Introduction
The Faculty of Law, University of Windsor, recently celebrated its 45th anniversary. We have an
international reputation for our focus on the themes of Access to Justice and transnational legal issues. It permeates all that we do – our admission policy, our curriculum, our experiential learning, and our research. The Faculty of Law is located on the main campus of the University of Windsor, approximately two miles west of downtown Windsor. The campus is situated on the Detroit River at the foot of the Ambassador Bridge to the United States. The faculty is accredited by the Law Society of Upper Canada and all of the other common law societies in Canada.
Admission and Criteria
At Windsor Law, we review all applications for admission through a holistic lens. Candidates have the opportunity to provide the Admission Committee with a range of information that supports their application for entry. A candidate seeking admission to the studies leading to the Juris Doctor (JD) degree must follow the procedures and submit the documentation required for the year in which they wish to enter. The Admission Committee establishes the admission policy and criteria, as well as procedures for the application assessments. The committee consists of the Dean of the Faculty of Law (ex-officio), the Associate Dean as Chair, the Assistant Dean (Student Services) as Vice Chair, professors and students. Admission criteria and procedures are established by the Admission Committee for each admission year. Admission criteria and procedures for the current entering class are set out below.
Objective
The admission policy objective is to select those students who will excel in the study of law and who have the potential to contribute creatively and meaningfully to the law school and the community.
Criteria
The majority of applicants are considered by the Admission Committee in the framework of the following criteria:
1. University Program
Your undergraduate average and academic performance trends; awards and prizes; the nature and content of the program taken; and the level of any degree(s) or diplomas obtained are considered.
2. Work Experience
Your part-time, summer and full-time work experience is analyzed for signs of organizational and administrative skills as well as initiative. Vocational, professional or other special qualifications will be considered.
3. Community Involvement
Contribution to the community (city/town, university, religious, etc.) will be assessed for indications of commitment to the community. Factors examined include the nature of your participation in service clubs, community service organizations, religious, athletic, and social organizations.
4. Personal Accomplishments
Personal accomplishments are considered. Factors can include extracurricular activities, hobbies and special accomplishments; artistic and athletic accomplishments; communication skills and languages spoken.
5. Career Objectives
Your career objectives are considered, including how and where your legal education will be employed.
6. Personal Considerations
Any personal factors such as illness, bereavement, unusual family responsibilities or other such circumstances, which may have some bearing on your qualifications, are noted.
7. Law School Admission Test (LSAT) Scores
The LSAT is required. The LSAT is administered several times each year at convenient locations in Canada and the United States. For detailed information, refer to the LSAT Registration and Information Book or contact the Law School Admission Council:
Law School Admission Council 662 Penn Street
Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940 Website: www.lsac.org
It is not necessary to apply to the Faculty of Law prior to registration for the LSAT. The December LSAT will be the last LSAT score accepted. Offers of admission are made on a rolling basis. Application files held pending the December LSAT results may be disadvantaged. LSAT scores written more than five years prior to the academic year of application will not be considered.
We emphasize that no one single factor determines admission to Windsor Law. The Admission Committee assesses applications in light of the criteria above. The chief source of information about you is that which you provide in your Personal Profile. Please take care to present a full and rounded view of yourself in your Personal Profile.
The application and the Personal Profile were developed to provide you with the opportunity to assemble a persuasive case for admission. Admission Committee members will assess the information provided to determine whether you are likely to succeed in law studies; have social skills, relate well to people; have talent for administration and organization (particularly of your own time); have a well-developed and focused career plan based on a sound perception of your capabilities; and display leadership qualities and writing skills.
In the application, you are expected to identify significant experiences and accomplishments, and indicate how they relate to the admission criteria. For example, particular experiences (work, cultural, sporting and academic) should be described in sufficient detail to allow the evaluators to make an assessment. Any experience that demonstrates that you are self-disciplined and committed to excellence in any field, should be described.
Committee members are interested in those experiences that show that you are devoted to self-improvement and involvement in the community and service to others. Contributions to hospitals, charitable organizations, religious institutions, disadvantaged and underprivileged groups and individuals, political parties and athletics, among other activities, will help to demonstrate this.
