U of T program to aid foreign-trained lawyers
Nicholas Keung
IMMIGRATION REPORTER
Jul 02, 2009 04:30 AM
Comments on this story (8)
A baby girl. Five challenge exams. And four intensive courses on Canadian law at the University of Toronto.
Nuha Abunada, a new mother, has overcome all these tests. Now, what stands between the immigrant from Gaza and her legal practice in Canada is a 10-month articling opportunity that has proved maddeningly elusive as it has to many other foreign-trained lawyers.
“I was surprised and frustrated to have to do everything over,” said Abunada, 31, who came to Canada in May 2007 with two law degrees and five years of legal practice. She has spent more than $15,000 to finish all the exams and training.
Although it is not known how many foreign-trained lawyers immigrate to Canada each year, the number who ask the Federation of Law Societies of Canada to assess their credentials has doubled over the past decade to 532 in 2007, the most recent statistic available.
Less than 40 per cent of the 3,206 foreign-trained lawyers assessed in the period obtained equivalency certificates; those who landed an articling position and were called to the bar were even fewer.
But the future for this group of skilled immigrants is set to change for the better with a Canada-first program launched yesterday by the University of Toronto, with $4 million in provincial funding.
The Internationally Trained Lawyer Program, which starts recruitment this fall for the 2010 class, will provide comprehensive services to as many as 100 immigrant lawyers each year, guiding them through certification, academic training, language referrals, volunteer and paid job placements, career services and employment counselling.
Jane Price, the U of T law faculty's director of professional diversity and legal opportunities, said the department receives about 100 applications a year from foreign-trained lawyers but has only 25 spots.
Because of different cultural norms and orientation to the law, she said only a “very small number” of these foreign lawyers could secure articling positions, a necessary step to be called to the bar.
The new program has already garnered support from some Toronto law firms.
“This is a natural evolution and logical extension of our commitment to diversity and inclusiveness,” said Chris Pinnington, managing partner of Fraser Milner Casgrain.
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Comments on this story are moderated
The most important is start with something .
The most important point of this program is the start or beginning of it self. Just think that if it succeeds (and I am extremely sure it will be), it will open the door to many others programs for different careers and professionals, no matter were they are coming from (Canadians, Abororiginals or Foreigners). Plus it will be the reason why many people will have the opportunity to say if they could do it, we can do it and we have the right to get the funds for our program too. So let be positive and see more the future of everyone and not to the negative things that happened before. At lease is an opportunity to many people whom deserve it as well as many of you.
Submitted by Dc. Zambrano at 1:48 AM Wednesday, July 08 2009
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Competition Good, But be Fair…
It wasn't that long ago that this same Ontario government said Laurentian etc. could not open law schools intended to help with access to justice for Native Canadians (Aboriginals), people with different life experiences, etc. Then, a short time later, it funds the most expensive law school in Ontario to help foreign-trained lawyers become qualified. That would be fine by me if it hadn't recently said no to those other programs intended to help Canadians who want to be lawyers. The article also touches on the difficulties with finding articling positions (like residency for would-be doctors). It's very difficult in this economy for some Ontario-educated law school graduates to find such positions, it's going to be much harder for some of these foreign-trained lawyers. Unless that bottleneck is addressed (for both Canadian-trained and foreign-trained lawyers), what's the point in funding this program?
Submitted by epeeist at 2:15 AM Sunday, July 05 2009
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Are you afraid to a new hard competition?
This is extremely good and necessary, open your mind and dont think that we will have more lawyers. Think that we will have an excellent help, more ideas, more experience for those difficult or new legal cases (remember the legal situations as well as the laws are changing constantly) and even a necessary support in those cases were a Canadian lawyer doesnt have the skill or knowledge necessary to communicate with some of their claims (Thinking in those many language that we have in our multicultural Country). So, dont you think that an Immigrant with a foreigner Law degree and PhD in Criminology with a 10 years of work experience in a Criminal Court, with experience working with young offenders, and knowledge in the writing and modification of the young offenders law, like me, will be necessary or an extremely good help. Best regards, E. Zambrano. Lawyer.
Submitted by Dc. Zambrano at 12:08 AM Friday, July 03 2009
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Canadian First
The name is a little misleading considering these people aren't Canadian. It is difficult enough getting a job and navigating the complex system of employment and referrals, we need to stop focusing outwardly and focus inward on our home-grown talent. Being pro-Canadian is not anti-immigrant, it just makes sense. That money should be going to people who have gone through school here.
Submitted by fondy at 11:53 PM Thursday, July 02 2009
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Help Canadian Law Graduates First
Many graduates from Canadian universities can't find articling positions. The $4 million would go a long way towards helping them. And why is Canada accepting so many immigrant lawyers in the first place? There's no shortage of lawyers here.
Submitted by Lillie Papps at 9:53 AM Thursday, July 02 2009
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Accepting and appreciating the experience of foreign trained lawyers would likely help Canada if it wants to be a part of globalization. They are not MORE lawyers, but would COMPLEMENT Canadian lawyers. If devilsadvocate is the example of Canadian lawyers, they seem to be a xenophobic lot. All this is understandable if Canada wants to remain in the shadow of USA in the future.
Submitted by pkay at 9:52 AM Thursday, July 02 2009
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Makes sense
Laws differ from one country to another. Of course further training is required! It is a different situation with physicians, the human body is the same from one jurisdiction to the next.
Submitted by GalenaGalaxian at 7:44 AM Thursday, July 02 2009
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Good Heavens.
Do we really need MORE lawyers?
Submitted by devilsadvocate at 6:01 AM Thursday, July 02 2009
