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LLM Research paper option (without concentration)- Law Clerk Option

The Master of Laws with research paper option (without concentration), law clerk stream, is designed for jurists who have completed a clerkship in a Canadian court within the past five years, are completing one, or are about to begin one. This program recognizes the value of that practical experience by granting you an equivalence of two courses (six units) for the work carried out with one or more judges.

You thus combine rigorous academic training with direct exposure to the decisions that shape Canadian law. Offered in person over a period of eight to twelve months, this path lets you take courses in English or French and write a research paper that naturally extends your practice or your intellectual interests.

Why Choose This Program?

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A clerkship offers direct, privileged access to the decisions that shape Canadian law. This program values that experience by integrating it fully into your studies: your work with judges becomes a credited component of your degree, not merely a professional antecedent.

You thus extend your practice through academic reflection on the legal issues raised in court, by writing a supervised research paper.

The result is a profile combining the inside experience of a Canadian court with theoretical expertise at the master's level, within a faculty recognized for the constant dialogue between common law and civil law.

Admission Requirements

The program requires an undergraduate degree in law (LL.B., LL.L. or equivalent) and a clerkship completed, in progress, or planned in a Canadian court.

Applications are submitted through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC), to the general LL.M. with research paper, without concentration. The steps to follow vary according to your situation.

If you have recently completed a clerkship (within the past five years)

Mention your clerkship in the letter of intent accompanying your file, specifying that you wish to obtain the six equivalence units. After acceptance to the program, submit a description of the work performed as well as a letter from the judge or judges who supervised you, attesting to the quality of the work and specifying the exact dates of the clerkship.

If you are currently completing a clerkship

First confirm with your court that it allows its law clerks to enroll in the LL.M. alongside the clerkship, as some courts do not permit it. Then mention your clerkship in your letter of intent. At the end of the clerkship, submit the description of the work and the judge's attestation; the six-unit equivalence is then granted.

If you plan to complete the clerkship alongside the master's

First inquire with the prospective court about the possibility of combining the two commitments. After acceptance to the LL.M., you will be enrolled in course DCL 7022 corresponding to the six clerkship units. At the end of the clerkship, you submit the description of the work and the judge's attestation.

What You Can Do With Your Studies

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The experience of a clerkship, combined with an LL.M., opens up varied prospects:

  • law practice in a firm, particularly in litigation and appeals, where court experience is a recognized asset
  • legal counsel in the federal or provincial public service
  • public policy analysis within ministries, regulatory bodies or international organizations
  • a clerkship at a higher level, notably at the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court of Canada
  • a career in legal research, the LL.M. with research paper being the antechamber to the doctorate
  • university teaching (usually after a doctorate)

Contact us

Office of Graduate Studies

57 Louis-Pasteur st.,
room 301
Ottawa, On K1N 6N5

Tel.:  613-562-5774
[email protected]