Post on 05-Apr-2016
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University of AlbertaFaculty of Law
Outstanding Faculty
Transformative Experiences
Respected Graduates
Welcome to the University of Alberta Faculty of Law!
We are a Faculty with over a century of distinguished tradition in education and service to Alberta, Canada and the international community. It is a terrific place for you to embark on your own professional journey.
Our students are a diverse group. The 2014 class ranges in age from 21 to 51. They come from 45 different post-secondary institutions across North America -- and 66 hometowns. They include scientists, athletes, historians, musicians and computer engineers. Our students span a remarkable range of backgrounds with one common denominator: talent.
Access matters. We are also proud that our students also come from a range of financial backgrounds, and that we make it a priority to help. We offer more than $1 million in scholarships and bursaries. In the last three years, every student who qualified for financial assistance under provincial criteria received support.
This is a place where you’ll be valued for the experiences you bring, but also challenged to grow in ways you didn’t think possible. Our commitment to excellence in teaching is a point of pride. Eight of our Faculty members have won University-wide teaching awards, including one in 2014 for the most innovative use of technology. They are also superb researchers. Browse through the Faculty profiles and you’ll find a Trudeau Fellow and a winner of the Law Society of Alberta’s Distinguished Service Award for Legal Scholarship. Our faculty members are regularly consulted by governments, courts and industry. They are passionate about studying the law, and teaching it.
That passion is essential because the legal profession is changing quickly. To keep pace, we’re expanding already extensive opportunities for hands-on learning, and we’re focusing on leadership development. The opening of the Peter Lougheed Leadership College in 2016, led by the Right Hon. Kim Campbell, will create opportunities here that are unavailable elsewhere in Canada.
The current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada came from our Faculty. Our alumni include scholars, judges, business leaders and legions of lawyers who make a difference to their clients and communities every day. Our student groups are friendly, open and welcoming, as are our Faculty and staff.
We hope you’ll decide to join us.
Dr. Paul D. Paton Dean of Law and Wilbur Fee Bowker Professor of Law
Dean’s Message
OutstandingFaculty
Made up of some of the finest legal scholars in the country, University of
Alberta faculty members encourage students to think critically, to argue
coherently, and to set a foundation for their future success. They have
authored important textbooks, casebooks and articles that are used by
judges and lawyers, are leading commentators on legal issues, and are
involved in a wide range of innovative legal research.
“What I love most
about studying law
at the University
of Alberta is the
ability to tailor your degree in
the direction that you want.
The upper-year courses are
varied and taught by renowned
law professors, and there
are endless opportunities for
students to direct their own
educational experience. You
get a real sense that faculty
and staff are wholeheartedly
invested in student success.”
Erin Kim Faculty of Law student
To Name a Few...PETER SANKOFF BA, JD, LLM
Professor Peter Sankoff concentrates his teaching and research on a diverse range of subjects including criminal law, evidence and animal law. He has written numerous articles and books, including Manning, Mewett & Sankoff: Criminal Law and Animal Law in Australasia: Continuing the Dialogue. He is a pioneer in the use of
the ‘flipped classroom’ model of teaching in law and integrates numerous technologies into his teaching and research for the purpose of making the law more accessible for students and lawyers alike. Peter has received numerous awards for teaching and research, including the University of Alberta’s 2014 Information Technology Innovation Award.
JOANNA HARRINGTON BA, JD, PHD
A recipient of a Killam Annual Professorship in 2012, and the Martha Cook Piper Research Prize in 2007, Professor Joanna Harrington specializes in constitutional law and international law, including international criminal law and the legal protection of human rights. A former legal adviser with the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade, and a former legal officer at the House of Lords, Professor Harrington has represented Canada in the negotiation of new legal instruments at the UN, the Organization of American States, and the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
BARBARA BILLINGSLEY BA, JD, LLM
Professor Billingsley’s areas of focus are insurance law, civil process, and constitutional law. She is a recipient of the Tevie Miller Teaching Award (2005) and the author of General Principles of Canadian Insurance Law (LexisNexis, 2008). She served as Associate Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Law from July 2010 to June
2012. Prior to joining the Faculty of Law in 2001, Professor Billingsley practised civil litigation at the Edmonton law firms now known as Brownlee LLP and Sharek & Co. respectively. She is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and the Law Society of the Northwest Territories.
