This is a step-by-step guide that will help you decide whether corporate law is the field for you. It tells you exactly what you need to do to become a corporate lawyer in Canada, including: What kind of training can you get? What are the minimum requirements for admission to law school in Canada and how do you meet them? What skills should you develop in order to make yourself attractive to hiring firms? How much will it cost to qualify as a lawyer in Canada (and more importantly, how do you pay for it)?
If you’re looking to become a corporate lawyer in Canada, we’ve got you covered.
Here’s all the information you need to know about becoming a corporate lawyer in Canada!
What is a Corporate Lawyer?
A corporate lawyer is someone who works for a corporation or an organization that has its own legal department. These lawyers work with businesses and other organizations to help them with their legal issues. They do this by representing their clients in court, drafting contracts, and providing advice on how best to deal with legal matters.
They also deal with anything related to commercial law—this includes disputes between companies, corporate governance issues (like directors’ responsibilities), company mergers and acquisitions, as well as intellectual property and contract law matters (like copyright infringement). In this article, we’ll take a look at corporate lawyer canada salary, how to become a lawyer in canada for international students.
How To Become A Corporate Lawyer In Canada
Corporate law is also known as business law, because it relates to transactions involving companies.
Corporate law is also known as business law, because it relates to transactions involving companies. In fact, you may hear the terms used interchangeably. The latter term is more common in Canada, while the former tends to be favored in the United States.
- Corporate lawyers help clients with issues relating to:
o Formation of a corporation or other organization;
o Mergers and acquisitions;
o Capitalization (raising money by selling stocks);
o Partnerships;
o Common stock vs preferred stock;
o Bonds and debentures (debts) issued by corporations;
Corporate lawyers advise businesses on how to operate, but more specifically they are experts in contract law, which means they look over contracts to make sure that their clients are not at a disadvantage before entering into the contract.
Corporate lawyers advise businesses on how to operate, but more specifically they are experts in contract law, which means they look over contracts to make sure that their clients are not at a disadvantage before entering into the contract.
Contracts must be in writing and signed by both parties, or they may be considered invalid. Corporate lawyers also help businesses when disputes arise from contracts or other legal issues.
Corporate lawyers can specialize in a specific area of corporate law or work for a firm with lots of different practice areas.
You can specialize in a specific area of corporate law, such as mergers and acquisitions, or you can work with a firm that has a lot of different practice areas. Many large firms often have associates who specialize in certain areas of law. Smaller firms may be able to offer you more variety than larger ones and give you the opportunity to get hands-on experience before moving on to something else.
What does it take to become a corporate lawyer? You will need…
- A law degree
- A corporate law firm or other employer that offers training and mentorship programs, such as articling.
- A law society bar admission course. Some of these courses can be done online, but some require in-person attendance at a location near the student’s home. In addition to providing an overview of Canadian law, this course teaches students how to write legal documents and argue cases in front of judges and juries.
- Exam preparation courses — these will help you study for your provincial bar exam by offering tips on test-taking strategies and sample questions from past exams. Depending on where you live, there are typically several options available to you: online classes; instructor-led classes; small group sessions with one instructor; or individualized tutoring sessions with an expert who has helped other students pass their exams before (called “private coaching”).
corporate lawyer canada salary
As of Oct 18, 2022, the average annual pay for a Corporate Lawyer in Ontario is $145,440 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $69.92 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,796/week or $12,120/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $346,500 and as low as $11,000, the majority of Corporate Lawyer salaries currently range between $93,000 (25th percentile) to $130,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $322,000 annually in Ontario.
The average pay range for a Corporate Lawyer varies greatly (as much as $37,000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Corporate Lawyer job market in Ontario is not very active as few companies are currently hiring.
Ontario ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Corporate Lawyer salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Corporate Lawyer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Corporate Lawyer Jobs in Ontario
We’ve identified 6 cities where the typical salary for a Corporate Lawyer job is above the average in Ontario. Topping the list is Willowdale, with Burlington and Oakville close behind in second and third. Oakville beats the Ontario average by 2.4%, and Willowdale furthers that trend with another $9,187 (6.3%) above the $145,440.
With only a handful of cities paying above the average for Ontario, the opportunities for economic advancement by moving to a new location as a Corporate Lawyer is a decision to make with some caution. Factoring in cost of living expenses should be considered as well.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 8% between Willowdale and Clarence-Rockland, reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Corporate Lawyer role.
| City | Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willowdale | $154,627 | $12,885 | $2,973 | $74.34 |
| Burlington | $149,689 | $12,474 | $2,878 | $71.97 |
| Oakville | $148,981 | $12,415 | $2,865 | $71.63 |
| Thunder Bay | $148,303 | $12,358 | $2,851 | $71.30 |
| Quinte West | $147,446 | $12,287 | $2,835 | $70.89 |
| Brockville | $146,234 | $12,186 | $2,812 | $70.31 |
| Huntsville | $144,486 | $12,040 | $2,778 | $69.46 |
| Windsor | $144,387 | $12,032 | $2,776 | $69.42 |
| Belleville | $144,386 | $12,032 | $2,776 | $69.42 |
| Clarence-Rockland | $142,589 | $11,882 | $2,742 | $68.55 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Corporate Lawyer Jobs in Ontario
We found at least 5 jobs related to the Corporate Lawyer job category that pay more per year than a typical Corporate Lawyer salary in Ontario. Top examples of these roles include: Attorney Partner, M&A Attorney, and Corporate Transactional Attorney.
Importantly, all of these jobs are paid between $13,564 (9.3%) and $54,048 (37.2%) more than the average Corporate Lawyer salary of $145,440. If you’re qualified, getting hired for one of these related Corporate Lawyer jobs may help you make more money than that of the average Corporate Lawyer position.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney Partner | $199,488 | $16,624 | $3,836 | $95.91 |
| M&A Attorney | $192,806 | $16,067 | $3,707 | $92.70 |
| Corporate Transactional Attorney | $176,408 | $14,700 | $3,392 | $84.81 |
| Corporate Associate | $159,713 | $13,309 | $3,071 | $76.79 |
| Corporate Securities Lawyer | $159,004 | $13,250 | $3,057 | $76.44 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
how to become a lawyer in canada for international students
Complete at least three years of an undergraduate degree.
Write the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
Apply to law school in Canada and complete a law degree.
Article with a law firm or complete the Law Practice Program.
Pass the bar admission exams for the area where you plan to practice.
