Comments on: Canada’s First Fourth-Tier Law School?

By: lowjack

lowjack — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:51:25 +0000

I disagree that TRU is well known.
I live in Vancouver and have never heard of TRU until now. Honestly, nobody here knows or cares about TRU, or even would think about applying there.

It’s probably well known in the interior though. And I think its good to establish a law school there, but UNBC would have been the far better choice. People in Vancouver have actually heard of UNBC and some people actually apply there.

By: Jeff Ferguson

Jeff Ferguson — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:44:37 +0000

The reality is this:

Canadian schools simply can’t satisfy the demand for new layers in Canada. The schools can’t teach enough of them, and the firms can’t train enough of them.

In fact, many students are pushed to law schools in the UK.

The fact of the matter is this:

It is ridiculous to assume that Thomson Rivers will supply a legal education that is inferior to other school in Canada. People forget the benefits of going to a smaller school. In many cases, grads from so-called “no-names schools” are more competent than those who are forced to sit through 600 person lectures. At a small school, there is nowhere to hide.

By: very tru(e)

very tru(e) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:53:28 +0000

your article is very tru

sfu not tru, but ppl who study at sfu dont wanna go to rural…actually never mind that

it actually makes no sense wtf.
Cuz then these ppl who think they are tru lawyers will suck at life and will prob still leave the farm for the city…and they arent even than smart

and who cares abt interior that much when potential =surrey

i.e. i think that SFU surrey should have a law school cuz I read a publication which said i think 7/10 or 9/10 of all immigrants to BC will settle there

AND they will all need immigration,etc, plus HK business ppl need lawyers protecting their assets

makes no sense lol…so far interior

By: Lynda

Lynda — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:54:29 +0000

First, it was “Cariboo College”; it had nothing to do with the mammal and everything to do with the First Nations group. I am a proud grad of that college as well as its offspring, the University College of the Cariboo (BA (Anthropology) and a BEd). TRU doesn’t necessarily take anyone with a pulse, and is aa good university for the first two years of a degree if you really feel you have to move to a more expensive, older university.
My understanding, as TRU alumni and resident of Kamloops, is that the Interior needs more representation in the field of Law. Since surveys show that most Law grads stay in the area in which they studied, the hope is that having the school in central BC will increase the number of people staying to work here. I agree with Jim in that I hope grads will stay in the area and that there is some carrot to make them stay. However, I’m surprised by your venom towards TRU simply because you don’t seem to have heard of it. It’s not “small” and is well-known in BC. And considering how close SFU is to UBC, why would you double up on a Law school right next to each other?
I was excited to see that the Law school was agreed upon and am considering applying. However, I won’t miss fraternizing with others who hold such elitist and negative attitudes to new Law schools for reasons that are, as yet, unfounded and ignorant.

By: Al P

Al P — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:00:58 +0000

TRU actually has 21,000 students (13,000 on campus & 8,000 DE) accroding to the great source Wikipedia. The best part of the Law School will be no admission restrictions (TRU takes anyone with a pulse – and probably without) and that the law degree will probably soon be sold internationally via the OL division (TRU likes selling its degree abroad). The first diploma mill in Canada in Law – only in BC!

By: Raj Sharma

Raj Sharma — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:30:40 +0000

Two points:

Access to justice is probably a greater goal, and in the public good rather than subscribe to the elitism native to most lawyers (or those aspiring to be a lawyer). Having a law school in a smaller urban setting might result in more lawyers choosing to practice law outside the big cities.

Diversity – Legal education should be made available outside the major urban centres so that we actually have a representative body of lawyers (and eventually judges).

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:20:56 +0000

Instead of a law school they need to put in place incentives to practice in small communities. If I was given debt relief to go and practice in a small town I would do exactly that.

The only way TRU law will be helpful is if they admit people based on their willingness to service a small community. Otherwise if they just base their admission decisions on lsat and gpa then nothing will change. People will get the degree and then leave for the city.

By: Lawrence Gridin

Lawrence Gridin — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:57:04 +0000

KC: I think everyone recognizes that and agrees with you.

The problem with articling is that the Law Societies recognize that there just aren’t enough positions to go around. I heard that firms might be cutting back as many as 400 positions this year because of the tough economy, and Ontario is still graduating 1000+ lawyers per year!

The solution is to let fewer people into law school in the first place, and to be willing to weed others out once they’re in the program.

By: KC

KC — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:21:57 +0000

I know its kind of off topic but I think the idea of eliminating articling would be just ridiculous. I’ve learned more during my 10 months of articling than all three years of law school. You probably learn more about how law works in the real world in 2 or 3 months of articling than second and third year combined.

If we’re going to eliminate anything it should be third year.

By: wlmh65

wlmh65 — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 05:03:07 +0000

Should have been at UBCO or UNBC. Will TRU resist the $$$ temptation to admit a class of 100-200 a year with a consequent flooding of the articling jobs market? Will articling be eliminated? Will a flood of TRU LLBs lead to cutthroat competition in small law, driving down compensation in rural areas and forcing skilled practitioners into more lucrative endeavors?