CATHERINE BELL BA, JD, LLM
Recipient of the 2012 Ramon John Hnatyshyn Medal for outstanding contributions to Aboriginal law and legal education, Catherine Bell is actively engaged in research on Aboriginal constitutional rights and in interdisciplinary collaborations with Indigenous , provincial and federal governments and communities.
She teaches Aboriginal, Cultural Heritage & Property Law, Dispute Resolution, and coordinates a low income clinical law program. Her current research focuses on law and ethics in collaborative research, intellectual property and Indigenous law in museum contexts, and Métis Aboriginal rights. She is part of a SSHRC funded international research team exploring intellectual property issues in cultural heritage and is one of six Métis rights scholars (incl. U of A’s Darcy Vermette) recently awarded a SSHRC Insight Grant to research Métis Rights & Treaties in Canada.
FOR A FULL LIST OF U OF A LAW FACULTY MEMBERS, VISIT WWW.LAWSCHOOL.UALBERTA.CA
TransformativeExperience
The Faculty’s rigorous program of study is well-known among leading law
firms for providing students with the knowledge to succeed in the legal
profession. Through the University of Alberta’s targeted program of required
courses and a wide-range of options, you’ll receive a strong foundation in
the law—its origins, meaning, and limits—while also having flexibility to
customize your studies. The end result is a degree that opens doors.
Other Degree ProgramsThe School of Business and the Faculty of Law offer a program of joint study which permits students to earn both the MBA and JD degrees in four years. Students in the first year of either the regular MBA program or the Faculty of Law, as well as new entrants, are eligible to apply for the joint program.
The University of Alberta Faculty of Law, in conjunction with the University of Colorado Law School, offers a dual JD program which allows students who successfully complete the program to receive a JD degree from Colorado and a JD degree from Alberta. The dual program involves four years of full-time study with two years (consecutive) spent at Colorado and Alberta, respectively.
We offer two postgraduate law programs, one leading to the degree of Master of Laws (LLM) and the other leading the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The LLM program provides students with an opportunity to study a particular area of law in much greater depth than is possible in the JD program, and students may select either the thesis-based LLM or the course-based LLM program. The PhD program is designed to provide outstanding students from Canada and around the world with advanced academic training and the opportunity to engage in original scholarly research resulting in a major dissertation. Our faculty members have a broad range of research interests and can supervise graduate students in a wide variety of subject areas.
Preparing You: The JD CurriculumFirst YearThe mandatory first year of study is designed to provide you with fundamental knowledge in the major areas of law and the profession. Courses include Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Foundations to Law, Legal Research and Writing, Property Law, and Torts.
Employers place a high value on effective and efficient legal research and writing. Dedicated instructors teach first-year law students fundamental skills through the Legal Research and Writing class, including electronic and traditional research techniques and writing case briefs, legal memoranda, and facta. A first-year compulsory moot is also a component of the course.
Upper YearsSix courses are compulsory in the upper years of law school: Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Corporations Law, Evidence, Professional Responsibility, and either Jurisprudence or Legal History. These courses provide students with the foundations for lawyering in both public and private practice.
Optional CoursesDuring upper years, optional courses allow you to customize your studies by exploring areas of interest. Each year, the Faculty offers a diverse range of more than 70 optional courses to enrich the core program. With Faculty permission, students may also take an out-of-Faculty University of Alberta course, a limited number of courses at another law school, or obtain course credit through a growing number of study abroad or exchange programs.
