Preparing for the Practice of Law Faculty of Law University of Victoria Course selection information for students planning to article and be called to the bar of a Canadian province or territory prepared by the Curriculum Committee February 2012 (revised: May 2012) Re
1. Introduction In February 2011, the Law Students Society (LSS) asked faculty to provide guidance to students as they plan their course selection in upper years to prepare for articling, bar admission programs, and ultimately the practice of law. The request followed a motion of Faculty Council in February 2011 to eliminate Civil Procedure and Evidence as graduation requirements for students starting their upper year programs in May 2011. This course selection guide responds to the LSS request. Most graduates plan to article, whether in private firms, with government, or through a clerkship, and to be called to the bar of a Canadian province or territory. This guide provides information about courses that help students start their legal careers with practical substantive and practice-oriented knowledge, courses to develop their practice skills, and courses that provincial and territorial law societies and employers expect students to take. Please note that this document is not a comprehensive list of all courses offered at UVic Law. As well, the document does not replace the course planning guide published by the Associate Dean Academic and Student Relations each year that advises students about the JD graduation requirements. Below are some examples of the areas students will be examined on in bar admission programs/exams. Be sure to check the requirements for the jurisdiction in which you wish to enroll for the bar admission program and/or write the bar exam. PLTC British Columbia Knowledge Areas Civil Procedure Commercial Practice (secured transactions) Corporate Practice Creditor's Remedies (including Builders' Liens) Criminal Procedure Family Practice Real Estate Wills Skills Advocacy Writing Interviewing Drafting Legal Research Negotiation and mediation Problem-solving Law Society of Upper Canada - Ontario Barrister Examination Public law (constitutional law and administrative law) Criminal procedure Family law Civil litigation Ethical and professional responsibility and establishing and maintaining the barrister-client relationship Solicitor Examination Real estate law Business law (corporate law, bankruptcy law and tax law) Wills and trusts Estate administration and planning; and Ethical and professional responsibility and establishing and maintaining the solicitor-client relationship Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED Program) Alberta Knowledge Areas Real Estate Civil Procedure Death and Disability Business Criminal Procedure Debtor/Creditor Family Relations Skills Lawyering Skills Problem Solving Legal Research Writing Drafting Interviewing and advising Advocacy Dispute Resolution Practice and Management Skills Personal Practice Management Office Management Ethics and Professionalism
2. Federation of Law Societies of Canada (FLSC) The FLSC has adopted new requirements for an approved law degree. Students entering bar admission programs from January 1, 2015 onwards will be expected to meet the new required competencies for an approved law degree. This guide is intended to complement the requirements for an approved law degree. See the UVic Law Calendar for more information about the required competencies for an approved law degree and more generally UVic Law JD graduation requirements.
3. Continuing Legal Education Remember, law school is not the only opportunity to acquire skills and substantive knowledge. All law societies in Canada require their members to engage in continuing professional development. The Law Society of British Columbia requires a minimum of 12 hours of continuing professional development each year. Many courses are available for lawyers to improve their knowledge and practice skills throughout their careers. If students cannot take all the substantive legal courses they would like during their time at UVic, they may be able to pick up the knowledge, or at least an introduction to it, through these courses. More information is available from the various law societies: www.flsc.ca/en/lawsocieties/websites.asp
4. Law School Courses This guide strives to give students a clear understanding of the core courses they need, in addition to the national standard for an approved law degree, for successful bar admission programs/exams, articling and later practice. We have divided the current offerings at UVic into areas as explained below. Foundational Courses These are the foundational upper year substantive courses. Current upper year students are encouraged to take these courses. Some of these courses are also prerequisites for other courses or clinics. 301 The Administrative Law Process 309 The Law of Evidence 315 Business Associations 360 Legal Ethics and Professionalism General Practice Areas These courses are regularly offered and have particular application for students who hope to article in a general practice environment. If students take these courses and understand the legislation, case law, underlying policy and relationships amongst them, they will have a foundation for gaining competence in a wide variety of practice areas. The globalization of the practice of law means that students should also have some international legal knowledge. Students are encouraged to take several of the courses listed below: 303 Criminal Procedure 307 Civil Procedure 310 Restitution 312 Debtor and Creditor Relations 313 Securities Regulation 314 Commercial and Consumer Law 316 Secured Transactions and Negotiable Instruments 317 Real Property Transactions 318 Remedies 319 Trusts 320 Succession and Estate Planning 322 Family Law 323 Refugee Law 326A The Individual Employment Relationship 326B Labour Law 329 Environmental Law 330 International Law 337 Dispute Resolution: Theory and Practice 340 Indigenous Lands, Rights and Governance 342 Immigration and Citizenship 344 Insurance 345 Taxation 363 Conflict of Laws 382 Pension Law and Policy
Perspectives and Specialized Courses The practice of law is substantially enriched by a broad academic legal education. Students are encouraged to take at least two courses that interest them personally, policy and theory courses that encourage deeper reflection and understanding of social problems and their legal solutions, and international exchange terms that enlarge their world view. Examples of such courses include: 302 Criminal Law II 305 Law, Theory and Practice of Sentencing 324 Children and the Law 327 Jurisprudence 328 Green Legal Theory 333 Social Welfare Law 339 Legal Theory Workshop 361 Historical Foundations of the Common Law 357 Sexual Orientation and the Law 359 Civil Liberties and the Charter 368 Indigenous Feminist Legal Studies 369 Feminist Legal Theories 373 International Human Rights and Dispute Resolution 378 Equality, Human Rights and Social Justice 380 Bioethics, Personhood and the Law 381 Animals, Culture and the Law 383 Municipal Law and Sustainability 384 Field Course in Environmental Law and Sustainability A number of perspective/specialized courses are offered as Law 343 such as: Health Law Sports, Media, and Entertainment Law Class Actions and Mass Litigation Special Topics in Indigenous Law Skills Courses Students who plan to article are also encouraged to complete one or more courses or clinics focused on developing legal skills. 338 Mediation and Lawyers 355 Legal Skills 349 Business Law Clinic 356 Advocacy 350 Clinical Term (The Law Centre) 388 Advanced Legal Research & Writing 353 Environmental Law Centre Clinic (Including 386 A & B ELC Intensive) 365 Legal Mooting (including the Client Counselling Competition)
5. Specialized Interests and Career Paths Some students have particular interests and career aspirations that lead them to choose courses that have a particular focus, such as criminal law, international legal subjects, human rights and civil liberties, constitutional, business, or family law. These students should pay particular attention to prerequisites for more specialized courses they may wish to take. Students who already have a focused career path may find it helpful to speak to a professor about other courses that may be appropriate. A number of more specialized courses, which are regularly offered, are also oriented toward the practice of law and would provide the same type of practice preparation as the courses in List 2. Examples include: Intellectual Property, Managing Intellectual Property, Patent Law, International Trade, Advanced Taxation, International Commercial Law and Arbitration, etc. Conclusion We hope this guide helps students plan their course selection as they prepare for a professional legal career. Once again, the FLSC has introduced new requirements for an approved law degree for students entering bar admission programs as of 2015. UVic Law has changed its graduation requirements in response to the new standard for an approved law degree. Students should plan their course selection accordingly. For current information about graduation requirements, please see the JD Program Requirements on the Associate Dean s website and the Faculty of Law section of the UVic Calendar.