In layman’s terms, a real estate lawyer is a professional who has been licensed to take care of all legal perspectives of real estate matters. This professional groups 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 circumstances of real estate deals.
If you would like to start a career as a real estate lawyer in Toronto, there are essential things you must do. They include:
Obtain the Canadian undergraduate pre-law major
Notably, getting a Canadian undergraduate pre-law major guarantees that you can get admission to study law. To study law in most Canadian universities, you must have received 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.
Nevertheless, you must note that other schools may not demand any of these requirements. So, you should check the specific school you want to attend to be sure of what you need to do.
Be a graduate from a law school
The next step is to pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). This is a regulated entrance exam for anyone that wants to study law in any LSAC-approved law school. Usually, this exam focuses on reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and analytical reasoning.
Once you have passed the test, you have to prepare for your entrance 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. Nevertheless, the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) must confirm your educational qualifications and experiences.
Keep your focus on real estate law
In some law schools in the country, you don’t have to wait till schooling, before focusing on real estate law. You can also say, these schools enable you to pay more attention to the courses related to real estate law during your study for law. Of course, there is extra coursework included in real estate law, involved. 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 Toronto.
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. With you studying from Ontario, you are needed to pass the Barrister Licensing Examination and the Solicitor Licensing Examination.
Regardless of your province, it is necessary 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
After you have passed the bar exam, you can make a choice to practice in any area of law. Make a decision regarding, 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 many other fields of service, and business, there are tough competitions for real estate jobs in the Toronto market. Therefore, you need to craft your resume and make it stand out. Also, write cover letters to go with your resume. The cover letter should express your interest in working with the company, also stating why you are suitable for the role.
Many law firms may require about two or more years of work experience or knowledge. This is why you should consider working as an intern. An internship doesn’t only improve your experience in the field but also builds the quality of your resume.
Start working as a lawyer
You can join a private law firm that is mainly handling the dealings of real estate transactions. On the other hand, you can choose to work with a law firm that deals with various fields of law including real estate law. Whichever choice you have made, the most important thing is to ensure that the firm allows you to grow as a real estate lawyer in Toronto.
If you have done everything described above, you have started a career as a real estate lawyer in Toronto. You just have to continue building your career in the field to gain more and more experience and build your expertise in dealing with and handling an array of real estate transactions in Toronto.