Optional courses involve a wide variety of learning opportunities including:
• Participating in a competitive moot• Working on the Alberta Law Review• Conducting directed research with a faculty member• Participating in an internship with the courts or public
agencies• Developing skills in negotiation, conflict resolution, client
counseling, drafting, or advocacy
Optional CoursesABORIGINAL LAWAboriginal Peoples and the LawTrusts
THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS/ PUBLIC LAW Administrative Law *Human Rights LawLabour ArbitrationLabour LawLegislative Process and DraftingMilitary LawMunicipal PlanningPublic Law and PracticeStatutory Interpretation
ADVANCED PRIVATE LAWAdvanced TortsInsuranceTrustsUnjust EnrichmentWorkers’ Compensation Law
CORPORATE/ COMMERCIAL LAWAdvanced TortsAdvanced Topics in Corporate LawBankruptcy and SolvencyClass ActionsCommercial TransactionsConstruction LawCorporations Law *Corporate Reorganization and RestructuringCorporate SecuritiesCorporate Taxation Employment LawIntellectual PropertyInternational Business TransactionsInternational TaxationJudgment Enforcement LawPacific Rim LawPersonal Property Security LawTaxationTrusts
CRIMINAL LAWAdvanced Criminal LawAdvanced EvidenceCriminal ProcedureCriminal Trial AdvocacyEvidence *International Criminal LawSentencing
ESTATESEstate PlanningTaxationTrustsWills
THE FAMILYFamily LawFamily Law Practice Issues Law & Medicine
HEALTH LAW/ LAW AND MEDICINEBiotechnology Law Health Care Ethics and the LawHealth Law & PolicyLaw and MedicineContemporary issues in Health Law
HUMAN RIGHTSHuman Rights LawInternational Human Rights
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTYAboriginal Peoples and the LawIntellectual PropertyLaw & Social MediaMusicians & the Law
INTERNATIONAL LAWInternational Business TransactionsInternational Criminal LawInternational Human RightsPacific Rim LawPublic International Law
LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENTAdministrative Law *Employment LawLabour ArbitrationLabour Law
LAND LAWLand TitlesMunicipal & Planning LawReal Estate Transactions
LEGAL THEORYAdvanced TortsJurisprudence *(numerous sections offer different perspectives on legal theory)Legal History
LITIGATION AND LAWYERING SKILLSAdvanced EvidenceAdvocacyCivil Procedure *Civil EvidenceClient Interviewing and CounsellingCorporate Reorganization and RestructuringCourts ClerkshipCriminal Procedure Dispute ResolutionEvidence *Mediation AdvocacyProfessional Responsibility *SentencingTechniques in Negotiation
MOOTSAlberta Court of Appeal Moots - Civil Law - Constitutional Law - Criminal LawClient Counselling CompetitionClinton J. Ford MootCorporate Securities Moot Law MootGale CupHealth Law MootIntellectual Property MootJessup International MootKawaskimhon National Aboriginal MootLabour Arbitration MootLaskin MootNational Taxation MootWestern Canada/National Trial MootWilson Moot
NATURAL RESOURCES/ ENVIRONMENTAL LAWAboriginal Peoples and the LawAdvanced Petroleum LawBasic Oil and Gas LawEnvironmental Law and PolicyInternational Environmental LawNatural Resources LawOil & AlternativesSustainability LawWater Law
TAXATIONCorporate Taxation Estate PlanningInternational TaxationTaxation
*Indicates compulsory upper-year course. Optional courses may or may not be offered in a particular year
“Participating in
student groups
is a great way
to develop
the practical legal and
interpersonal skills you won’t
get from a textbook. I found
organizing events for OUTlaw
and volunteering with Student
Legal Services to be useful
compliments to my formal
learning, while providing
opportunities to socialize with
law students and members of
the legal community outside the
confines of the classroom.”
