, and good luck in your pursuit of law study.

I never regretted the choice to go to law school, and have found that it has 
stood me in good stead no matter what I've done since then.  I got my law 
degree in 1978 from Saint Louis University here in the U.S.

While studying International Law at SLU, and later again while visiting 
family in Ontario and chatting with Crown Counsel about the differences in 
criminal trial practice in Canada and the States, I checked into the 
possibility of practicing law up there.  You may know that a Canadian born 
national doesn't automatically lose citizenship when naturalized somewhere 
else, and I thought, regardless, that it would be great to have 
international legal ties.

I learned that the road to admission to practice in Canada is different from 
that down here.  For one thing, one has to "article" in a Canadian firm 
either before or during law study, and was given the impression that one 
didn't get into law school without having had that experience.

Secondly, of course, the legal systems are different.  Canada, being part of 
the British Commonwealth, though independent from England, didn't break away 
as we did, and has a different relationship between the provinces and the 
government in Ottawa than we do between the states and the Federal 
government in Washington D.C.

Then, of course, there's Canada's second national language, French, and all 
the history, tradition, and political dynamic that this implies.

It's amazing what happens once you cross a border.  We Canadians and 
Americans have so much in common, Yet, we are two different countries with 
two subtly but distinctly different cultures, and legal systems.

All this is to say that I, for one, will be very interested to hear of your 
experiences and perspectives from time to time as you launch your legal 
career.

If there are any other Canadian lawyers or law students on this list, why 
don't you too throw in your comments?

And are there any blind immigrants from Mexico, other parts of Latin 
America, or other parts of the world wanting to practice law here?

I recently heard a commentary on NPR about an English-speaking, legal 
immigrant to El Paso, Texas  from Cuidad Juarez, who'd practiced Law in 
Mexico and was shocked to learn how different things are here.

Again, Blaine, welcome.

Elizabeth