Stikeman Elliott: Business World

ITLP Dept: The participation of Stikeman Elliott and other big law firms in the program is not just altruistic. In a globalized business world, a stable of lawyers who speak foreign languages, and are familiar with other cultures, can be a key competitive asset on Bay Street, according to Globe and Mail. Many foreign lawyers arrive in Canada daunted by the up to 12 accreditation exams they must write to qualify to practise here, on top of all the other challenges of setting up a life in a new country. So they seek part-time jobs to make ends meet. Many never manage to get the accreditation they need. That s where the 10-month ITLP program comes in and that he was there at all is thanks to the University of Toronto s Internationally Trained Lawyers Program ITLP , which started in 2010 with a class of 47 foreign-trained lawyers and the aim of helping them pass the necessary exams to practise law in Ontario. The program also provides three-month internships at law firms and networking help. Born in South Korea, Mr. Yi worked as an in-house lawyer for IBM and an affiliate of Chevron in his home country, while earning a masters of law from Northwestern University in Chicago in 2004. But he decided he wanted the adventure of living full-time in North America, and emigrated with his wife and two children to Toronto in 2010. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.