Articled Students

Articled Students

The following information relates to the requirements and process involved in applying to the Law Society of Yukon (Society) for

• admission as an articled student under subrule 47(1) of the Rules of the Law Society of Yukon; and
• admission as an articled student under special articles under subrule 60(1).

We recommend you review ‘Division 6 – Articled Students’ of the rules before making application.

Please note that a proposed principal must be approved by the Credentials Committee pursuant to subrule 61(1) before an application for admission as an articled student will be approved.

A lawyer must be an active member of the Society, resident in Yukon and have provided legal services for at least seven years as a lawyer to be eligible to be a principal to an articled student carrying out articles in Yukon under subrule 47(1).

However, a non-resident member, who is an active member of the Society and who has provided legal services for at least seven years as a lawyer, is eligible to be a principal for an articled student under special articles under subrule 60(1).

Application for Admission as an Articled Student

An individual with a law degree from an approved law program or a Certificate of Qualification issued by the National Committee on Accreditation may apply to the Credentials Committee for admission as an articled student. An application must be made in Form 1 and be accompanied by the following:

• Copy of government issued photo identification
• A certified true copy of your law degree from an approved law program, or certified true copy of a final transcript showing the law degree granted (or most recent transcript from an approved law program if final degree or transcript is not available at time of application), if applicable
• A certified true copy of the certificate or other official document verifying you have a Certificate of Qualification issued by the National Committee on Accreditation of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, if applicable
• Copy of articling agreement in Form 2 completed and signed by you and your principal
• Fees in the amount of $183.75 ($175.00 membership fee plus $8.75 GST)

An articled student must complete 12 months of continuous services under a principal and during that time complete an approved bar admission course and write a Yukon statutes exam.

All required records and information must be submitted to the Credentials Committee before your application will be considered valid.
We recommend you submit all material to this office at least three weeks in advance of the date that you wish to commence your period of articles so the Credentials Committee has sufficient time to consider your application before your start date.

Under s.14(1) of the Legal Profession Act, 2017 an applicant who qualifies for membership must take and sign an oath or affirmation before a judge before becoming a member of the Society and commencing their period of articles.

Bar Admission Program

The Practice Readiness Education Program (PREP) offered by the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED) is an approved bar admission course. For more information on PREP, please see their website at https://cpled.ca.

The PREP program is offered in two formats:

• Standard PREP: 9-month part-time
• Accelerated PREP: 11-week, full time

The Standard PREP course is only offered once a year.

The Accelerated PREP course is offered twice per year; in summer and fall. In Accelerated PREP, candidates commit to 7.5 hours of study per day on weekdays.

Please see their website for registration deadlines and program schedules.

To be admitted to PREP you must have a Canadian common law degree or a Certificate of Qualification issued by the NCA. Candidates enrolling in PREP are not required to have secured articling positions.

Individuals applying for admission to the Society as an articled student who have successfully completed PREP outside their term of Articles, will be credited as having completed an approved bar admission program upon verification they have successfully completed the program.

Individuals applying for admission to the Society as a articled student who will be registering for PREP and whose articling term does not align with the PREP timetable should contact the Law Society of Yukon office for direction.

Please note that the British Columbia Professional Legal Training Course (PLTC) is no longer available.

Application for Special Articles

An individual who is a student enrolled in an approved law program, or is otherwise qualified for admission to the Society as an articled student, may apply to the Credentials Committee for admission as an articled student under special articles. An application must be made in Form 3 and be accompanied by the following:

• Copy of government issued photo identification;
• Copy of official final transcript, or most recent transcript from approved law program, if applicable
• Certified true copy of Certificate of Qualification from the National Committee on Accreditation of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, if applicable
• Letter from proposed principal setting out what activities you will be asked to perform during your term of employment, why special articles are necessary for your employment and what supervision will be provided
• Copy of articling agreement in Form 4 completed and signed by you and your principal
• Fees in the amount of $183.75 ($175.00 membership fee plus $8.75 GST)

Time spent by an articled student under special articles does not count towards the 12 months of continuous service required by articled students under subrule 48(1).

All required records and information must be submitted to the Credentials Committee before your application will be considered valid.

We recommend you submit all material to this office at least three weeks in advance of the date that you wish to commence your period of special articles so the Credentials Committee has sufficient time to consider your application before your start date.

Under s.14(1) of the Legal Profession Act, 2017, an applicant who qualifies for membership must take and sign an oath or affirmation before a judge before becoming a member of the Society and commencing their period of special articles.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Law Society office.