ENVISION • EXPLORE • EXCEL
+ Dean’s Message When it comes to your future, we’ve got connections. Connections to accomplished faculty at the top of their field who will challenge, engage, and inspire you to succeed. Connections to an extensive network of friends and alumni who will provide invaluable support throughout your career. Connections to the ways you can make a difference in the world through unselfish public service. You will leave this place a different person than when you arrived: armed with a critical mind and a solid foundation in the law. You’ll be amazed by your new friendships, your growth, your potential, and your capacity to contribute to – and shape – the world around you. We look forward to welcoming you to our remarkable community.
CAMILLE CAMERON Dean and Weldon Professor of Law, Schulich School of Law
1883 Founding year
ALUMNI AROUND THE GLOBE
The Schulich School of Law is the oldest university-affiliated law school in Canada and the model on which most others were based.
CLOSE TO HOME AND AROUND THE GLOBE, THE SCHULICH SCHOOL OF LAW OPENS A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR GRADUATES.
160 First-year class YOU ARE HERE
WE ARE HERE...
15:1 Faculty/student ratio
AND EVERYWHERE
Average age of incoming students
% of students from outside NS
% of students who receive financial aid
$2 MILLION Scholarships given per year
50/50 gender balance
GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES We believe that an essential part of a legal education is learning about the larger role law plays in the world around us. Our global learning program enables third-year students to put their Canadian legal education in a global context. You can study for a term with one of our international partner institutions.
North America Europe Australia Asia
Quebec Arizona California Maine Massachusetts Texas Mexico Sweden The Netherlands Germany India Australia Singapore New Zealand China
BE WELL CONNECTED Attending the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie goes beyond choosing one of the most prestigious and comprehensive legal educations in North America. It means you are choosing to make an invaluable investment in growing your strengths as a professional, in expanding horizons you may never have thought existed, in taking control of your vision for the future, and in joining a long tradition of graduates committed to unselfish public service. By starting here, you will be well connected and well prepared to go anywhere and do anything.
Ask alumni what one of the best things about attending the Schulich School of Law was, and they will likely answer, “Halifax.” A vibrant, diverse, oceanfront city, Halifax is the perfect size and personality for enhancing the lives of the more than 30,000 students attending the six universities here. This concentration of students injects Halifax with an optimistic energy, and the city gives back by welcoming, encouraging, and inspiring newcomers to experience our unique way of life and make it their own. As the capital of beautiful Nova Scotia, Halifax is large enough to offer a wide range of experiences – arts & culture, sports, culinary, outdoor recreation, and a fantastically diverse and infamous music scene – while being small enough to make it easy for people to become part of the community and feel like they belong. While the expression ”east coast charm” may seem like a cliché, once you’ve been here, you realize that it’s actually an understatement.
WE’RE CLOSE* 1.5 hrs from New York 2 hrs from Toronto 5 hrs from Calgary 6 hrs from London 7 hrs from Vancouver *Approximate flight times
Halifax Town Clock on Citadel Hill
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
We’re Mild-Mannered Our coastal location means our summers are comfortably warm and our winters are milder than most parts of Canada.
We’ve Got a Huge Welcome Mat Our population is internationally diverse and our residents are more than just friendly — they welcome the contribution other cultures make to life in Nova Scotia.
We’ve Got Pride Halifax is home to an active LGBTQ community, and both the city and Dalhousie University take strides to ensure everyone feels included, safe, and supported.
Samba Nova, Brazilian community percussion group
Wetspot, Pride closing party
Professor Elaine Craig BA (Alberta), LLB (Dalhousie), LLM (Yale), JSD (Dalhousie – Trudeau Scholar)
“Schulich School of Law’s best attribute is the people who work here, study here, and come to visit. And then there is the locality. Imagine situating an institution like this in one of the most spectacular coastal cities in the world.”
Our internationally acclaimed faculty deliver a strong foundation in the practice of law as well as a range of course options and specialized degrees that allow you to tailor your legal education to fit your passion and ambition.
JD PROGRAM A Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the Schulich School of Law is your connection to a successful career. Recognized around the world, it symbolizes hard work, an analytical mind, and a comprehensive understanding of legal foundations.
Jim Cunningham JD ‘14 “My clinical experience was an important moment of validation in my law school career. My resolve upon entering articles is renewed because of the mentorship I received under the clinic’s team of lawyers and legal professionals alike. I think the clinic’s success also lies in the support readily given to students by the wider Halifax legal community, and by justices and court staff who understand the uncertainty, stress – and thrill – of preparing for, and appearing in, courtroom settings.”