If you are a member of a group that is disadvantaged for any reason, these circumstances should be made known.
Applications from Aboriginal Canadians
The Faculty of Law recognizes that Aboriginal Canadians are not adequately represented within the legal profession. The Faculty of Law admission policy encourages Aboriginal Canadians to pursue legal studies. Visit: www.uwindsor.ca/law/aboriginal/. Aboriginal Canadian applicants who are considered
to have good potential for the study of law may receive unconditional or a conditional acceptance to the Faculty of Law. If you have received a conditional acceptance and have successfully completed the Program of Legal Studies for Native People offered each summer by the Native Law Centre at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, you will be admitted to the first year of the JD program at Windsor and are eligible for course credit (advanced standing) for one first-year course.
If, as an Aboriginal Canadian applicant, you wish to be considered under this policy, rather than under general admission criteria, you must apply to Windsor Law in accordance with the admission procedures previously set out. You must include with your application a letter advising of the intention to complete the Program of Legal Studies for Native People at the University of Saskatchewan should you receive a conditional acceptance.
For more information on the Program of Legal Studies for Native People contact:
Native Law Centre, University of Saskatchewan 141 Diefenbaker Centre
Saskatoon SK S7N 5B8 Telephone: 306-966-6189
Fax: 306-966-6207
Website: www.usask.ca/nativelaw/
Although Aboriginal Canadian applicants are encouraged to complete the LSAT, in special circumstances this requirement may be waived. Some Aboriginal students are sponsored and/or have their tuition paid by their First Nations Education Authority. You are advised to contact the Authority and the Cashier’s Office at the university. The Cashier’s Office will then contact the First Nations Education Authority and make arrangements to have your tuition paid.
Application Procedures
All Ontario law schools use a common electronic
Application for Admission to an Ontario Law School.
Application Deadlines
The application deadline for the JD program is November 1.
The application deadline for the Canadian & American Dual JD Program is April 15.
As a first-year applicant, the Admission Committee evaluates you on a continuous basis as the files are completed. All files must contain:
1. OLSAS application
2. University of Windsor Personal Profile 3. All official transcripts*
4. Current official LSAT score report; LSAT scores written in the previous six years
5. Two letters of reference (one academic and one non-academic) on the forms specifically provided for this purpose**
6. Canadian & American Dual JD Program Supplemental Application Form (if applicable) *The Canadian & American Dual JD Program requires
the completion of an undergraduate degree by August 1, 2016. Also, if you have received an offer of admission into the Canadian & American Dual JD Program you must submit final official transcripts by August 1, 2016, unless you have just completed your degree.
**You are required to submit two letters of reference. If you attended a postsecondary institution during the three years prior to the application, you are required to submit one academic reference and one non-academic reference. If you did not, you may submit two non-academic references. Reference forms are provided by, and should be forwarded directly to OLSAS by the referee.
Late Applications
Ontario Law School applications are due at the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) on November 1, 2015. You may request an extended deadline by sending an email to uwlaw@uwindsor.ca and addressing it to:
Chair, Admission Committee
Faculty of Law, University of Windsor 401 Sunset Avenue
Windsor ON N9B 3P4
You must state your reasons for failing to meet the original deadlines.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your application materials and supporting documents are complete. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Applications for Transfer into the JD Program
Subject to the availability of places, the Faculty of Law may admit candidates who have successfully completed the first year of a JD program at another common law school into the second year of the JD program. Preference will be given to applicants who have attended a Canadian common law school. You may be eligible for the JD degree from the University of Windsor upon successful completion of two years of academic work, subject to meeting the Faculty’s academic requirements. The deadline for applications is May 1 each year. All applications are subject to Windsor Law’s usual admission criteria. Where necessary, the Admission Committee may ask you to have your academic record evaluated by World Education Services (WES) or an equivalent service.
Applications for Advanced Standing to the JD Program
Individuals who have attended a foreign law school for more than one year may apply for Advanced Standing into the JD program. This will normally require two years or more of full-time study in the JD program at Windsor Law. You may be eligible for the JD degree from the University of Windsor upon successfully completing two years of academic work, subject to meeting the Faculty of Law’s academic requirements. The deadline for applications is May 1. All applications are subject to our usual admission criteria. Where necessary, the Admission Committee may ask you to have your academic record interpreted and/or translated by WES or an equivalent service.
