Education · 1 of 4

The path

The standard lawyer route. The specialty comes from where you article.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 11 and 12

   Strong marks in English and math. No specific requirements.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree

   3 to 4 years

   Any subject. Business or economics helps. Write the LSAT (law school admission test).

3. 3

   Law school (JD, juris doctor)

   3 years

   Take property law, real estate transactions, mortgages and any drafting course.

4. 4

   Licensing

   About 1 year

   Article at a firm that does real estate. In Ontario: two licensing exams plus 8 to 10 months of articling, or the Law Practice Program.

5. 5

   First years

   1 to 3 years

   Learn closings under a senior lawyer and experienced law clerks. Most mistakes happen in year one.