Chris Wilson OUTlaw president (2013-2014), social coordinator (2014-2015)
Building Your Skills: Student LifeStudent life in the law school is dynamic and offers many opportunities to learn, develop skills and build relationships. This, along with an atmosphere of co-operation, collegiality, and community spirit, results in an environment that is both personally and academically rewarding. A few examples of how to get involved include:
The Law Students’ Association (LSA)The LSA is an elected executive comprised of and elected by law students, who are responsible for acting as a liaison between the student body and the Faculty administration. The LSA student executive is responsible for coordinating and maintaining the numerous academic, professional, athletic, social, and extracurricular activities at the Faculty of Law.
Student Legal Services (SLS)The SLS is the largest student legal services organization in Canada, is a student-managed, non-profit society dedicated to helping low-income individuals in Edmonton and area understand their legal issues and solve their legal problems. With more than 250 volunteers, SLS provides year-round free legal information and court assistance for those in need. SLS offers a great opportunity for students to develop legal skills by applying legal principles in real cases, to network with upper-year students, and to be a part of the legal community.
Alberta Law Review The Alberta Law Review is a scholarly legal journal published quarterly by upper-year law students in consultation with faculty members. Students can receive academic credit for their service on the editorial board of the Alberta Law Review.
Other opportunities include the Aboriginal Law Students’ Association, Alberta Law Review, Articling Committee, Canadian Bar Association, Canons of Construction, Christian Law Students’ Association, the Environmental Law Students’ Association, Law Hockey, Golden Bearristers Law Rugby Club, Women’s Law Rugby Club, Law Show, Law Students’ Association, Phi Delta Phi, Student Legal Services, Vin Ordinaire, Women’s Law Forum, Law Students Philanthropy, OUTlaw, Law and Older, Women’s Running Club, and Faculty and University Committees including Faculty Admissions, Curriculum, and University Appeal Board Committees and many more. For information on how to get involved, visit www.lawschool.ualberta.ca.
Student Resources: Achieving Your GoalsCareer Services At the Faculty you will be supported through every aspect of your legal education to help achieve your personal, academic and career goals. The Career Services Office offers guidance and practical support in all aspects of your career search, from individual career counseling and legal career seminars and fairs, to regular bulletins and application information on current employment opportunities.
Graduates usually article with private firms, the courts, government (Federal and provincial) or public interest organizations for one year before becoming practicing members of the bar. Many graduates pursue careers in private firms, while others apply their legal knowledge in a variety of areas, such as the following:
• Public Service• Labour Relations• Law Reform• Legal Research• Public Interest Advocacy• Banking• Legal Education• Sports and Entertainment• Politics• Foreign Service• Business• Mediation Services
Financial Support More than $1 million in funding support is disbursed each year to law students through a generous program of more than 350 bursaries, prizes, awards, scholarships, internships and research fellowships.
For more details, including application requirements and deadlines, visit www.lawschool.ulberta.ca.
FacilitiesThe Faculty of Law is housed in the Law Centre on north campus with easy access to all the amenities the University of Alberta offers its students. Officially opened in 1972, the Law Centre features smart classrooms, a student lounge and café, locker facilities, two Moot Courtrooms, the John A. Weir Memorial Law Library, and several interdisciplinary research institutes.
Leadership AwardsThe Faculty puts a high value on citizenship and encourages students to make community involvement a core element of their personal and professional lives. By promoting both leadership and citizenship, we believe that our students will enhance their global perspective, as well as make contributions to their community.
A number of awards are available to students who demonstrate active citizenship and leadership. For a full list of awards, visit www.lawschool.ualberta.ca.
Research AwardsROGER S SMITH UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AWARDS
These awards are worth $5,000 each and provide law students with an opportunity to work on summer research projects under the supervision of faculty members.
Thanks to DonorsThanks to the generosity and commitment of our many donors, the faculty is able to award approximately $400,000 annually to law students on the basis of academic achievement. All law students are automatically considered for these awards.
