Practicing in Canada after doing online degree from UK

[Ramke]

hello all, 

im looking for input from someone who has done a law degree online through a UK school and is now practicing in Canada

my situation is such that I am now approaching 60 and wanting to start a new adventure in the legal profession

however I am not able to attend in-person c lectures so am considering doing it online

id welcome any comments or advice from those who have done it already

much appreciated 

 

 

[CleanHands]

This would be a bad idea for most people. It's a worse idea when you're 60 if you still need to support yourself through employment income.

If you're wealthy enough to retire and are just looking for something to do though, you do you.

[SNAILS]

I have a former co-worker who works as a paralegal and does an online law degree on the side. She is young enough that she'll reap financial benefit from it. You need to realise, of course, that the process to get called to the bar is long and annoying when you don't go to law school in Canada.

For clarity, I am suggesting that you add up the sum of your lost income, tuition, exam fees, and other expenses and compare it to the difference in pay that you would get times the number of years you'd expect to work as a lawyer. My friend has not quit her day job, and may be making 50-100% greater salary for 20-30 years.

@Ramke, you are unlikely to make any money at it since you are approaching 60. If you want to do it for personal satisfaction, that's a different story.

[BlockedQuebecois]

The last time I checked, the NCA does not accept online law degrees as satisfying the educational requirements to sit the NCA exams. Instead, students who complete their law degree online are required to enroll in two years of full-time in-person studies (sometimes reduced to a single year).

Anyone considering pursuing an online law degree should obviously check with the NCA to confirm what additional steps they might need to take upon completion. 

[BondGuy]

I'm far too lazy to check, but I'm pretty sure NCA now requires a certain portion of the classes are in person. 

OP, this is a bad idea. And I'm but a lowly NCA lawyer.

[SNAILS]

Wow. According to https://nca.legal/process/assigned-requirements/

Quote

 

You could consider any one of the following three options to complete your two years of in-person instruction:

Either one year of a course-based LL.M., plus a Legal Practice Course (LPC) or a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Two one-year course-based LL.M. programs. If you choose this option, you could complete a course-based LL.M. at any approved law school in any common law jurisdiction.

One two-year course-based LL.M. program.

...

The two-year requirement will be reduced to one (1) year In-person if you hold a law degree from a program that provides two (2) years of Interactive Online Instruction.