Thursday, May 29, 2008

Aboriginal Law Student Scholarship Trust Launches in Vancouver

Read more about this trust here.

UBC and HKU forge law school alliance

From Financial Post - Legal Post:

May 28, 2008

Earlier this month the University of British Columbia and the University of Hong Kong established a new joint legal education program. The Faculties of Law at UBC and HKU will each accept up to five students per year, starting in 2009. All students enrolled in the program will be able to earn the law degrees required -- subject to admission and completion of the professional course requirements -- for law practice in both jurisdictions.

Read the whole article here.

This sounds like a really cool program. Wow!

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

I really liked reading the last few posts on the Canadian law school blog, Lawyer Like

It's interesting to hear the emotion the poster has about finally getting through law school. Good for you!!!

A little heavier reading for while you are in class

Whether you are in your undergraduate classes or law school classes (although y'all are on summer break now), you might be interested in The Court. An initiative of Osgoode Hall Law School, The Court is a site where scholars, practitioners and other interested citizens can discuss the recent work of the Supreme Court of Canada.

From their About Us section:

"Student editors under the direction of a faculty supervisor solicit and write brief comments or informative notes about cases that the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear or has decided within the last two years or so. As well, we publish commentary on other aspects of the work of the Supreme Court. Readers are invited to submit responses to the commentary, engendering a lively exchange about current issues facing the SCC. We also encourage interested readers to apply to become “Friends of The Court” and submit commentary for publication.

In addition to the central blogging aspect, The Court offers resources about the Supreme Court and aims to become the premier online location for information about Canada’s highest court. We are constantly improving our collection and welcome suggestions and offers of relevant material."

I have read it for a while, and find it very interesting and enlightening, even though I am not that big on case law (i.e. it's not a personal hobby of mine to read it). Summaries are a lawyer's friend, although the really good lawyers seem to be the ones who can stand to read case law all night long, and quote it the next day in court :).

Oh, and I just noticed that the Editor-in-Chief is James Stribopoulos, Assistant Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School, one of my favourite law professors (he taught me Criminal in first year law school at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law).

New law school a step closer to reality

Law society gives Lakehead preliminary approval.

Law Times - May 5, 2008

Northern Ontario has inched closer to having its own law school after the Law Society of Upper Canada gave preliminary approval last week to a bid from Lakehead University.
But, while the law society benchers voted overwhelmingly in support of the initiative by the Thunder Bay school, some voiced concerns and voted against it.

Read the whole article here.

Some of you have commented that you think that Canada doesn't need a new law school. Others have indicated that this new law school could fill a gap in the area that it is proposed for. What are your thoughts on it now?

I am of the opinion that there are plenty of law schools already, and that they should put their money into a new medical school, or rather into creating new spots at current medical schools. We are somewhat over-lawyered, and very under-doctored.

“How many lawyers does the province of Ontario need?” “Do you think we should be studying that?” Some very good and obvious questions were asked by Ontario Bencher Bob Aaron. Why would you even consider a new law school without finding out this key information?

Interestingly, the law society’s licensing and accreditation task force in January reported that the current demand for about 1,300 articling placements in Ontario is expected to grow to 1,730 — a 30 per cent jump — by next year. This is different than the information provided in a recent post here at Law Eh? (I can't remember the date).

The school would accept 55 students each year, with preference given to those from rural, northern, or aboriginal communities. Lakehead hopes to have the new faculty up and running by next year.

Wow, that's quick!