Articling vs. the Law Practice Program in Ontario

To become a lawyer in Ontario, you must complete experiential training. There are two routes: articling with an approved supervising lawyer, or the Law Practice Program (LPP), a training course followed by a work placement. Both lead to the same licence. Here is how they compare.

Side by side

Sources: Articling, Law Practice Program, and mandatory minimum compensation.

Articling

Most Ontario lawyers article. You work for a law firm, government office, clinic, or company under a principal approved by the Law Society. The term was historically 10 months; it must now be at least eight and no more than 10 months.

• You may take up to 10 business days off without extending your term. Exam study days count toward that limit.
• To be called to the bar in June 2027, you needed to start by August 11, 2026 for a 10-month term, September 1 for nine months, or October 5 for eight months.
• Placements that began on or after May 1, 2023 must pay at least $620 a week unless the employer has an exemption.

See our articling recruit guide for how placements are found.

The Law Practice Program

The LPP begins with a four-month training course where you work on simulated files in a virtual firm, with mentors and workshops. It then moves to a four-month placement with an approved employer, which you can find yourself or with the program's help.

• For the 2026 to 2027 program, the English training course ran from August 24 to December 17, 2026, and work placements run from January 4 to April 23, 2027.
• The French program at the University of Ottawa follows a similar calendar.
• You cannot switch to articling after completing the LPP, and you cannot start the LPP after completing a full articling term.
• Refunds are limited after the first weeks of the program, so decide carefully before it starts.

How employers see each

Opinions vary. Lawyers on the Canadian Law Forum describe the LPP as a workable route that is not a dead end, with many placements at well-known companies and organizations, while acknowledging that some employers still view articling as the default (Canadian Law Forum). Your experience, references, and how you describe your placement usually matter more than the label.

How to choose

• You have an articling offer you are happy with: article.
• You have no offer by early summer: keep applying for articles, and register for the LPP by its deadline as a backup. The 2026 registration deadline was July 15.
• You want structured training before practice: the LPP's course offers that, and some candidates choose it for that reason.
• You want to practise in French: consider the University of Ottawa program or a bilingual articling placement.

Describing it on your resume

Whichever route you take, list it plainly: "Articling Student, [Employer]" or "Law Practice Program, Work Placement, [Employer]", with the tasks you did and the areas you worked in. Our lawyer resume format guide shows how.