Top 10 LL.M. Programs in Canada

The University of Toronto holds a reputation as one of the best universities in Canada. Although the magazine Maclean’s no longer publishes its annual law school ranking, while it did the University of Toronto consistently led that list. The school offers LL.M. programs in a number of topics, including Business Law, Criminal Law, and Legal Theory, among others. LLM GUIDE lists UofT’s LL.M. in Health Law, Ethics and Policy as one of the top 10 LL.M. programs in health law globally.

McGill, because of its strong reputation, is sometimes referred to as the ‘Harvard of the North,’ although some University of Toronto supporters might take issue with that. One of only three English-language universities in Québec, law undergrads are required to be at least ‘passively bilingual’ in French and English, although LL.M.s at the school are exempt from this requirement. McGill offers a general Law LL.M., as well as an LL.M. in Environment, one in Comparative Law, and one in Air and Space Law.

Established in 1889, Osgoode Hall is one of the top law schools in Toronto. The school currently offers a number of LL.M. programs, including one in Canadian Common Law and another in International Business Law. LLM GUIDE lists Osgoode Hall as a top 10 school for Alternative Dispute Resolution and Intellectual Property Law.

LL.M. applicants wishing to study in scenic Vancouver, on Canada’s west coast, need look no further than UBC. The school’s LL.M. in Common Law, in addition to providing foundational training in common law, also helps students work through the coursework requirements for practicing law in Canada. UBC also offers an LL.M. in Taxation.

Dalhousie’s Halifax location means that LL.M. students study right in the middle of the beautiful Canadian province of Nova Scotia. And it’s not just the natural beauty that attracts students to the school: Dalhousie University is ranked in the top 15 Canadian universities in the Times Higher Education ranking. The school offers an LL.M. with a thesis component and an LL.M. by coursework.

Established in 1912, the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Law is the third oldest law school in Canada. The school offers LL.M.s both in coursework and by thesis. For students interested in energy law, studying an LL.M. in the ‘Oil Capital of Canada’ could afford many networking opportunities in the field.

Western University is located in London, Ontario, which is about midway between Toronto and Detroit. According to the Times Higher Education ranking, it’s a top 15 law school in Canada; the school offers an LL.M. by thesis as well as a research project-based LL.M., which was launched in 2016.

The University of Ottawa offers a range of LL.M. concentrations, including one in Notarial Law (in French only), as well as one in International Trade and Investment Law and another in Global Sustainability and Environmental Law. LL.M. students study in Canada’s capital city, which means many networking opportunities, in both government and business.

For French-speaking LL.M. applicants, the University of Montréal, with its range of French-language LL.M.s, is an interesting option. For English-speakers, the school also offers an LL.M. in Business Law in a Global Context.