“The University of
Alberta Faculty of
Law has focused
on having a
stronger Aboriginal presence
in the curriculum and student
body. Aboriginal Law has a
vital component to many areas
of law in Alberta because of its
huge economy in the natural
resource sector.”
Susan Rawlings Past President, Aboriginal Law Students Association
Over the last five years, the Law Centre has been extensively renovated and classrooms have been converted to smart technology. With the completion of the Frank and Beverley MacInnis Centre new graduate program facilities, seminar rooms and a student services centre have been added on the first floor of the building.
The John A. Weir Memorial Law Library, with an extensive print and electronic collection, is considered one of the leading law libraries in the country. The library’s collection includes law reports and statutes from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other common law countries. This library has one of the largest acquisitions budgets among Canadian law school libraries, which keeps this collection current on legal developments in Canada and abroad. Access to this collection and the other collections on the U of A campus keeps students on the front edge of progress in law. The University of Alberta Libraries collection is the second-largest in the country and the Library system provides students with access to expert research assistance, computer labs, Wi-Fi, group and individual study spaces.
Information TechnologyThe Faculty of Law is a leader in the use of technology in classrooms. From smart classrooms and campus-wide Wi-Fi to online course delivery and computerized examinations, the Faculty takes full advantage of available technological resources.
The University of Alberta Faculty of Law is well-known in the Canadian
legal community for preparing high quality well-rounded graduates. They
have gone on to become distinguished scholars, respected lawyers, and
business, community, and political leaders, and have held such positions
as Chief Justice of Canada, Premier of Alberta, and owner of the Edmonton
Oilers Hockey Club.
RespectedGraduates
“U. of A.’s
law program
combines a
strong academic
focus with some amazing
opportunities for our students
to gain practical experience
on the ground. Our students
are engaged in a unique and
rich learning environment –
peopled by some of Canada’s
finest legal academics, as
well as practitioners who
bring their own skills and
perspective to the mix. We’re
growing a generation of law
graduates who go on to make
huge contributions to their
communities in a myriad of
ways, and a lot of it starts
here.”
Marie Gordon Q.C. Senior Family Law Practitioner, Gordon Zwaenepoel Barristers & Solicitors (Edmonton)
Recipient of U of A Faculty of Law’s 2012 Pringle/Royal Sessional Teaching Excellence Award, and 2010 U of A Alumni Award
Alumni
BEVERLEY McLACHLIN, CHIEF JUSTICE OF CANADA, OTTAWA
The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin was appointed as a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada in 1989, and in 2000 she became the first female Chief Justice of
Canada. She began her journey at the University of Alberta where she obtained a bachelors and masters degree in philosophy, as well as an LLB at the Faculty of Law. As Chief Justice, she also chairs the Canadian Judicial Council, the Advisory Council of the Order of Canada and the Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute.
DOUGLAS R. STOLLERY, Q.C., COUNSEL TO REYNOLDS MIRTH RICHARDS & FARMER LLP, AND RETIRED GENERAL COUNSEL OF PCL CONSTRUCTORS INC.
Douglas Stollery, QC is general counsel of PCL Constructors Inc. He graduated with an
LL.B. from the Faculty of Law of the University of Alberta in 1976 and with an LL.M. from Harvard Law School in 1980. He was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1977. Doug practiced with the firm of Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP in Edmonton for a period of almost 30 years before joining PCL Constructors Inc. as their first general counsel in 2006. He is a fellow of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers and has appeared before all levels of the courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. Doug has served as President of the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta Branch. For many years he served as a sessional lecturer at the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta.
