Western vs University of Alberta

[Specterworld]

Just looking to get a comparison between the two schools to determine which school is better. I realize it is a common thread in these forums to say that all law schools are relatively on par with each other, and that where you plan to practice should be a large determining factor for where you study. Having said that, I would like to dig a little bit deeper and solicit opinions on which school is better.

I know that University of Alberta has a really great scholarship program, but it seems to me that there is less choice in electives given that they have more mandatory courses in the second year compared to other schools. By contrast Western allows you to do corporate law in the first year, allowing for more flexibility and specialization in later years..

Which law school is better recognized across the nation, across the world?

Which school provides better opportunities?

Which school has the best career services team?

Which school is better?

I have not yet decided what type of law I want to practice. I also have not decided if I want to work in Ontario or Alberta, but I am willing to work in either jurisdiction. I do not live in either of those school cities at the moment so either way I have to move a great distance, but I have the flexibility to move to either location. My two motivating factors are maximizing earnings, and practising in an area that I find exciting. 

In my opinion, my personal context does not help narrow the choice, so I would rather the discussion simply be about the schools rather than trying to contextualize it to me.

thanks in advance for any feedback.

[GoatDuck]

There is no sense in which one of the schools you've mentioned is better than the other except in relation to your goals. Just like trees and clouds, schools aren't good or bad simpliciter. Schools are good or bad for achieving some goals, and we need to determine what your goals are to answer your question in a non-superficial way. Both UofA JD and Western JD are bad for making you a dictator in the Philippines, and both are good for giving you opportunities to work in their respective provinces. Generally-speaking, UofA will give you more opportunities in the west coast, Western will give you more opportunities in the east coast. Neither school is recognized across the world in a meaningful way. I'll let someone more familiar with the schools to give you a better answer re: career services teams, but I don't expect there to be any significant difference in quality either. 

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by GoatDuck