Full permit for Canadian lawyers

To obtain a full permit, you must hold a legal authorization to practice law in another province or a territory of Canada.

Canadian lawyers covered by the Regulation become members of the Barreau du Québec. They have the same duties and obligations as other members of the Barreau du Québec: they must comply with the Code of Professional Conduct of Lawyers and hold professional liability insurance with coverage limited to $10 million.

Conditions to obtain a full permit under the Regulation

You must provide the following documents:

• the duly completed application for admission to the Barreau du Québec, which will be reviewed by the Committee for Access to the Profession after you pass the exams and your application for a permit is referred to the Board of Directors for a decision;
• the duly completed application for a permit under the Regulation;
• the duly completed application to register for the knowledge exams (you must register for the exam on legislation, regulations and ethical aspects of the practice of law in Quebec (Législation, réglementation et aspects déontologiques liés à l’exercice de la profession d’avocat au Québec));
• all documents that must be submitted with the application for admission (listed in schedules 1 and 2 to the application for admission), including proof of identity, Canadian police clearance and documents attesting to your knowledge of French;
• a certificate issued by a competent officer of a Canadian Bar, attesting that you are legally authorized to practice law and that you have not been disbarred or that your right to practice law has not been limited or suspended;
• your law degree(s);
• a CV; and
• proof that you have passed the following exams:
  1. the civil law I and related proceedings exam (Droit civil I et procédures afférentes), which may include topics such as persons, family (including matrimonial regimes and divorce) successions, property, obligations (including extracontractual civil liability) and the Consumer Protection Act;
  2. the civil law II and related proceedings exam (Droit civil II et procédures afférentes), which may include topics such as nominate contracts, evidence and procedure, business, prescription, prior claims and hypothecs, publication of rights and private international law; and
  3. the exam on legislation, regulations and ethical aspects of the practice of law in Quebec (Législation, réglementation et aspects déontologiques liés à l’exercice de la profession d’avocat au Québec);

• any other document that may be required.

How to obtain a permit

Applications for a permit are reviewed by the Secretary of the Order, who ensures that the conditions for the issue of a permit are met. The Secretary acknowledges receipt of the permit application within 30 days and, if applicable, notifies the applicant of any missing documents. Once the application is complete, applicants must contact the École du Barreau to register for the knowledge exams of the Barreau du Québec and pay the applicable fees.

The Board of Directors of the Barreau du Québec then decides whether the applicant has met the condition of passing the knowledge exams of the Barreau du Québec and notifies the applicant of its decision by email within 30 days.

Once the Board of Directors decides that the applicant has met the condition, the application for admission to the Barreau du Québec is referred to the Committee for Access to the Profession, which, pursuant to section 45 of the Act respecting the Barreau du Québec, must examine whether the applicant has the moral character, conduct, skills, knowledge and qualifications required to practice the profession.

Upon receipt of the decision of the Committee for Access to the Profession declaring the applicant eligible to practice the profession, the Board of Directors issues a permit to the applicant.

If the Board of Directors decides that the applicant has not met the condition of passing the knowledge exams of the Barreau du Québec and refuses to issue a permit, it must notify the applicant of its refusal and the review procedure.