From Leeds to Litigation

Discovering Leeds

When I applied to law school, I had no idea what I was doing. I was on vacation, bored with my job at the Bank of Montreal, and started Googling law school options. I looked everywhere: Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK. What stood out was the 2-year LLB in the UK. It was faster, more efficient, and didn’t require another undergraduate degree. Google told me Leeds was one of the best. I applied while still on vacation and submitted before I even got home.

I didn’t know where Leeds was or what Russell Group meant. I just went with a gut feeling. And honestly, it was the best decision I ever made. Sometimes the best decisions are the ones you make before you have time to overthink them. When I arrived in Leeds and started exploring the city, I realized it was the right choice. It’s affordable, diverse, and extremely student-friendly. Even the professionals who live and work in Leeds tend to be a younger crowd.

Life at Leeds

When I got to Leeds, I was surprised by how many Canadians were there. I thought I’d come back with a British accent, but that didn’t happen. My closest friends were from Toronto and Vancouver, and we’re still in touch today. You make lifelong friends with what you do at Leeds.

I knew I wanted to do things differently than I had during my undergraduate degree. I wasn’t involved in much back then, and I didn’t want to repeat that mistake. So I dove into everything: LawSoc events, mooting, negotiation competitions. I worked part-time in roles I knew I’d probably never get to do again. I bartended, worked grocery shifts at the Co-op, and even did a few modeling gigs. Leeds was busy and that gave me experiences, memories, and friendships that I’ll carry for life.

Academically, Leeds was challenging but fun. The professors genuinely cared. You’re on a first-name basis with them, and they take time out for you. That level of respect between faculty and students is something I hadn’t seen before.

Finding My Strengths

I had a funny experience with Contract Law. It was a 100% final exam, multiple choice, with no assignments or homework. You go the entire year reading the material and then show up for a final exam hoping you know everything. I thought I’d fail, but somehow it ended up being my highest mark. That led me to take Commercial Law, which I also enjoyed and did well in. I never thought I’d get into contracts. I thought I’d be a criminal lawyer. But when I came back to Canada, I ended up doing corporate work, then landed an in-house counsel role at a financial institution in downtown Toronto. My whole job became contracts. I loved it until I didn’t, and then I left. Funny how the thing you think you’re bad at can become your career, or at least a leg of your career.

Same thing with mooting. I thought it was pointless. You pretend to be a lawyer and give pretend arguments to a pretend judge who then pretends to rip you apart. I only signed up to confirm I didn’t want to be a litigator. Worst-case scenario, I’d prove myself right. But I gave it my all and ended up placing second in the LawSoc competition. I was invited to moot in London and discovered I actually liked it. Now I’m a litigator! It came in handy to try something I thought I wouldn’t like and prove myself wrong.

You get out what you put in. I gave it my all, and I got a lot back in return. I lived an entire life in my two years at Leeds, and honestly, I wish I could go back.

Navigating Post-Graduation

The 2-year LLB is intense. You’re learning the same content as the 3-year students, but in less time. As an international student, the biggest decision you’ll face is whether to stay in the UK or return to Canada. My advice is to think about it early and have a plan by the beginning of your final year.

My plan was to stay in the UK. I applied to vacation schemes and training contracts, got a few interviews, but no offers. I kept trying until my visa expired and then I came back to Canada. I didn’t want to look back and wonder if things would’ve been different if I had just tried harder.

When I returned to Canada, I started the NCA exams right away. There’s a Master’s option at York and U of T, but it’s more expensive and slower. The NCA exams are cheaper and faster. If you can make it through Leeds Law, you can make it through the NCAs.

Then come the bar exams. There are two: Barrister and Solicitor. They’re self-study and tough. Most people fail at least one. I don’t think I’m the smartest person in the room, but I learned how to learn at Leeds and how to pace myself properly. I studied full-time for about four to six weeks before each exam, wrote them one at a time, and I didn’t fail.

Articling and the LPP

At the same time, or before or after, you also have to think about articling. There are three options: traditional articling at a law firm, articling with a mentor who submits a training plan to the Law Society and vouches for you, or the Law Practice Program (LPP), which is what I did.

I think the LPP is a fantastic program. I actually turned down an articling offer to do it, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Traditional articling or mentorship usually gives you experience in one or two practice areas over ten months. The LPP touches every single practice area imaginable in four months, and then you hone your skills in one for another four months.

In the first half, you’re in a virtual law firm. The assignments are structured to meet all the Law Society’s requirements. It’s intense but efficient. You do in four months what traditional articling does in ten. The second half is a work placement exactly like traditional articling, but you come out of it super well-rounded.

I was hired back full-time after my four-month work placement, and I’m still there. That’s an accomplishment. Most articling students don’t get hired back. 

Final Note

At the end of the day, everything depends on how you define success and how much effort you put into it. I consider myself successful. If I look back and point to what brought me here, it’s Leeds, putting in the work, and enjoying the journey.

If you’re thinking about Leeds, stop thinking and just go for it. You’ll grow in ways you can’t predict. Try everything, even the stuff you think you’ll hate. That’s how you find out what you’re good at. And always give it your all, because you’ll get out what you put in.