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In simple terms, a real estate lawyer is a professional who has been licensed to take care of all legal aspects of real estate transactions. This professional assembles and reviews various legal documents that are involved in real estate deals. In some cases, a real estate lawyer may also handle the negotiations of the terms and conditions of real estate deals.
If you would like to start a career as a real estate lawyer in Toronto, there are important things you must do. They include:
- Obtain the Canadian undergraduate pre-law major
Notably, getting a Canadian undergraduate pre-law major ensures that you can get admission to study law. To study law in most Canadian universities, you must have obtained a bachelor’s degree. In some other schools, you can be admitted to study law if you have completed three years of a bachelor’s degree.
However, you must note that other schools may not demand any of these prerequisites. So, you should check the specific school you want to attend to be certain of what you need to do.
- Graduate from a law school
The next step is to pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). This is a standardized entrance exam for anyone that wants to study law in any LSAC-approved law school. Generally, this exam focuses on reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and analytical reasoning.
Once you have passed the test, you have to process your admission into one of the Canadian law schools. The application processes of schools differ, so you should bear this in mind as you start looking for law schools to attend.
It should be noted that you can also become a real estate lawyer in Toronto and other parts of Canada if you have a foreign law degree. However, the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) must approve your educational qualifications and experiences. You may also be required to do some other things before you can practice as a lawyer.
- Focus on real estate law
In some law schools in the country, you don’t have to wait until you are done with schooling before focusing on real estate law. In other words, these schools enable you to pay more attention to the courses related to real estate law during your study. You may need to complete extra coursework that relates to real estate law. The extra coursework may include real estate business organizations, real estate tax, and real estate transactions. This helps you to learn some vital things needed to start your career as a real estate lawyer.
- Complete bar admission course and articling
Afterward, you are required to complete the bar admission course and articles. This step differs from one province to another. In Ontario, you are required to pass the Barrister Licensing Examination and the Solicitor Licensing Examination. However, if you are in British Columbia, it is important to complete the 1-year Law Society Admission Program. Other provinces will also require other things for completing bar admission course and articling. Again, you must check the requirements for completing the bar admission course and articling in your preferred province.
Regardless of your province, it is paramount for you to pass the bar exam. Although this exam can be difficult, you will come out in flying colors if you prepare properly for it.
- Craft your resume and look for a job
Once you have passed the bar exam, you can choose to practice in any area of law. Therefore, whether you have focused on real estate law in law school or not, you can start practicing as a real estate lawyer in Toronto or any other location in Canada.
Like other fields, there are competitions for real estate jobs. Therefore, you need to craft your resume and make it stand out. Also, write cover letters to accompany your resume. The cover letter should express your interest in working with the company as well as why you are suitable for the role.
Many law firms may require about two or more years of experience. This is why you should consider working as an intern. An internship doesn’t only improve your experience in the field, but it also enhances the quality of your resume.
- Start working as a lawyer
You can join a private law firm that is mainly dedicated to handling real estate transactions. Otherwise, you can choose to work with a law firm that deals with various fields of law including real estate law. Whatever choice you have made, the most important thing is to ensure that the firm allows you to grow as a real estate lawyer.
If you have done everything described above, you have started a career as a real estate lawyer. You just have to continue building your career in the field to gain more experience and build your expertise in handling an array of real estate transactions.
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This content is sponsored by Gajura Constantin.
Photo: Shutterstock
