Graduation Guide

Comment déposer une demande pour obtenir son diplôme

1. Consultez les dates limites et la procédure pour déposer votre demande.
2. Si vous avez l'intention de vous joindre à un barreau après vos études, assurez-vous de connaître leurs dates limites et processus d'admission au moins un an d'avance. Veuillez vous référer à la section du site du CDO sur les barreaux (connexion requise).
3. Faites votre demande sur Minerva (Apply to graduate). Si vous êtes actuellement en échange, sao.law [at] mcgill.ca (contactez le Secrétariat des études en droit) directement.
4. Visitez le site web Graduation and Convocation pour toutes les information dont vous avez besoin concernant la cérémonie de collation des grades, comment vous assurer que votre nom est épelé correctement sur votre diplôme, quand venir chercher votre diplôme, et plus encore.
5. Passez en revue votre dossier universitaire afin de vous assurer que vous avez rencontré toutes les exigences de votre programme d'étude.

If you are in your final year

Students in their final year are strongly advised to verify that they will have satisfied the degree requirements for graduation by the end of that year. Use the Program Requirements (degree audit) Form found on the SAO's Forms webpage to assist you.

Students expecting to graduate should complete the following steps in their last term:

1. Verify that you meet the total credit requirement:
   • 105 credits for the BCL/JD;
   • 120 credits for the BCL/JD with Honours;
   • 123 credits for the BCL/JD with Major
   • 123 credits for the BCL/JD with Minor.
2. Verify you have met/registered for ALL Required and Complementary courses for your program, INCLUDING the writing requirement.
3. Verify that your “Expect to Graduate” flag is on your record via MINERVA. See McGill's Graduation and Convocation: Applying to graduate.

Convocation ceremonies

See McGill's Convocations website for convocation schedules, diploma distribution, guests and seating, picking up and returning your regalia, parking and accessibility, and more.

Accreditation & BCL/JD program changes

The Federation of Law Societies of Canada has implemented a process for accreditation of Canadian common law degrees. Students who began their degrees in September 2012 or later will need to show that their common law degrees (LLB or JD) meet the Federation’s accreditation requirements if they wish to join a law society in a common law province.

For a full description of your program requirements, see our Program Requirements form.

Do you still have questions? sao.law [at] mcgill.ca (Email the Student Affairs Office). 

Admission to the Bar

For complete information on admission to the Bar in Canada and in some US states, visit the Career Development's Office Bar Admissions section (LOG-IN REQUIRED)

The New York Bar

For those who wish to apply to the New York Bar: as soon as a Fall graduation list is approved by Faculty Council, the McGill Registrar prepares an attestation letter stating that you have completed all requirements for the BCL/JD Program. The SAO sends the letter by courier to the New York State Board of Law Examiners, along with your latest official McGill transcript indicating that you have completed minimum 105 credits.

What you must do:

1) Follow all instructions from the New York State Board of Law Examiners.

2) Complete the Bar Attestation form to release your official McGill University transcript only.**

3) As soon as your McGill transcript indicates “Degree Conferred”, you must send the updated official transcript to the New York Board.

**If you were on exchange, you must arrange for official transcripts to be sent directly to NY; the SAO is unable to do this for you.

Official Transcript(s). Submit a final, official transcript directly from every law school attended that includes the dates of attendance for each period of study, the courses taken and passed for each period of study, the grades, the degree awarded, and the date the degree was awarded.

English translation. If the law school transcripts, degree certificate, or any of the other documentation requested above are not in English, you must also furnish English translations of the documents prepared by an official translator. nybarexam.org/Foreign/ForeignLegalEducation.htm

Ontario Law Society-Lawyer Licensing Process 

Students that have submitted the online registration for LSO, kindly complete the Bar Attestation Letters form on the SAO website so that we may provide attestation letters confirming that the degree requirements of the BCL/JD Program have been met. 

SAO will email the letters Jan​uary 23, 2023. ( Deadline to complete the form, Jan​uary 16, 2023). – eTranscripts are accepted, use the following email licensingprocess [at] lso.ca

Students will need to order an official transcript to be sent directly to LSO as soon as the Degree Granted notation appears on your record, Feb​ruary 16, 2023 for students graduating Fall 2022.

Information regarding the application process, the Licensing Examinations, study tips, rules, policies and dates to remember is posted on the Law Society's website. You are strongly encouraged to review the information to ensure you are aware of all the requirements. This webcast will touch upon these and other aspects of the Licensing Process however more fulsome information is available at:

https://www.lso.ca/becoming-licensed/lawyer-licensing-process.

If you require further information, please contact Licensing and Accreditation at the Law Society of Ontario by email to:
licensingprocess [at] lso.ca
 

L'École du Barreau

L'École du Barreau communique directement avec la Faculté de droit de McGill concernant la preuve de diplômation des étudiants et étudiantes de McGill qui fréquenteront l'École pour la session à venir. C'est donc la Faculté de droit qui confirme avec l'École du Barreau que ces personnes ont bel et bien complété le programme d'étude.

Pour la session d'hiver 2022, la date limite tombe le 3 janvier 2023.

Le 27 janvier 2023, la Faculté de droit fournira les attestations pour les candidat.e.s de McGill qui confirment que ces personnes ont terminé leur programme, réussi tous les examens et satisfait aux autres exigences nécessaires à l'obtention du diplôme. 

L'attestation étant une preuve temporaire, tout.e candidat.e doit fournir à l'École son relevé de notes officiel démontrant l'obtention de son diplôme dès que ce dernier est disponible.

Pour toute autre information, nous vous conseillons de consulter le site web de l'École du Barreau.

How to request an attestation letter for LSO, Barreau, or NY Bar exams

To request an attestation letter from the SAO for the LSO, QC and/or NY Bar exam, complete the online request form for Bar Attestation Letters.