Are Canadian lawyers at a disadvantage in the US Forum

[walterjr]

I'm potentially interested in moving to the states and studying law there.

But if you're a Canadian who went to and graduated from an American law school, will you be at a disadvantage when seeking employment in the States? I'm assuming that you went to a decent school ranked #40-60 but you're no H.L.A. Hart and you didn't go to a top school. We already know that the legal market in the US is in trouble and the market is over-saturated with lawyers looking for jobs.

I'm afraid that the firms that are hiring will say that there hundreds of thousands of unemployed Americans looking for jobs so why would we even bother with a foreign national? On top of that they would have to deal with your immigration stuff which equals extra wasted time for them so as soon as they realize you're a decent but not an elite lawyer and you're from Canada, they'll just put your resume in the trash or if you're lucky they'll hire you but give you a very low salary and give you the undesirable tasks to do.

Are my concerns at least partly legitimate or am I being overly pessimistic?

[thesealocust]

went to a decent school ranked #40-60 but you're no H.L.A. Hart and you didn't go to a top school.

All the U.S. born people who fit that description are starving to death unemployed in the streets right now.

Feel free to join them, I'm sure the cold and hunger do not discriminate based on nationality.

[mr. wednesday]

TN visas are actually pretty easy to get and not too expensive, or you could always marry an american.

So no, at only a slight or no more disadvantage than the many, many unemployed american law grads that went to a not great school with mediocre to bad employment prospects. They'll probably throw your resume in the trash long before they discover your citizenship status.

[thesealocust]

They'll probably throw your resume in the trash long before they discover your citizenship status.

^

[ShibalProcedure]

I'm potentially interested in moving to the states and studying law there.

But if you're a Canadian who went to and graduated from an American law school, will you be at a disadvantage when seeking employment in the States? I'm assuming that you went to a decent school ranked #40-60 but you're no H.L.A. Hart and you didn't go to a top school. We already know that the legal market in the US is in trouble and the market is over-saturated with lawyers looking for jobs.

I'm afraid that the firms that are hiring will say that there hundreds of thousands of unemployed Americans looking for jobs so why would we even bother with a foreign national? On top of that they would have to deal with your immigration stuff which equals extra wasted time for them so as soon as they realize you're a decent but not an elite lawyer and you're from Canada, they'll just put your resume in the trash or if you're lucky they'll hire you but give you a very low salary and give you the undesirable tasks to do.

Are my concerns at least partly legitimate or am I being overly pessimistic?

Why would canadians be at a disadvantage?? They have the bonus of being able to speak another language, namely, canadian.


/joking

i highly doubt law firms care a rat's butt about keeping jobs domestic. experience has shown law firms are really just businesses. so the question you need to be worried with is this: are you a marketable person who can bring profitable work product in this industry?

[despina]

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... mmigration

[manofjustice]

They'll probably throw your resume in the trash long before they discover your citizenship status.

^

[ClubberLang]

You'd be at a huge disadvantage. Your immigration issues are a pain in the ass to potential employers, and since you'll be fresh out of law school when looking for work you will have no real skills. Why would a firm hire you? Also, any kind of federal job is out of the picture.

Why don't you just go to law school in Canada?

[stillwater]

Canadians are mostly at a disadvantage because Americans generally and biglaw hiring partners specifically view Canada as the greatest geopolitical threat of our generation.

[NotMyRealName09]

Can Canadians be assholes? If so, you'll be fine.