Almost Canadian

Following Hudman's wife's thread below.....

Are any of you (or do you know of) solicitors from the UK that have requalified in Calgary/Albera ? One contact that I have is going through the process at the moment and said it wasn't too bad.

I know that each Province is different which may explain the difficulties Hudman's wife was having.

Hudman

hi!
its not easier, just different.Whichever province you choose, you MUST do the challenge exams, no choice!
alberta have a better budget, so better chance of getting a training contract with the government (my friend has). Unfortuaneltly BC do not offer training contracts with cps since 2001.
downside to alberta, training contract is 12 months, in BC its 9.

Almost Canadian

Many thanks for that.

Whilst I appreciate it's a pain in the wotsit having to do a training contract/articles once you've already qualified, it seems to me that 1 year out of the rest of your career is not too bad !!

Shame the Law Society isn't so stringent with foreign lawyers that come to these shores. I currently work with an american and an aussie solicitor - both said that the transfer test was a piece of p*ss and are now dual qualified.

Are you working as a paralegal at present ?

Hudman

hi!
problem is it isnt one year, the challenge exams are spread over a year so realistically its 2 years to requalify, plus the dosh!!!! thousands!
i also know a new york lawyer who did the transfer test in the uk and said it was fine.
what about yoru contact here in canada, how did they find the challenge exams? would love any tips!
no, i am not working at present, i have a young baby.

Hudman

forgot to ask, will you be going through the challenge exams to qualify here?

Almost Canadian

The contact I had (I say had because like a Kentucky Fried Idiot I've lost her e-mail address - trying to locate it again as we speak via another friend) worked for the CPS in England and was doing paralegal work for a government department in Calgary.

She said that she had been told she had to take 2 exams (consitutional and another that I've forgotten - she had 5 years PQE) and she intended to take them this year. I don't know whether she did or not as I contacted her last year.

she also said that she had been offered jobs in civil litigation/family law and company commercial (she had only ever practised with the CPS) and said that she did not foresee there being a great problem with securing articles (she said they were more widely available than training contracts in England). All in all she painted a positive picture of re-qualifying in Alberta.

If I am successful in obtaining her details I'll ask her to contact you (you may wish to provide me with your e-mail address in a PM).

I do intend to re-qualify and, to be honest, I don't care how long it takes as I'm sick to death of legal practice in England.

I'll keep you posted as to how things progress.