Meeting NCA Requirements

The National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) assesses the legal education credentials of individuals trained outside of Canada, or in a civil law degree program in Canada who intend to apply for admission to a law society in a Canadian common law jurisdiction.  In many cases, the NCA will require candidates to successfully complete specified subjects either by taking a particular course at a Canadian law school or by passing the NCA's challenge examinations.  Studies at a Canadian law school are often mandatory for students from non-common law jurisdictions, who have had minimal or no exposure to common law, and to anyone who has completed their qualifying law degree by distance education.

It is highly recommended that applicants contact the NCA before applying to the GPLLM program in order to know what courses they are required to pursue.

The GPLLM does not in itself qualify graduates to practice law in Canada. However, the GPLLM's Canadian Law in a Global Context concentration includes eight* (8) courses designed to meet the NCA's requirements for internationally-trained lawyers. They are:

1. Foundations of Canadian law

2. Professional Responsibility

3. Canadian Administrative Law

4. Canadian Constitutional Law

5. Canadian Criminal Law

6. Property Law

7. Tort Law

8. Contract Law

9. Applied Legal Research and Writing

*Business Organizations and/or Evidence may also be offered. 

GPLLM students who successfully complete their GPLLM courses in the Canadian Law in a Global Context concentration do not need to complete NCA challenge exams.  They will demonstrate competency in assigned subject areas by successfully passing GPLLM courses.  Please click here to see the full course list of the GPLLM's Canadian Law in a Global Context concentration. 

GPLLM students who are internationally trained lawyers are also able to avail themselves of dedicated career counselling and support, including advice and resources focused on becoming licensed to practice law in Ontario or elsewhere.