Aisha Kwan
Aisha writes about the path into and through the profession, from credential assessment and the NCA process to articling and the first years of practice.
From NCA Certificate to Your Articling Search
Your NCA certificate is in hand. What happens next, and how do you turn it into an articling offer? A checklist of the steps most people miss.
How the Articling Search Actually Works
The articling search runs differently across provinces. Here is what actually happens, from recruit season timelines to the call you are waiting for.
Getting Your Credentials Assessed by the NCA
The NCA assessment is the first formal step for most internationally trained lawyers in Canada. Here is what the process involves and what to expect.
Returning to Legal Practice After a Career Break
Returning to law after a break is more navigable than it looks. Honest answers to the questions that come up most often for lawyers considering re-entry.
Landing Your First Canadian Legal Job After Accreditation
A practical checklist for internationally trained lawyers entering the Canadian job market after accreditation: resume, applications, networking, and interviews in order.
Getting Hired Back After Articling
Being offered an associate position after articling is not automatic. Here is what that decision actually hinges on, and what you can do about it.
Putting Your International Legal Experience on a Canadian Resume
Your foreign legal career is an asset, but Canadian employers need help understanding it. Here is how to present it clearly so it works in your favour.
Preparing for an Articling Interview
An articling interview is a specific kind of conversation. Knowing what they are actually testing for, and preparing accordingly, makes a real difference.
How to Prepare for NCA Exams
NCA exams test Canadian law, not just legal knowledge in general. A focused study plan, the right materials, and realistic timing make a real difference.
The Good Character Requirement, Explained Plainly
Every licensing candidate must satisfy the good character requirement. Here is what it covers, what to disclose, and what happens if the law society has questions.
Bringing a Foreign Practice Area into Canadian Law
Your expertise in a specific area of law is portable, but the transfer requires deliberate work. Here is what transfers easily, what does not, and how to close the gap.
Writing an Articling Application That Stands Out
Most articling applications look alike. Here is how to write one that gives a hiring committee a real reason to call you in for an interview.
Building a Legal Network When You Are New to Canada
You do not have law school classmates here yet. That is a disadvantage, but it is not permanent. There are specific ways to build genuine professional connections from scratch.
The Unwritten Rules of a Canadian Legal Workplace
The written rules are easy to find. The unwritten ones, how communication works, what hierarchy actually looks like, and what availability really means, take longer to learn.
What to Expect From Your Articling Year
The articling year is unlike anything law school prepared you for. Here is what actually happens, month by month, and how to get through it well.
Leaving a Legal Job Without Burning Bridges
How you leave a firm matters more than most lawyers expect in a community this connected. A practical and honest look at making a professional exit.
The Law Practice Program or Articling: What Actually Differs
The LPP and articling both lead to licensure, but they work differently. Here is what sets them apart and how to think about which one fits your situation.
Explaining an Employment Gap as an Internationally Trained Lawyer
A gap during NCA accreditation is common and explainable. Here is how to address it on your resume, in cover letters, and in interviews without over-explaining.
The Licensing Exams, Explained
What the barrister and solicitor licensing exams cover, how they are structured, and what to know before you start studying.
How Long the Licensing Path Really Takes
The numbers you read online are optimistic. Here is an honest look at what actually shapes the timeline for internationally trained lawyers in Canada.
Choosing a Niche Early in Your Legal Career
The window for choosing a practice direction is narrower than most junior lawyers realize. Here is why specializing early tends to produce better outcomes than staying broad.
NCA Route or a Canadian LLM: Choosing Your Path to Practice
The NCA and a Canadian LLM both lead to practice, but they differ sharply on cost, time, and what they give you beyond a credential.