[blindlaw] Law Study in Canada

[Graham Hardy]

Hello Elizabeth, Blaine and others,

I am a new member of this list, having joined because I've just been
admitted to a Canadian law school, the University of British Columbia. I can
certainly provide perspectives and thoughts as they come up, and I'll
probably be asking for some from other people. Feel free in turn to ask any
questions of me, however doubtful it is that I could help you.

It's a long way to look ahead, but I'd be interested in working, at least
partly, in the United States. I am fairly sure that New York and
Massachusetts recognise Canadian law degrees, though I don't know quite why
they would want to or whether other states do as well. I'd actually be
interested in finding a summer internship in an American law firm for next
summer or the summer after my second year, but I don't know anything about
how hard or desirable it might be for a Canadian law student to do that. Any
thoughts?

All very best,
Graham

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene
Sent: Wednesday 23 June 2010 1:27 PM
To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blindlaw] Law Study in Canada

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





_______________________________________________
blindlaw mailing list
blindlaw at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
blindlaw:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/graham.hardy%40gma
il.com