COMBINED AND JOINT PROGRAMS In association with Dalhousie, one of the top-ranked research universities in Canada, you can combine your JD with a Master’s degree in one of five partner programs. Juris Doctor and: • Master of Business Administration (JD/MBA) • Master of Health Administration (JD/MHA) • Master of Journalism (JD/MJ) *NEW and unique in Canada* • Master of Library and Information Science (JD/MLIS) • Master of Public Administration (JD/MPA)
SPECIALIZATION AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS Marine and Environmental Law Health Law and Policy Law and Technology* Business Law * Informal area of concentration
LEADING RESEARCH INSTITUTES Health Law Institute Law and Technology Institute Marine and Environmental Law Institute
Photo credit: Chris Friel
CAREER DEVELOPMENT At the Schulich School of Law, we want to provide you with the very best legal education and give you the tools to transform that education into a successful career. Our Career Development Office (CDO) kick-starts this process by meeting with every first-year student to discuss career plans, alternative careers in law, résumé development, and interview preparation. Various networking events like career fairs, alumni evenings, professional development, and mixers with members of the local legal community provide you with an opportunity to connect with others who might share similar career interests. With over 7,000 alumni living across Canada and beyond, our CDO supports your aspirations to practice law anywhere in Canada and around the world.
REAL LAW, REAL LIFE, REAL LEARNING Home to Canada’s first clinical law program, we offer you many opportunities to transcend the theory of law and experience its practical application in action. With more than a dozen placement, clinical practice, and advocacy skills courses to choose from like the Dal Legal Aid Service, Clinical Class in Criminal Law, or a placement with the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, our program connects you to the reality of how law is practiced, how it can be used to effect change, and what life is like as a legal professional.
ENGAGING • CHALLENGING • INSPIRING
The faculty at the Schulich School of Law are world renowned for their knowledge of law, their pursuit of excellence in interpreting legal issues, and most importantly, for their impassioned approach to engaging students. They come from the hallowed halls of universities like Oxford, Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, and the Sorbonne and include Rhodes, Fulbright, and Trudeau Scholars among them. As academics and practitioners, they have shaped the front lines of the law and been instrumental in the development of groundbreaking policy. What this impressive collection of academics and practitioners has in common is that they chose the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie. They chose you. This is a place where your professors know your name and your work, and are eager to both support and challenge you.
Professor Sarah Bradley BSc Hons (Toronto), LLB (Queen’s), LLM (Harvard) Chair and CEO, Nova Scotia Securities Commission Vice-Chair, Canadian Securities Administrators
“I chose to come to Dalhousie to teach because I loved the close-knit vibe of the school and the diverse nature of the student body. Most students and faculty members have come to Halifax from somewhere else in Canada, and it makes for an interesting, welcoming group. There is a lot going on academically, and the school is big enough for everyone to be able to find their space, but not so big that people get lost.”
HERE, GREAT FACULTY IS THE LAW.
Professor Jonathon Penney
Professor Michelle Williams
Professor Geoffrey Loomer
Professor Wayne MacKay
BA (Dalhousie), JD (Dalhousie), LLM (Columbia – Fulbright Scholar), MST (Oxford – Mackenzie King Scholar), PhD candidate (Oxford), Fellow, Berkman Center – Harvard University, Research Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs, U of T
BSW (Dalhousie), LLB (Toronto), LLM (NYU), Director, Indigenous Blacks and Mi’kmaq Initiative
BSc (Victoria), LLB (UBC), BCL (Oxford), DPhil (Oxford) Fellow, European Union Centre of Excellence, International Research Affiliate, Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation
CM, QC, Yogis & Keddy Chair in Human Rights Law, Voted one of Canadian Lawyer magazine’s “Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers”
“My graduate studies and work took me to several universities abroad, including three law schools on three different continents. This was a rich and life-shaping experience, but in the end, I managed to find my way back to Dal — lured, still, by its strong sense of community and public duty coupled with a truly national orientation.”
“To me, the greatest gift about working at Dalhousie — and in Nova Scotia and Mi’kma’ki more broadly — is engaging with African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaw students and our communities on justice issues. The histories and cultures are enormously rich and have a lot to teach us.”
“After practicing law for six years and pursuing graduate research for four years, I was determined to join a law school that best combined theory and practice in legal education. Having lived and worked in various parts of Canada and the United Kingdom, I wanted to be part of something that had both a national and international reach. I found all of this at Dalhousie. What’s more, a short drive from Halifax brings me to some of the best surfing in Canada.”
“The best thing about Schulich is the quality and diversity of our students. We have one of the most national student bodies, and our Indigenous Blacks and Mi’kmaq Initiative greatly enriches the law school community. I’ve been teaching at Dal since 1979, and the Weldon Tradition of unselfish public service is one of the reasons I chose to be here. A law degree is a privilege, and we must use our skills to make the world a better place. Our grads take this commitment seriously.”
A “daring experiment” is how Dean Richard Chapman Weldon referred to Dalhousie’s Law School on opening day in 1883.
