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AstroNot1228
  • Applicant
Posted (edited)

hi everyone,

i’ve been hearing that the job market is really bad in toronto right now (something like 14% youth unemployment rate) so I wanted to know if students are finding it difficult to find summer jobs or articling positions or jobs post grad in toronto? i did see on uoft’s website that 100% of their class landed a summer position in 2L and that 217 out of 229 of their students had a job lined up after graduation, however, this data is from 2023 so like i’m wondering if the seemingly awful job market is a more recent problem? will it blow over eventually? is it only an issue for certain fields? is toronto going through a recession?! i was recently accepted to uoft and would really like to attend but i’ve only been hearing bad things about the job market right now which concerns me, my partner is also looking to move to the area once i start school but based on what ive been hearing that outlook is appearing rather bleak 😞 anyone have any advice/knowledge/guidance on this topic? also if there is a better thread or something i can post this under let me know. tyia

Edited by AstroNot1228
Spinnaker
  • Law Student
Posted

This 14% figure is across all youth (18-25) regardless of education level, occupation, or anything, is it not? I saw this number recently in a random CBC news video. I'm not sure why you would use this statistic. The job market for entry-level jobs is not the same as jobs for law students. I haven't fact-checked any of your info, but 100% 2L summer employment rate is very good. I can't imagine the job market has declined that much in one year. You don't even need to have a 2L summer job to land a job after graduation.

If you want to enter the legal profession in Canada, I can't think of a better way to set yourself up for success than your spot at U of T. 

  • Like 2
LMP
  • Articling Student
Posted

The figures you're looking at aren't really pertinent for determing the number of postions avaliable for summer students. 

The market has slowed a little, especially for corporate and transactional groups but fundamentally things are still robust. 

 

  • Like 3
BHC1
  • Lawyer
Posted

While I find being a lawyer both personally and financially rewarding, the reality is that the opportunity cost of entering the profession in Canada has worsened over the past decade. Tuition has risen by about 50%, while wages have only increased by around 30% during the same period. The high cost of living, particularly in BC and Ontario for housing, means that many lawyer jobs that once guaranteed a comfortable upper-middle-class lifestyle can no longer do so. Although there are still very good career opportunities for lawyers, if you’re already on a solid career path or have other viable options, it’s worth carefully considering whether it’s worth the investment for you.

  • Like 4
MyWifesBoyfriend
  • Law Student
Posted (edited)

I’d be kidding myself if I said I was not in it for the money. But I’ve done the sleepy 9-5 and it wasn’t for me. I am looking forward to a career with a high ceiling of mastery.

Edited by MyWifesBoyfriend
  • Like 1
AstroNot1228
  • Applicant
Posted
15 hours ago, Spinnaker said:

This 14% figure is across all youth (18-25) regardless of education level, occupation, or anything, is it not? I saw this number recently in a random CBC news video. I'm not sure why you would use this statistic. The job market for entry-level jobs is not the same as jobs for law students. I haven't fact-checked any of your info, but 100% 2L summer employment rate is very good. I can't imagine the job market has declined that much in one year. You don't even need to have a 2L summer job to land a job after graduation.

If you want to enter the legal profession in Canada, I can't think of a better way to set yourself up for success than your spot at U of T. 

i did get that stat from a BBC article lol. i appreciate your response, it did make me feel better about accepting my offer. i’m just trying to ensure that this is the best option for me with the best outcomes, but it seems to be the case thank you 🙂

lawstudent2024
  • Law Student
Posted (edited)

Hey! Current student at UofT Law. Market is fine overall; firms are still hiring 1L recruit has a few more spots; and for 2L success is overall still consistent as it has been for years. Would recommend going somewhere where you feel you will succeed (best support academically and environment that is conducive to you); however bear in mind that there is a lot to be said about grades and also prior experience and how you perform in the interview context. A lot is dependent on how you chose to participate in law school such as clubs and also through networking and exposing yourself to what these firms want/are looking for. Believe in yourself and wishing you all the best in the future. 

