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Careers

Law and Society students often pursue law-related careers (such as lawyers, law clerks or paralegals), as well as careers in government, research, and advocacy organizations.

You may meet with a Career Development Centre staff member or any faculty member in the Law and Society program to discuss your possible career paths.

Law School

Law Degree (University of Sussex, UK) and Arts Degree (Laurier)

As of 2016, students can earn an Honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Laurier and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Sussex (UK) in six years.

In this program, you'll complete your first two years in Law and Society. After three years of studying abroad in the UK and completing an LLB, you'll return for one final year at Laurier to complete your BA. The final year at Laurier will provide you with an enriched program that will position you to successfully write the national accreditation exams leading to legal practice in Canada, or begin a rewarding career in a number of other law-related fields.

Canadian Law Schools

Applicants seeking admission to law school should verify the admission requirements of each law school under consideration to ensure any and all requirements are met. Specific admission requirements for admission to law school are set by each school and usually include an undergraduate degree in any subject, a very good overall GPA (usually B or higher), and an appropriate score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

Please note that the Law and Society program is not a "pre-law" program. There are no pre-law undergraduate programs in Canada, and thus there are no specific courses required for admission to Canadian law schools.

Discover Career Opportunities

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • assistant legal counsel
  • child protection worker
  • civil servant
  • community program developer
  • correctional officer
  • court reporter
  • customs broker
  • human resources specialist
  • human rights advocate
  • immigration officer
  • lawyer
  • legal administrator
  • mediator
  • non-profit organization administrator
  • paralegal
  • police and probation officer
  • project coordinator
  • public policy advisor/analyst
  • research consultant
  • social worker
  • victim’s advocate

Sample Industries / Types of Employers

  • federal government
  • insurance companies
  • law firms
  • legal clinics
  • Ministry of the Attorney General
  • municipal government
  • non-profit organizations
  • political parties
  • private corporations
  • private legal services
  • provincial government
  • public interest advocacy groups
  • trade and professional associations

Career Resources

Organizations

Check out more resources available in the Career Centre and through Navigator.

Graduate Programs at Other Universities

Graduate Programs at Laurier Brantford

Laurier Grads are Successful

Laurier Graduate Survey Results (2019)

Respondents from the Laurier Graduate Survey conducted by Career Centre. Graduates were surveyed within 12 months of graduation.

26 Law and Society Graduates:

  • Employed: 41.7%
  • Pursuing Further Education: 58.3%

Sample Jobs within the First Year After Graduation

  • client support analyst
  • field specialist
  • office administrator
  • legal assistant
  • provincial offences clerk

Sample Further Education Programs within the First Year After Graduation

  • JD: Law.
  • Master’s degree: Philosophy, Social Justice and Community Engagement, Social Work.
  • College program: Paralegal, Human Resources, Project Management, Public Service.

Careers of Alumni Two-Five Years After Graduation

  • business development manager
  • citizen services officer
  • e-commerce coordinator
  • information management officer
  • lawyer
  • research associate

Develop Your Knowledge and Skills

At Laurier, develop these competencies through both curricular and co-curricular opportunities to help you achieve your goals for the future.

Functional Knowledge

  • Gain an understanding of law as an integrated component of society, and consider social forces that influence and are influenced by law.
  • Acquire an understanding of judicial discretion, legal positivism and the rule of law, as well as the role of class, race, gender and politics as they affect the formation and enforcement of law.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the structure of the Canadian legal system and the types of enforcement methods associated with each type of regime.
  • Develop an awareness of principles and values that contradict the Canadian legal system and the political and moral philosophies that influence them.
  • Analyze theoretical problems that create internal inconsistencies in the application of laws such as feminist legal theory, collective and individual rights, and distinctions between civil and criminal law.
  • Develop an awareness of human and social behaviour and the application of this information for policy development.
  • Interpret and assess the impact of policy on society, and demonstrate knowledge of public policy.
  • Develop questions that expose the underlying assumptions of law.
  • Discover how information is sourced, valued and used in creating new knowledge.