Students Visiting on a Letter of Permission
Subject to the availability of places, the Faculty of Law may admit visiting students from other law schools into the study program for up to one year. The deadline for applications is May 1 of each year. All applications are subject to Windsor Law’s usual admission criteria. Where necessary, the Admission Committee may ask you to have your academic record evaluated by WES or an equivalent service.
Certificate of Equivalence Applicants
National Committee on Accreditation Federation of Law Societies of Canada World Exchange Plaza
1810-45 O’Connor Street Ottawa ON K1P 1A4
Telephone: 613-236-7250, ext. 229 Website: www.flsc.ca/en/nca/
Study Exchanges
The University of Windsor has developed a broad range of student exchange partnerships with other universities around the world. Students currently attending one of our partner institutions are invited to apply for an exchange through their exchange office. A current list of our exchange partners is available at: www.uwindsor.ca/studentexchange/.
Admission to the Practice of Law
A law degree does not in itself entitle one to practice law. If you propose to enter the practice of law in any province or territory of Canada, you must consult directly with the Law Society of such province or territory to determine its admission requirements. The Law Society of Upper Canada, in prescribing the
conditions for admission to the practice of law in Ontario, requires that you graduate from an approved course of no less than three years leading to the JD degree in an approved law school.
The law program at the Faculty of Law, University of Windsor, has been approved by the Law Society of Upper Canada and students graduating with the JD degree, who otherwise meet the Law Society of Upper Canada’s requirements, are eligible for admission to membership in the Law Society of Upper Canada and for entrance to the Licensing Process. Further and updated information concerning admission to the Law Society of Upper Canada is available at: www.lsuc.on.ca.
Programs at Windsor
JD Program
The program leading to the degree of Juris Doctor (JD) requires admission as a full-time student for three years or as a half-time student for six years.
First-Year Program
The first-year curriculum provides a basic level of instruction through mandatory courses in all the fundamental areas, problems and principles of law. The compulsory first-year curriculum includes: Access
to Justice; Torts; Property; Contracts; Criminal Law and Procedure; Constitutional Law; and Legal Research and Writing.
Upper-Year Program
Civil Procedure is required in your second year. In your upper years, you must also complete a research paper worth at least 50 percent of the grade in any course, one course from a group of courses that gives a broader perspective of the legal process and legal theory, one course from a group of courses on transnational law, and a course on professional legal ethics. You must satisfy the Federation of Law Societies’ competency related to legal and fiduciary principles in commercial relations, and in the principles of administrative law. The remainder of the JD program is comprised of optional courses that meet your needs and interests.
Canadian & American Dual JD Program
The Faculty of Law, University of Windsor (Windsor Law), and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law (Detroit Mercy Law) have collaborated to create a unique dual Canadian & American law degree program. This is the only comparative program of its kind in Canada and the United States in which students can earn two law degrees in three years. Successful graduates earn both an American Juris Doctor and a Canadian Juris Doctor.
A Windsor Law JD is a second entry undergraduate professional degree. The Windsor Law JD is not recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA). The Detroit Mercy Law JD is recognized by the ABA, allowing graduates to sit for any bar exam in the United States. Therefore, the Canadian & American Dual JD Program prepares its graduates to sit for both Canadian and US bar exams, and to practice in both countries.
The Canadian & American Dual JD Program requires you to successfully complete 60 credit hours of course work at Detroit Mercy Law and 44 credit hours of course work at Windsor Law. Most required courses taken at either law school provide a comparative analysis of both US and Canadian law relevant to the subject area.
Admission and Criteria
You must have successfully completed your undergraduate degree by August 1 in the year of entry. You are considered by the Canadian & American
1. grade point average and university program; 2. work experience;
3. community involvement; 4. personal accomplishments; 5. career objectives;
6. personal considerations; and 7. LSAT score.