Edited by lawstudent2024
  • Like 3
StoneMason
Posted

Some great points here already. But I have a hard time buying into the 100% 2L summer placement stat. At the very least, it feels to be inflated by counting summer positions that don’t turn into full-time offers (e.g., research for a prof or working at DLS) which are materially different than summer positions that do. 

That being said, what is your alternative OP? Even if it isn't a 100% employment rate, it's probably still close to 90%+, which is as good as it gets in Canada (maybe barring medicine? I don't know). You may not own a yacht within 5 years of graduating, but the legal profession is still one of the most stable and high-paying professions in Canada (generally speaking; obviously there are many differences across practice areas). And if you want to do law, UofT is the obvious choice in Canada for countless reasons. 

  • Like 3
Posted
1 hour ago, StoneMason said:

You may not own a yacht within 5 years of graduating,

My life is fucking over

  • Like 2
  • LOL 4
AstroNot1228
  • Applicant
Posted
On 1/26/2025 at 5:35 PM, lawstudent2024 said:

Hey! Current student at UofT Law. Market is fine overall; firms are still hiring 1L recruit has a few more spots; and for 2L success is overall still consistent as it has been for years. Would recommend going somewhere where you feel you will succeed (best support academically and environment that is conducive to you); however bear in mind that there is a lot to be said about grades and also prior experience and how you perform in the interview context. A lot is dependent on how you chose to participate in law school such as clubs and also through networking and exposing yourself to what these firms want/are looking for. Believe in yourself and wishing you all the best in the future. 

very insightful, i appreciate this response thanks so much!

AstroNot1228
  • Applicant
Posted
19 hours ago, StoneMason said:

Some great points here already. But I have a hard time buying into the 100% 2L summer placement stat. At the very least, it feels to be inflated by counting summer positions that don’t turn into full-time offers (e.g., research for a prof or working at DLS) which are materially different than summer positions that do. 

That being said, what is your alternative OP? Even if it isn't a 100% employment rate, it's probably still close to 90%+, which is as good as it gets in Canada (maybe barring medicine? I don't know). You may not own a yacht within 5 years of graduating, but the legal profession is still one of the most stable and high-paying professions in Canada (generally speaking; obviously there are many differences across practice areas). And if you want to do law, UofT is the obvious choice in Canada for countless reasons. 

hi, thank u for ur response! i’m actually more interested in practicing in BC, i’m not really a huge fan of Ontario. That and the current job market in Toronto are what are causing my hesitation to accept my offer from uoft. I understand it is a really great school though, so that is why I’m just trying to ensure that going there is the best option for me (and my partner as he is also looking to move there with me). Otherwise, I’d look more into accepting offers from BC schools I’ve applied to.

Spinnaker
  • Law Student
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, AstroNot1228 said:

hi, thank u for ur response! i’m actually more interested in practicing in BC, i’m not really a huge fan of Ontario. That and the current job market in Toronto are what are causing my hesitation to accept my offer from uoft. I understand it is a really great school though, so that is why I’m just trying to ensure that going there is the best option for me (and my partner as he is also looking to move there with me). Otherwise, I’d look more into accepting offers from BC schools I’ve applied to.

If your goal is to work as a lawyer in BC, you absolutely should be choosing UBC or UVic! Your networking opportunities, firm tours, etc. will all be focused towards Vancouver firms, whereas at Toronto schools there will be none of that.

Edited by Spinnaker
  • Like 2
canuckfanatic
  • Lawyer
Posted
4 hours ago, Spinnaker said:

If your goal is to work as a lawyer in BC, you absolutely should be choosing UBC or UVic! Your networking opportunities, firm tours, etc. will all be focused towards Vancouver firms, whereas at Toronto schools there will be none of that.

@AstroNot1228 seconding what @Spinnaker said above.

I'm a lawyer in BC. If you want to work in BC, there is no reason to choose U of T over UBC/UVic. Having a law degree from U of T will not give you an advantage in the BC job market over UBC/UVic, and it costs 3x the tuition.

