For more than 50 years, uOttawa’s Faculty of Law has been offering, in both official languages, complete programs in the two most widely used legal systems in the world: common law and civil law. Beginning in September 2008, the Faculty launched a new program, the Programme de droit canadien (PDC), and allowing students to earn both a JD and an LL.L. in three years, thus opening the doors to the practice of law across Canada and abroad. The Programme de droit canadien reflect the needs of future lawyers in Canada. It is an innovative program that permits students to benefit from the richness of diverse Canadian legal traditions in order to better respond to changes in society.
Twenty exceptional candidates are admitted each year to the PDC. Students spend three years, including summer course-work, at the Faculty of Law. Certain courses are designed specifically for PDC students, and most of the program is offered in French, though knowledge of English is required.
uOttawa’s Faculty of Law has long been recognized for its vast range of courses in law and technology, international law, social justice, environmental law, and Aboriginal peoples and the law. Located at the heart of the federal capital, the Faculty of Law offers students unique internship opportunities within the country’s decision-making institutions—Parliament, Supreme Court, federal departments and tribunals, and non-governmental organizations. The Faculty of Law offers candidates an enriching and stimulating education corresponding to the values of an open society and respectful of the rule of law.
What distinguishes our alumni?
- They are knowledgeable and understanding of the legal traditions of Canada;
- They can work in common law and civil law jurisdictions in Canada as well as the rest of the world;
- They have comparative analytical skills that make them an asset to the Canadian law firms who deal with international customers in an increasingly globalized market.
