Queen's versus TMU?

[dogsarecool]

I have been accepted to both schools, and I am very excited. However, I am having trouble deciding between the two. The biggest factor I am worried about is cost. I am from Toronto, so if I went to TMU I can live at home. However, if I attend Queen's, I have to factor in the additional living costs. I did apply to U of T and Osgoode, but have not heard back yet.

I'm interested in intellectual property or patent law (I have a STEM background). I'm also interested in health law, but I'm not sure of the job opportunities so I'm leaning towards patent law or big law more generally. I am worried about job prospects after graduating from TMU, as it is a new school. However, the cost of Queen's is holding me back as I do have to pay for this myself. It seems to me that Queen's has a lot of interesting clinics to participate in and the course options look fascinating.

Is it worth the risk of attending a newer school with no current grads? Or is the extra expense worth it for potentially stronger job prospects? I'd appreciate any insight, and especially any greater insight into job prospects and what school is best for specific fields.

[ArchivesandMuseums]

2 hours ago, dogsarecool said:

I have been accepted to both schools, and I am very excited. However, I am having trouble deciding between the two. The biggest factor I am worried about is cost. I am from Toronto, so if I went to TMU I can live at home. However, if I attend Queen's, I have to factor in the additional living costs. I did apply to U of T and Osgoode, but have not heard back yet.

I'm interested in intellectual property or patent law (I have a STEM background). I'm also interested in health law, but I'm not sure of the job opportunities so I'm leaning towards patent law or big law more generally. I am worried about job prospects after graduating from TMU, as it is a new school. However, the cost of Queen's is holding me back as I do have to pay for this myself. It seems to me that Queen's has a lot of interesting clinics to participate in and the course options look fascinating.

Is it worth the risk of attending a newer school with no current grads? Or is the extra expense worth it for potentially stronger job prospects? I'd appreciate any insight, and especially any greater insight into job prospects and what school is best for specific fields.

No doubt. Go to Queen's. Queen's does not have particular strengths in the areas that you have an interest, but I'd say that Queen's is a very well-rounded law school. 

[sarcasticlemon]

So according to 2022's OCI recruit results (which by no means are indicative of the school's overall placement of students), Queen's placed 52 students and TMU 27. However, if you are flexible with location, Queen's also has better access to the Ottawa market. 
I think most large Ontario law schools will be able to give you a great chance at securing job placements overall. What really seems to make a difference are grades, extracurriculars, exchanges, and experiential learning opportunities . 
I'd pick the school that has the most things of that sort (clinics, moots, practicum courses) that you'd be interested in.  Also, go to the welcome day if you can, and try to get a vibe for the people!

[scooter]

25 minutes ago, ArchivesandMuseums said:

No doubt. Go to Queen's. Queen's does not have particular strengths in the areas that you have an interest, but I'd say that Queen's is a very well-rounded law school. 

This doesn't address any of OP's questions or concerns lol

 

3 hours ago, dogsarecool said:

I'm interested in intellectual property or patent law (I have a STEM background). I'm also interested in health law, but I'm not sure of the job opportunities so I'm leaning towards patent law or big law more generally. I am worried about job prospects after graduating from TMU, as it is a new school.

Queen's has a better placement rate in Toronto big law currently, but there isn't much data to go on for TMU. Who knows what that will be like in 3-4 years. https://ultravires.ca/2022/12/toronto-summer-2023-2l-recruit-numbers/

 

3 hours ago, dogsarecool said:

The biggest factor I am worried about is cost.

If you haven't already, I would recommend doing the actual math using realistic prices for rent, utilities, insurance, food, internet, etc. Figure out exactly how much more it's going to cost you to go to Queen's because my experience has been that moving away for school is way more expensive than you might expect at first. There are a lot of little things that add up over the course of 3 years. Queen's is probably going to cost you like $60,000-$90,000 more depending on various factors.