The VIU Law School Network

  Are You Considering Law School?

NEW!! Visit the Law Network Moodle site for resources, including valuable information provided by VIU students and alumni with experience in preparing for or attending law school (and beyond). Share your experience with others too! (Email Dana Collette for the enrolment key).

This webpage is designed to provide an online resource for Vancouver Island University (VIU) students and alumni who may be interested in attending law school. I would encourage you to also research extensively other available resources on the web, including our own Moodle site. If you are a student or graduate of VIU, you are very welcome to contact one of the faculty advisors for the VIU Law School Network (see Contacts below).

Law school is a requirement for anyone wishing to practice law in Canada. But, it can also provide a terrific foundation for many other careers. In increasingly complex legal, business, non-profit and government environments, a strong knowledge of the legal system can be invaluable.

The following provide some information and links that may be helpful in your research.

Please let us know if you have any recommendations on how this page may be improved!

PLEASE NOTE: While the content on this webpage may reflect the opinions of the writers, it does not reflect those of VIU. The information contained on this website is not intended to be used as legal advice. If you have any concerns regarding the information or links provided, please let us know immediately.

Become a Student

 Is law school for you?
Become a Student What are the basic steps for getting into law school?
Become a Student Law schools in Canada
Become a Student Join the VIU Law Network
Become a Student Contact us

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Is law school for you?

Law school is a terrific challenge. And a law degree can lead to many careers. To become a lawyer, law school is essential. However, a law degree may also provide an excellent foundation for a host of other careers, such as teaching or research, politics, government service or senior management for business or non-profit - the latter especially when combined with your business degree. If you haven't already done so, it can be useful to do some exploring and reflecting prior to deciding whether or not law school is for you. Here are some resources you may find helpful:

  • VIU Campus Career Centre provides resources for students who are exploring potential careers.
  • The following are two books designed to help people discover their career paths:
    • What Colour is Your Parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles.
    • Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want by Barbara Sher with Annie Gottlieb
  • The Law Society of BC - all lawyers must be members of the Law Society of BC. You can find out about licensing & membership information, in addition to many other useful resources provided.

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What are the basic steps for getting into law school?

You should check the specific requirements of each law school to which you may be interested in applying. However, the following are some general guidelines:

  1. Undergraduate degree (or completion of initial years of studies)
    • While, some or all law schools in Canada may only require applicants to have completed at least the first 2 or 3 years of an undergraduate program, I believe most of those accepted have bachelor degrees or an equivalent. There may be exceptions though. For example, some law schools provide special application status for mature students, First Nations, and persons with disabilities.
    • Excellent marks in undergraduate studies is very helpful, if not required (there may be exceptions for special applications). Excellent marks may also help with entrance scholarships.
    • Your undergraduate degree (or courses) may be generally be in any university program - there is no formal pre-law program that we know of in Canada. But, we would recommend the following types of courses for background: Canadian History and/or Constitution, Canadian Politics, Logic (including arguments & fallacies), undergraduate law courses (such as VIU's LAWW 326, CRIM 135 & 235, CSCI 300), and any courses that promote strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
       
  2. Community and/or school involvement
    • Some law schools consider an applicant's contribution to his/her community, such as volunteer work, student involvement in school governance and leadership, prior work experience, etc.
       
  3. LSAT (Law School Admission Test)
    • The LSAT is a standard admission test used by Canadian law schools (it is a US test).
    • It can be a challenging test, particularly in that it is long and very tightly timed.
    • You will likely want to look into writing the LSAT early, given that many law schools begin accepting applications (and awarding placements) quite early (e.g. in the fall before the spring deadline for applications).
    • You may want to prepare for a while before the test. There are study guides for the LSAT and you can also order previous exams from the LSAC (Law School Admission Council - they administer the LSAT). It can really help to become familiar with the types of questions.
    • The LSAC website provides a wealth of information, including test locations and times.
    • If you fail the first exam, take heart! It is apparently not that uncommon. You can write again. Some law schools take the highest score.
       
  4. Law School Application
    • Choosing the right law school is important. You may want to research this carefully. Some potential questions include: How strong is the school's reputation? Does the school have a good selection of courses in an area of interest? What is the underlying philosophy of the law school? The schools websites may be a good resource. You could also ask the admissions office for help in getting you in touch with current students and alumni (Dana Collete and John Whitehouse would be glad to speak with you about the law school they attended. Dana attended the Faculty of Law at UVic and John attended Osgoode Hall Law School). 
    • Each law school has its own application process.
    • You should look as early as possible at the entrance requirements for the particular schools. Some schools begin accepting students on a rolling admission basis, beginning much earlier than their deadline for application.
    • NOTE: It is strongly recommend that you take care to ensure that your application is well written and grammatically sound. This is a good time to show that you can pay attention to detail.
       
  5. Getting accepted!
    • It's pretty exciting - and sometimes daunting - when you receive your letter of acceptance. You may receive letters of acceptance from several schools. Each may have a different deadline for confirming that you will be attending. You may want to strategize carefully if your preferred school is not among the first to accept you (e.g. it may be helpful to call the admissions office to find out how your application is coming along before confirming with another law school).
    • If you are not accepted, take heart! Give the school a call and find out what you can do next time to increase your chances of being accepted.

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Law schools in Canada

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Join the VIU Law Network

The VIU Law Network is an informal group of VIU students and grads who are interested in attending law school, are currently attending, or have graduated from law school. It's a great way to network and support each other.

Three faculty members are also part of the Network and are available to help students and alumni (see Contacts below).

Visit the Law Network Moodle site for resources, including valuable information provided by VIU students and alumni with experience in preparing for or attending law school (and beyond). Share your experience with others too! (Email Dana Collette for the enrolment key).

Email Dana Collette if you would like to join the email distribution list (your email address will not be shared with anyone outside the network. Emails are sent directly to the distribution list, so your email address will appear in the To: line). Only information directly related to our VIU Law School Network is sent (e.g. invitations to social gatherings, news related to law school).

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Contact Us

Please contact any of the following faculty members for more information:

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