Collaboration & Teamwork 

  • Work effectively as part of a team by identifying your role and contributing, leading, teaching, motivating and/or encouraging others for team success.
  • Oversee, lead and/or contribute to a project including determining goals, planning details, making decisions and completing tasks.
  • Demonstrate professional behaviour and an understanding of individual perspectives and diversity while clarifying and questioning your own values and perspectives.

Communication 

  • Explain information, ideas and opinions effectively, both verbally and in writing.
  • Prepare interesting and informative reports and presentations for diverse audiences using current technology.

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving 

  • Acquire analytical skills, particularly in assessing and evaluating current problems, issues and trends in an interdisciplinary context.
  • Develop problem-solving skills such as: articulating a problem, asking questions, devising a research agenda, developing a coherent analysis of the problem’s causes and defending your solution.
  • Identify and access a wide range of relevant information and resources.
  • Learn, understand and critically interpret information and apply knowledge to new situations.
  • Set priorities, meet deadlines and manage time, data and resources.

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • activist/lobbyist
  • advocacy-government relations
  • claims examiner/adjudicator
  • community program developer
  • compliance analyst
  • compliance officer
  • contract specialist
  • corporate social responsibility manager
  • crime prevention service officer
  • diversity and equity officer
  • editor for legal publication
  • foreign service officer
  • human resources specialist
  • human rights officer
  • humanitarian aid worker
  • immigration/refugee officer
  • in-house legal counsel
  • insurance adjuster
  • labour organizer/negotiator
  • lawyer
  • legal administrator
  • legal expert
  • legal writer
  • management consultant
  • mediator
  • ombudsperson
  • policy analyst/advisor
  • research consultant

Sample Industries / Types of Employers

  • community organizations
  • consulting firms
  • corporations
  • correctional facilities
  • educational institutions
  • embassies/consulates
  • government
  • insurance companies
  • law enforcement agencies
  • law firms
  • lobbying firms/municipalities
  • media organizations
  • non-profit organizations
  • political parties
  • research firms
  • think tanks
  • trade and professional associations
  • United Nations

Career Resources

Check out more resources available in the Career Centre and through Navigator.

Develop Your Knowledge and Skills

At Laurier, develop these competencies through both curricular and co-curricular opportunities to help you achieve your goals for the future.

Functional Knowledge

  • Gain knowledge in the English and Canadian legal systems, legal theory, criminal law, equity and trusts, land law, law and policy of the European Union, public law, law of contract and law of tort.
  • Gain an understanding of law as an interactive part of society, and consider social forces that influence and are influenced by law.
  • Acquire an understanding of judicial discretion, legal positivism and the rule of law, as well as the role of class, race, gender and politics as they affect the formation and enforcement of law.
  • Discover how information is sourced, valued and used in creating new knowledge.

Collaboration & Teamwork 

  • Work effectively as part of a team by identifying your role and contributing, leading, teaching, motivating and/or encouraging others for team success.
  • Oversee, lead and/or contribute to a project including determining goals, planning details, making decisions and completing tasks.
  • Demonstrate professional behaviour and an understanding of individual perspectives and diversity.

Communication 

  • Explain information, ideas and opinions effectively, both verbally and in writing.
  • Prepare interesting and informative reports and presentations for diverse audiences using current technology.

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving 

  • Refine analytical skills, particularly in assessing and evaluating current problems, issues and trends in an interdisciplinary context.
  • Develop problem-solving skills such as: articulating a problem, asking questions, devising a research agenda, developing a coherent analysis of the problem’s causes and defending your solution.
  • Identify and access a wide range of relevant information and resources.
  • Learn, understand and interpret information and apply knowledge to new situations.
  • Set priorities, meet deadlines and manage time, data and resources.