TIMOTHY CAULFIELD, PROFESSOR, FACULTY OF LAW AND SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA, AND TRUDEAU FELLOW
As a Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy, Professor Timothy Caulfield is
recognized internationally as an outstanding researcher and by his peers as a leader in the fields of science policy, ethics and the law, and the legal implications of health care reform in Canada. Professor Caulfield, a 1990 graduate, is currently examining the social challenges associated with a range of topics, including stem cell research, genetics, the prevention of chronic disease, obesity policy, the commercialization of research, complementary and alternative medicine and access to health care. Professor Caulfield is the Research Director for the Health Law Institute and has been teaching at the Faculty of Law since 1996.
Alberta Human Rights Practicum
Alberta Utilities Commission Internship
Courts Clerkship
Health Law Internship
Low Income and the Law Clinic
Pro Bono Students Canada
Student Arbitration and Mediation Society
Student Legal Services
The Washington Centre Internship
Other Hands-On Opportunities to Develop Your Lawyering Skills
Opportunities for StudentsResearch Institute Opportunities
ALBERTA LAW REFORM INSTITUTE (ALRI)ALRI has employed summer students for research assistance every summer for more than 40 years. It usually employs two to six students who have completed their second year of law school for full-time summer employment. ALRI also offers part-time positions to students during their third year of law school. Students work closely with Institute Counsel doing research on current law reform projects.
CENTRE FOR CONSTITUTIONAL STUDIES (CCS)CCS hires full-time summer law student researchers and part-time student researchers in the fall and winter terms. Student work is integral to the Centre’s research, publication and educational programs. Research students’ responsibilities include editorial assistance to academic publications (Review of Constitutional Studies and Constitutional Forum) and in-depth research projects on current constitutional issues. Students also write their own articles for publication on the Centre’s website.
HEALTH LAW INSTITUTE (HLI)HLI hires students who have completed their first year of law school for summer employment. Students are employed, when grant funding permits, full-time for the summer and part-time during the fall and winter terms. During their employment students undertake research and may have opportunities to co-author papers, and author and co-author posters for presentations at conferences related to the grant funded project(s) they have been working on.
International OpportunitiesThe Faculty of Law and the University of Alberta are committed to expanding provincial and national boundaries of legal education.
The Study Abroad Program, operated through University of Alberta International, houses a database of opportunities for students to explore at www.international.ualberta.ca. Through this program, our students have studied in many countries, including Australia, China, Denmark, Germany, India, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Students are eligible to participate in an exchange in either their second or third year, usually for one term, and can receive credit toward their JD degree for the courses taken during the exchange.
AdmissionsEach year, the University of Alberta admits approximately 175 law students. As a quota Faculty with many more applications than it can accommodate, eligibility does not guarantee admission. Students are categorized into one of two basic groups:
1. Regular: Admission in this category is based primarily on an applicant’s (a) pre-law academic record and (b) Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score
2. Special: Admission in the Aboriginal category is based on numerous factors in addition to an applicant’s academic record and LSAT score.
For detailed information on requirements and the application process, visit www.lawschool.ualberta.ca.
DeadlinesAPPLICATION: NOVEMBER 1 OF ANY YEARDOCUMENTATION: FEBRUARY 1 FOLLOWING YEARLSAT: DECEMBER OF ANY YEAR
The Law Residence at Tamarack House is a unique co-ed law student on-campus accommodation that allows first-year students to foster relationships with other first-year law students, while living right across from the Law Centre. This furnished 4-bedroom unit in Tamarack House, is located in the University of Alberta’s attractive East Campus Village residence area. Rent is reasonable and includes furnishings, heat, water and electricity.
For more information on rates, amenities and life in residence visit: www.ualberta.ca/residences
For more information, specifically on Tamarack House, please visit: www.residence.ualberta.ca/en/OurResidences/GraduateStudents/TamarackHouse.aspx
Housing Assistance
“Living in Law Residence
has been an excellent
bridging opportunity
from undergrad to law
school. It has introduced
me to people who share
similar interests and has
provided me an experience
to live with people who
understand and respect the
schedule and needs of a
law student.”
Sheena, Law Residence resident