The Canadian & American Dual JD Program Admissions Committee places greater weight on your grade point average and LSAT score. However, there are no cut-offs for the program with respect to these scores. The Admissions Committee assesses applications in light of all the above criteria. The chief source of information about you is the information you provide in the Personal Profile you submit with your application. Please take care to present a full and rounded view of yourself in your Personal Profile.
Canadian & American Dual JD Program Application Procedure
Applications are considered for first-year enrollment only; current law students cannot transfer into the Canadian & American Dual JD Program. The Admissions Committee is composed of faculty
members from both the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and the Faculty of Law, University of Windsor.
In addition, Detroit Mercy Law requires a Supplemental Application Form, which must be completed and sent to the OUAC.
Please provide the following when you apply to the Canadian & American Dual JD:
1. OLSAS application;
2. University of Windsor Personal Profile; 3. all official transcripts;
4. current LSAT score;
5. two letters of reference (one academic and one non-academic); and
6. Canadian & American Dual JD Program Supplemental Application Form.
Application Deadline: April 15, 2016
OLSAS must receive your completed application for admission to the Canadian & American Dual JD by April 15, 2016.
Late Applications
After April 15, 2016, you may request an extended deadline by sending an email to uwlaw@uwindsor.ca and addressing it to:
Director, Canadian & American Dual JD Program Faculty of Law, University of Windsor
401 Sunset Avenue Windsor ON N9B 3P4
You must state your reasons for failing to meet the original deadline of April 15, 2016.
Application files for the Canadian & American Dual JD Program must be completed by May 15, 2016. Files
completed after this date may not be considered.
Immigration Requirements
You must meet the usual Canadian and American immigration requirements to obtain visas for entry into Canada and the United States. An immigration firm in the United States has been hired to help admitted students with their visa applications. There is no additional cost for this assistance. You must also have a valid passport from your country of citizenship.
Course of Study as of 2015–2016
Academic Year (Subject to Change)
First Year
Windsor Law: Cdn & US Property Law (seven credits),
Cdn & US Contracts (seven credits), Cdn & US Criminal Law (six credits), Cdn Constitutional Law (five credits).
Detroit Mercy Law: Comparative Legal Writing & Research
(nine credits).
The Comparative Legal Writing & Research course at Detroit Mercy Law is a unique course specifically designed for students in the Canadian & American Dual JD Program. You will learn the legal research methods and legal processes involved in both Canada and the United States, as well as prepare a number of written assignments and participate in a moot court experience specifically designed for each jurisdiction.
Summer After First Year
Detroit Mercy Law: US Civil Procedure (three credits),
Cdn & US Professional Responsibility (four credits).
Second Year
Windsor Law: Cdn Civil Procedure (four credits). Detroit Mercy Law: Cdn & US Evidence (five credits),
Cdn & US Torts (five credits), US Constitutional Law (four credits), Cdn & US Business Organizations (five credits).
Third Year
Windsor Law: Sufficient electives to complete 44 total credits at Windsor.
Detroit Mercy Law: Cross Border Sales and Financing
credits), and sufficient electives to complete 60 total credits at Detroit Mercy Law.
Other requirements: Upper Level Writing course (two credits).
The Integrated MSW/JD Program
The objective of the Master of Social Work/Juris Doctor (MSW/JD) joint degree program is to promote the integration of law and social work through an interdisciplinary commitment to social justice. The joint degree program is designed to enable you to obtain a Juris Doctor and a Master of Social Work a full year sooner than would be possible had you chosen to pursue the degrees independently. If you hold a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, you will be eligible to complete the program in three years, while students without a BSW will be eligible to complete it in four years. If you seek to enter the MSW/ JD program, please indicate so on the application. If
you apply to the MSW/JD program, you must apply separately to the Faculty of Law and the School of Social Work and meet the admission criteria for each program.
Half-Time Law Study
The Faculty of Law, University of Windsor, has a limited enrollment Half-time Law Study Program. Half time studies are intended for those who are unable to study full time. The program cannot be completed through evening courses only.
