Dual JD

[imrlystruggling]

Hi everyone,

I'm quite interested in Ottawa's Canadian-American Dual JD, but the website states that only about 3 students are accepted each year. So, I was wondering if anyone enrolled in this program would be willing to share more about their experience, the competitiveness of the program, and whether they are looking to settle down in the US. 

Thanks sm!! 

[Ob16]

Hey,

I’m not enrolled in this program, but noticed no one replied so thought maybe I could chime in as a current uOttawa student. These dual JD programs probably aren’t the best idea. The American law school partners are not moving the needle in any way. A quick research shows that the uOttawa partner school ranks terribly. The bar pass rate is also an abysmal 70 ish percent.
The forum has plenty of posts about US law schools (many are predatory), i would check them out if I were you. Generally, the consensus is that if you want to practice in Canada study in Canada. If you want to practice in the states, go to an American law school but pick a good one.

[2easy]

I agree with Ob16. The only exception to this, would probably Calgary's program with Houston.

[Dinsdale]

I tend to agree with this.  I don't think the Ottawa program, or the Windsor one with Detroit Mercy, moved the needle much (in terms of Bay Street recruiting at least).  If anything it might make you seem like more of a flight risk.  Might be different for very large firms with both Canadian and U.S. offices.  Or if the U.S. partner schools were higher profile, as mentioned.

[MyWifesBoyfriend]

As a dual citizen who seriously considered going to U.S. Law school, I'll just reiterate this point here: 

On 10/14/2023 at 1:02 AM, Ob16 said:

A quick research shows that the uOttawa partner school ranks terribly

In Canada, there really are no bottom-feeder schools. Sure, there is a hierarchy, but it's much less pronounced than it is in the states. I've had high school friends that have gone to T 14s, and their employment outcomes are great, and conversely, I've had one other buddy who struggled with employment after his education because he went to a less reputable school. The crux of the issue with these partnership programs is that it offers something 'good' (a Canadian law school JD) with a nominally useful U.S. JD program from a low-ranked school - the latter of which is then used to justify an outrageous sticker price. 

All anecdotal, and I am not a lawyer - just my thoughts on the matter. 

[easttowest]

The only benefit I can think of to a dual degree program is if you know you’re going to practice in a state that is restrictive about licensing like Ohio or Florida and you need a degree from an ABA-approved school but don’t want to pay to go to one of those schools for law school. 
 

[Dinsdale]

On 11/5/2023 at 11:59 AM, BurnerQuestion123 said:

In Canada, there really are no bottom-feeder schools.  

Off topic, but in Canada the bottom-feeder schools are located in England (several) and Australia (Bond).

[reaperlaw]

13 hours ago, easttowest said:

The only benefit I can think of to a dual degree program is if you know you’re going to practice in a state that is restrictive about licensing like Ohio or Florida and you need a degree from an ABA-approved school but don’t want to pay to go to one of those schools for law school. 
 

This, in my mind, is the only reason to do the Ottawa Dual JD programs. I went to Ottawa with someone who did the Dual JD for this reason.

Thankfully Ottawa's relationship with MSU has ended/been put on pause. I always felt like that option for the Dual JD was deeply inappropriate given the low ranking of MSU (or whatever they used to be called when they were private) and the mismatch of the two universities, given that MSU has no particular specialty and is just your average lower-middle tier U.S. law school. There were definitely people who didn't know better who were sold by UO that this was a good path for them who paid a lot more to have a useless degree from a state they will never practice in. At least WCL has synergies with some of UO's strengths (public interest/government, international law, intellectual property). Don't think that the WSL Dual JD is worth it for 99% of people but at least it makes sense for UO to have a relationship with them.

[BondGuy]

On 11/10/2023 at 10:20 AM, Dinsdale said:

Off topic, but in Canada the bottom-feeder schools are located in England (several) and Australia (Bond).

Bondies can make it, though. Speaking from experience. 

 

[CleanHands]

52 minutes ago, BondGuy said:

Bondies can make it, though. Speaking from experience. 

That doesn't make it not a "bottom-feeder" school in terms of admission requirements, lol...

[BondGuy]

6 hours ago, CleanHands said:

That doesn't make it not a "bottom-feeder" school in terms of admission requirements, lol...

I'm around a decade out, anyone chucking around what school they went to as anything other than a conversation starter is hard cringe. 

Also, the adverb "though" indicates an acknowledgment of OP's point.  So thank you for your value add.  

[CleanHands]

1 hour ago, BondGuy said:

I'm around a decade out, anyone chucking around what school they went to as anything other than a conversation starter is hard cringe. 

Yet you felt the need to respond to a month old post knocking your school. lmao

[BondGuy]

2 hours ago, CleanHands said:

Yet you felt the need to respond to a month old post knocking your school. lmao

I didn't even look at the date tbh. I check this forum maybe once a month to answer messages from people considering NCA and just search "Bond" or "UK" to offer my perspective if appropriate.  

I think it bothers you that some NCA students - especially Bond grads - were able to make it as far or further (however one defines that, anyway) than some Canadian grads.  Explains why you always jump into these conversations.  

*shrug*, no skin off my back. 

Edited December 8, 2023 by BondGuy
Typo