He envisioned a very different kind of school, one that not only provided students with a foundation in the practice of law, but also instilled a sense of the power and responsibility of using law as a tool for social change. Dean Weldon believed that every lawyer, regardless of area of practice, had an obligation to use their knowledge of the law to serve the community for the greater good. This belief came to be known as the “Weldon Tradition,” and more than 130 years later, it remains in our DNA. In classrooms and study groups, from professor to student, and among new graduates and well-established alumni, the Weldon Tradition is honoured and practiced. It’s about community, unselfish public service, and effecting positive change. Mount Allison University Archives – Ref. 2007.07/185
An excellent example of the Weldon Tradition living on more than 130 years later is the not-for-profit Artists’ Legal Information Society (ALIS). Founded in 2010 by Daniel Pink (’11) and a group of law students who recognized that artists often face unique legal issues but may not have the right tools to address them, ALIS provides free legal services to artists in Atlantic Canada. Lawyers like Kelsey McLaren ( ‘11), Noémi Westergard (’11), and Daniel Pink generously give time and expertise to help artists with issues like copyright, intellectual property, contracts, and royalties. Access to dedicated legal help ensures that artists’ voices are heard and that their interests are protected.
STUDENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM In the spirit of the Weldon Tradition of encouraging unselfish public service, the Schulich School of Law has 10 summer internship opportunities with modest honoraria for students who take on substantial pro bono work in the community. In addition to being named as one of Canada’s top 3 law schools in Corporate Knights’ 2011 Knight Schools Survey, our engaged and community-minded students took top marks for best practices in student-led initiatives.
Photo credit: Lisa Neily, Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society
Georgia Lloyd-Smith (‘14) “My Schulich internship involved providing legal information and expertise to the Government and Industry Relations (GIR) office of the Mikisew Cree First Nation in Alberta in their struggle to deal with the rapid pace of oil sands development within their traditional territory. My experience felt much like traveling to another country, and my exposure to Mikisew Cree culture was a major highlight of this internship. The experiences provided for deep cultural understanding as well as practical legal learning.”
Georgia Lloyd-Smith
MENTOR • ASPIRE • SUPPORT
Megan Leslie LLB ‘04 Member of Parliament, Halifax NDP Deputy Leaderand Environment Critic
“More than just the degree, I’m grateful for my education at Dal. It opened up new ways of looking at the world that have fundamentally changed my approach to social, environmental, and economic justice.”
Photo credit: Riley Smith
Dr Pamela Palmater
LLM ‘99, JSD ‘09 Mi’kmaw lawyer and activist, Ryerson professor and Chair in Indigenous Governance, Named to Canadian Lawyer’s 2013 “25 Most Influential” list, 2012 Bertha Wilson Honour Society Inductee
“The professors at Dal are not just trained in law, they are activists in their own right. I am thankful to Dal for giving me some of the tools I needed to pursue my own advocacy efforts.”
Kim Pate
LLB ‘84 Executive Director, Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies, 2009 Canadian Bar Association’s Touchstone Award Recipient, 2003 Weldon Award for Unselfish Public Service Recipient
“At Dal, I met students, professors, and other staff who remain some of my closest friends and mentors. Working at the clinic launched me on a social justice trajectory for which I am extremely grateful. I recommend Dal to everyone.”
Jade Buchanan
JD ‘11 MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman LLP, Regina, Clerked for Chief Justice Klebuc, Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan
“The advantage I knew I would get from Dalhousie was a degree that would distinguish me at home. That has absolutely been the case. The advantage I didn’t expect is that I now have friends in every city in Canada.”
Abbey (Junior) Sirivar LLB ‘02 McCarthy Tétrault, Toronto, 2010 Lexpert Zenith Award Recipient
“Students from each and every province in the country comprised our graduating class. There was a diversity of perspective that has proven to be an enduring part of the education we received.”
Mentor Program Many of the most accomplished professionals attribute part of their success to their relationship with a great mentor. A mentor can be your connection to experienced advice, guiding support, and valuable career opportunities. We have a network of alumni mentors across Canada from a broad section of practice areas who are eager to share their experience and insight. To give you the best possible start, we offer every first-year student the opportunity to be matched with a recent Schulich School of Law alumnus. So whether you want to work for the public prosecution in Yellowknife, in securities law on Bay Street, or in international diplomatic service, we’ve got the connections to help you get there.
CONNECT TO WHAT’S IMPORTANT NOVEMBER 30 All completed applications received by November 30th will be given early consideration for admission and all entrance scholarships.
FEBRUARY, JUNE, OCTOBER, DECEMBER The LSAT (Law School Admission Test) is administered four times a year at designated testing centres.
FEBRUARY 28 Deadline to complete your application (subject to filing LSAT scores, the current year’s academic transcript, and letters of reference).
CALL Speak directly to Rose Godfrey, Director of Admissions and Outreach, about all your Schulich School of Law questions. T: 902.494.2068 E: law.admissions@dal.ca W: dal.ca/law/apply