As a Half-time Program applicant, you must meet the Faculty’s general admission requirements or special admission requirements for Aboriginal Canadians. In addition, you must demonstrate that you are unable to attend law school on a full-time basis because of one or more of the following reasons:
1. Exceptional family obligations either to young children or dependants (including persons with a disability or requiring special care) requiring your presence at home.
2. Substantial financial hardship (e.g., loss or reduction in employment imposing significant financial hardship, with particular attention being given to single income families or people on limited or tentative incomes).
3. Where there is a requirement for a reduced work load due to your health or disability.
4. Career: In very limited circumstances, consideration may also be given to occupational involvement where you are established in a public service career and your work would be assisted and improved by the study of law.
Please attach to your regular application, a written statement and any supporting documentation relevant to your need for attending the Half-time Program using the criteria listed above to provide a detailed explanation of why you are unable to attend as a full-time student.
Other Programs and Activities
The following programs are available to second- and third-year law students. Details about the application process are contained in the Faculty of Law Calendar. Windsor Law’s experiential learning curriculum features the Clinical Law Program, which sensitizes you to the various roles that lawyers perform as client counsellors, advocates, policymakers, legal scholars, and custodians of the legal system, and offers academic term credit. The program includes Community Legal Aid (CLA) and Legal Assistance of Windsor (LAW).
The Intellectual Property Law Institute (IPLI), a joint effort of the University of Detroit Mercy, Wayne State University, and the University of Windsor, features courses taught by either full-time law professors of one of the three participating law schools or by practicing lawyers with extensive experience in some area of intellectual property.
The Northwest Territories Clerkship Program enables you to serve as a clerk for the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories as a research project for credit towards your JD. As a clerk, you are based in Yellowknife, NWT, and travel occasionally to outlying
regions with the Supreme Court of the NWT.
The Student Clerkship Program that exposes you to the experience of clerking with Ontario courts and the benefits of interaction with judges. There are Provincial Court Criminal Clerkships and Provincial Court Family Law Clerkships in Windsor, plus a Provincial Court Clerkship in Newmarket, Ontario. The Law, Technology and Entrepreneurship Clinic’s (LTEC) goal is to provide upper-year students with a unique clinical education experience, and support entrepreneurship and innovation in the Windsor-Essex region.
Our very robust Moot Program includes the Arnup Cup Moot, Bertha Wilson Moot, CNMAC-ADR International Moot, Competitive Client Counselling Moot, Corporate/ Securities Moot, Donald G. Bowman National Tax Moot, Gale Moot, Harold G. Fox Moot, International Criminal Law Moot, International Mediation Moot, Jessup International Moot, Kawaskimhon Aboriginal
Moot, Koskie Minsky Diversity Moot, Laskin Moot, the Niagara International Moot and others.
Activities
You may volunteer in the following: Legal Assistance of Windsor, Community Legal Aid, Pro Bono Students Canada, the Windsor Review of Legal and Social Issues (a student run, peer-reviewed journal), Justice at Work, the Peer Mentorship Program (PMP), the Student Law Society (SLS), and various student groups and clubs.
Entrance Awards And Scholarships
Windsor Law is proud of our generous scholarship and bursary program that offers assistance to students with financial need. In addition, we offer many awards that recognize students who demonstrate good citizenship and academic excellence. Although students are automatically considered for some awards, other awards may require an application. We understand the financial challenges that a student faces when pursuing a legal education. We are committed to further enhancing our needs-based scholarships and awards so our financial aid program remains strong and responsive to our students’ needs. During the 2014-2015 academic year, Windsor Law awarded just over $2 million in financial aid to our students to assist them with managing the cost of a legal education. Windsor Law students received (on average) approximately $6,200 in financial aid (not including OSAP and similar plans).Windsor Law has partnered with Scotiabank to offer enhancements to their Scotia Professional Student Plan, including increased borrowing limits and preferential repayment terms. The program is administered only out of Scotiabank’s main branch in Windsor. We encourage you to speak with a Professional Banking Advisor at 519-973-5397 to determine how this program can help you fund your legal education at Windsor Law.
For more information on awards and scholarships, visit: www.uwindsor.ca/law/awards/.
Information About Applications
Applicant Services/Law Division Office of the Registrar
