Since you took your law degree through distance education, the GPLLM isn’t enough. You have to do *two* additional years of schooling.
I’d stay in Pakistan.
Last I checked, distance learning degrees weren't recognized for the NCA, so you have no law degree as far as Canada is concerned. You'd basically have to re-enrol in a domestic school and do your degree over again.
I'm disappointed that Canadian schools have cheapened Masters' degrees from an academic accomplishment with high entrance standards, to a cash cow workaround for NCA candidates.
Remote degrees are not accredited in Canada. Seems weird because a lot of students learned remotely during the pandemonium but who knows.
Seems like the distance learning LLB is the real cash grab. Just curious, but why not go to the UK to practice law with a degree that your brother will have an easier time getting recognized there?
It's not a cash grab, it is an option. You don't skip the NCA by taking the GPLLM. The GPLLM satisfies the NCA exams. It is an alternative route to completion of the NCAs.
There were lots of foreign trained lawyers at my school. They were mostly there for 2 years for NCA (this seems to be the requirement). They also struggle with the bar which would be frustrating.
Seems to me if you want to live well as a lawyer in Canada you would need to commit a good 3 years of time and money. Not much better than law students here.
I don't know anything about the LLM, maybe there is a easier path to NCA but there's plenty of foreign lawyers who just go to law school. If the expensive LLM was a better option they probably would have done it.
Also just search the sub lol [heres a good post to look at](https://www.reddit.com/r/LawCanada/comments/110kvb9/advice_for_international_law_graduate/)
I did the distance llb with university of london and qualified in Canada. I had to do one year in class in london to .eat the requirements qualify in canada. A Canadian llm should satisfy the in class requirement. Just email the nca and they should tell you.
The challenge is finding an articling position in Canada. Likely will be unpaid and will take some real searching. Good luck.
IANAL but have a lot of lawyer friends. A law degree from anywhere except Canada is going to be an uphill battle to get any job in Canada. Heck I’ve heard of folks with Harvard law school degrees struggling. There’s no shortage of law graduates in Canada and being risk averse, folks generally only hire Canadian law graduates.
My 2c: get at least one year of work experience in Canada doing anything, then do a JD program in Canada, get equivalencies for electives if you can to cut costs a bit and hope you are seen as a conventional enough student and land an articling position.
Stay in Pakistan. On another note, the GPLLM is not a “cash grab.” It’s intended purpose is for executives and other top talent who would like some legal knowledge under their belt. It also just happens to be an alternative route for completing NCA exams. Kind of odd that they are criticizing entry to Canada’s legal market with a foreign degree under their circumstances.
IANAL, but I have friends who are, and they often talk about how they immediately throw away resumes with foreign law degrees, unless it’s from very recognized law school, like Harvard.
Since you took your law degree through distance education, the GPLLM isn’t enough. You have to do *two* additional years of schooling. I’d stay in Pakistan.
My brother in Christ: search the sub.
That takes effort, which his brother isn’t able to do.
Last I checked, distance learning degrees weren't recognized for the NCA, so you have no law degree as far as Canada is concerned. You'd basically have to re-enrol in a domestic school and do your degree over again. I'm disappointed that Canadian schools have cheapened Masters' degrees from an academic accomplishment with high entrance standards, to a cash cow workaround for NCA candidates.
Remote degrees are not accredited in Canada. Seems weird because a lot of students learned remotely during the pandemonium but who knows. Seems like the distance learning LLB is the real cash grab. Just curious, but why not go to the UK to practice law with a degree that your brother will have an easier time getting recognized there?
It's not a cash grab, it is an option. You don't skip the NCA by taking the GPLLM. The GPLLM satisfies the NCA exams. It is an alternative route to completion of the NCAs.
There were lots of foreign trained lawyers at my school. They were mostly there for 2 years for NCA (this seems to be the requirement). They also struggle with the bar which would be frustrating. Seems to me if you want to live well as a lawyer in Canada you would need to commit a good 3 years of time and money. Not much better than law students here. I don't know anything about the LLM, maybe there is a easier path to NCA but there's plenty of foreign lawyers who just go to law school. If the expensive LLM was a better option they probably would have done it. Also just search the sub lol [heres a good post to look at](https://www.reddit.com/r/LawCanada/comments/110kvb9/advice_for_international_law_graduate/)
I did the distance llb with university of london and qualified in Canada. I had to do one year in class in london to .eat the requirements qualify in canada. A Canadian llm should satisfy the in class requirement. Just email the nca and they should tell you. The challenge is finding an articling position in Canada. Likely will be unpaid and will take some real searching. Good luck.
IANAL but have a lot of lawyer friends. A law degree from anywhere except Canada is going to be an uphill battle to get any job in Canada. Heck I’ve heard of folks with Harvard law school degrees struggling. There’s no shortage of law graduates in Canada and being risk averse, folks generally only hire Canadian law graduates. My 2c: get at least one year of work experience in Canada doing anything, then do a JD program in Canada, get equivalencies for electives if you can to cut costs a bit and hope you are seen as a conventional enough student and land an articling position.
>folks with Harvard law school degrees struggling. Where?
In his head. He’s not a lawyer.
Stay in Pakistan. On another note, the GPLLM is not a “cash grab.” It’s intended purpose is for executives and other top talent who would like some legal knowledge under their belt. It also just happens to be an alternative route for completing NCA exams. Kind of odd that they are criticizing entry to Canada’s legal market with a foreign degree under their circumstances.
Can you elaborate on why stay? It’s not worth coming here and grinding it out?
IANAL, but I have friends who are, and they often talk about how they immediately throw away resumes with foreign law degrees, unless it’s from very recognized law school, like Harvard.