  • Like 1
chaboywb
  • Lawyer
Posted

UofT likely casts the widest net because it has name recognition across the country and even in the States. But if you know where you want to practice, go to a school near that city. OP, unless you think you're going to want to practice in Toronto over Vancouver, it makes no sense for you to be considering UofT. Don't let an idea of prestige outweigh sense.

  • Like 3
AstroNot1228
  • Applicant
Posted
3 hours ago, chaboywb said:

UofT likely casts the widest net because it has name recognition across the country and even in the States. But if you know where you want to practice, go to a school near that city. OP, unless you think you're going to want to practice in Toronto over Vancouver, it makes no sense for you to be considering UofT. Don't let an idea of prestige outweigh sense.

hi thank u for ur response. @canuckfanatic im going to include u in this one too because i see that you’re both lawyers. i wanted to ask, if i’d be fine working in Toronto for a couple years after i complete my JD, would jobs in BC still be an option for me in the long run? my idea is that i could potentially work at a 7 sister firm for a couple years then maybe get transferred to one of their Vancouver locations ? tbh im not too sure how that stuff works but i understand that networking is very important. it’s just really hard for me to give up uoft just because of location (which is something i could still change my mind about after law school), im also from the US so i like that option of still being able to find a job there if i decide to move back for whatever reason. but every day with the new info i hear, it still places me on the fence ab where i should accept my offer. would appreciate ur input on this matter

SNAILS
  • Articling Student
Posted

I think it's wrong to look at it as a dichotomy of "can I find a job?" or "can I not find a job?"

I think it's more of a sliding scale of "What kind of job as a lawyer can I find?" It may very well be that it was at some point in the past easier or harder for a student with a B+ average to find a job in big law (I don't know). I don't know how the market is for $100K+ jobs for one year calls.

But what I can say with confidence is that there are plenty of decent jobs out there for law school graduates. You'll only have a hard time if you are bottom 10% of your class, have a crap work ethic, or don't get along with people.

  • Like 2
canuckfanatic
  • Lawyer
Posted
On 1/30/2025 at 10:36 AM, AstroNot1228 said:

my idea is that i could potentially work at a 7 sister firm for a couple years then maybe get transferred to one of their Vancouver locations ?

For what purpose? Yes, the salaries are higher in Toronto than Vancouver, but you also have to consider how much more expensive UofT is. Tuition alone across 3 years will be $60,000 more than UBC (($33,000 - $13,000)*3 = $60,000). You'd have to earn $60,000 more in Toronto than you would in Vancouver over 2-3 years just to break even before you move back.

GoatDuck
  • Law Student
Posted

Since we're talking about tuition, I strongly recommend that you use the financial aid calculator available on the UofT Faculty of Law's website before you go any further with your deliberations. The average bursary for the 2023-2024 academic year was something like $22,500 if I remember correctly. But also, note that tuition these days is closer to $40,000 if you're an out-of-province student (around $39,450/year for this year). Still, if your parents are sufficiently poor and if you don't have lots of savings, then UofT Law can be very cheap (i.e. you can pull it off on bursaries + interest-free government loans).

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Forever Curious
  • Law Student
Posted
Quote

 

Still, if your parents are sufficiently poor and if you don't have lots of savings, then UofT Law can be very cheap (i.e. you can pull it off on bursaries + interest-free government loans).

 

UBC full-time tuition is $13-14k. UVic full-time tuition is $11k. Its quite ridiculous imo to claim that UofT Law, even at $17-18k a year, is "very cheap". 

  • Like 2
CroffleKing
  • Law School Admit
Posted
2 hours ago, GoatDuck said:

if your parents are sufficiently poor

GoatDuck... I actually laughed out loud when I read that sentence fragment. I wonder, could you have thought of an even worse way to word this particular part of your advice that OP seeks more information on bursaries/scholarships before making a decision based on affordability? 🤣

 

  • LOL 3

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