Queen's Faculty of Law
Encyclopedia
The Queen's University Faculty of Law is a professional faculty of Queen's University in Kingston
, Ontario
, Canada
and is regarded as one of the most prestigious institutions of legal education in Canada.
While the tradition of legal education at Queen's University heralds back nearly 150 years, the law school
as it currently exists was officially established in 1957. Faculty members from Queen's have been honoured with major teaching and research awards, and are recognized nationally and internationally as leading experts in their fields. Past and current professors at Queen's such as William Lederman
, Toni Pickard, Gary Trotter, Allan Manson, Nick Bala and Don Stuart are routinely cited in Supreme Court of Canada and other appellate decisions. As consultants, advisors, and project directors, Queen's Law professors have made substantial contributions to various provincial and national law commissions, as well as national and international organizations.
Queen's Law School is housed in Sir John A. Macdonald Hall, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister John G. Diefenbaker in 1960, and was completely renovated in 2003. It houses the William R. Lederman Law Library, named after the former dean and respected scholar, which contains over 150,000 legal volumes.
. The first Dean of Law, Alexander Campbell
, was also a "Father of Confederation". This early faculty only lasted a few years and efforts were made to revive the law school in 1880 although, again, after graduating a number of students the law school closed after a number of years largely because the Law Society of Upper Canada
refused to recognize degrees awarded outside of Osgoode Hall
. The modern law school was founded in 1957 with James Corry, Stuart Ryan and Daniel Soberman as the founding members of the faculty. In 1958, William Lederman, the pre-eminent constitutional law scholar of his era, became the first dean of the new law school.
Kingston was the long-time home of Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald; as a lawyer, he advocated many famed cases in this city. In honour of its relationship to this Prime Minister, the Queen's University Faculty of Law is housed in Macdonald Hall on Union Street, designated to symbolize the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada in 1841.
Queen's Law continues to be a unique institution within the Canadian legal academic environment by, for instance, running the only Canadian legal study abroad program at the Queen's University campus at Herstmonceux Castle
in East Sussex, England.
The Faculty of Law of Queen’s University at Kingston's Arms were registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority
on April 20, 2007. The crest of Queen's University's Faculty of Law consists of a sword and the scales of justice superimposed on the Cross of St. Andrew. Professor Stuart Ryan, one of the law school's founding faculty members, gave the school its motto – Soit Droit Fait. The phrase has a double meaning. It is a statement of the power and creative potential inherent in the law that was used by medieval kings when assenting to bills passed by Parliament – "let the law be made." It is also an expression of the commitment to justice and decency implicit in the ideal of legality – "let right be done."
The Faculty Board and Queen's University Senate voted to change the LL.B. degree to a Juris Doctor
(J.D.) designation to reflect the fact that the vast majority of Queen's Faculty of Law's graduates enter the program with at least one university degree.
) and a graduate program in law (LL.M.). In addition, combined degree programs include a Masters of Industrial Relations (M.I.R.), Masters of Public Administration (M.P.A.),Masters of Arts in Economics (M.A.
) and a Queen's School of Business
Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.). The Faculty of law also has a doctoral program.
and other clinical programs. In these programs students gain practical legal training and experience in the realm of social justice. Queen's Law is particularly renowned for its clinical correctional law programs where students are directly involved in legal assistance to prisoners under the supervision of members of the faculty of law.
in East Sussex, England.
The International Law Spring Program at Herstmonceaux Castle offers an intensive and integrated academic program in international law taught by prominent practitioners and academics from around the world. The international law certificate program is split into three streams: International Public Law, International Business Law and Comparative International Law, and is open to accredited law schools in Canada and the United States and international universities with which Queen's is an exchange partner.
Taking advantage of the ISC's location, the International Law Spring Program includes a number of field trips to international institutions in Europe including the World Trade Organization
in Geneva, the Canadian Mission to the European Union in Brussels, the International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague, the United Nations Office in Geneva, and the OECD in Paris, among other key institutions.
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and is regarded as one of the most prestigious institutions of legal education in Canada.
While the tradition of legal education at Queen's University heralds back nearly 150 years, the law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
as it currently exists was officially established in 1957. Faculty members from Queen's have been honoured with major teaching and research awards, and are recognized nationally and internationally as leading experts in their fields. Past and current professors at Queen's such as William Lederman
William Lederman
William R. Lederman, OC was a Canadian constitutional scholar and the first dean of Queen's University Faculty of Law....
, Toni Pickard, Gary Trotter, Allan Manson, Nick Bala and Don Stuart are routinely cited in Supreme Court of Canada and other appellate decisions. As consultants, advisors, and project directors, Queen's Law professors have made substantial contributions to various provincial and national law commissions, as well as national and international organizations.
Queen's Law School is housed in Sir John A. Macdonald Hall, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister John G. Diefenbaker in 1960, and was completely renovated in 2003. It houses the William R. Lederman Law Library, named after the former dean and respected scholar, which contains over 150,000 legal volumes.
History
The first Faculty of Law at Queen's University was established in 1861, two years later awarding the first honorary Doctor of Laws degree to Sir John A. Macdonald who would go on to serve as Canada's first Prime MinisterPrime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
. The first Dean of Law, Alexander Campbell
Alexander Campbell (Canadian politician)
Sir Alexander Campbell, PC, KCMG, QC was an English-born, Canadian statesman and politician, and a father of Canadian Confederation....
, was also a "Father of Confederation". This early faculty only lasted a few years and efforts were made to revive the law school in 1880 although, again, after graduating a number of students the law school closed after a number of years largely because the Law Society of Upper Canada
Law Society of Upper Canada
The Law Society of Upper Canada is responsible for the self-regulation of lawyers and paralegals in the Canadian province of Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1797, it is known in French as "Le Barreau du Haut-Canada"...
refused to recognize degrees awarded outside of Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall is a landmark building in downtown Toronto constructed between 1829 and 1832 in the late Georgian Palladian and Neoclassical styles. It houses the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice, and the Law Society of Upper Canada...
. The modern law school was founded in 1957 with James Corry, Stuart Ryan and Daniel Soberman as the founding members of the faculty. In 1958, William Lederman, the pre-eminent constitutional law scholar of his era, became the first dean of the new law school.
Kingston was the long-time home of Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald; as a lawyer, he advocated many famed cases in this city. In honour of its relationship to this Prime Minister, the Queen's University Faculty of Law is housed in Macdonald Hall on Union Street, designated to symbolize the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada in 1841.
Queen's Law continues to be a unique institution within the Canadian legal academic environment by, for instance, running the only Canadian legal study abroad program at the Queen's University campus at Herstmonceux Castle
Herstmonceux Castle
Herstmonceux Castle is a brick-built Tudor castle near Herstmonceux, East Sussex, United Kingdom. From 1957 to 1988 its grounds were the home of the Royal Greenwich Observatory...
in East Sussex, England.
The Faculty of Law of Queen’s University at Kingston's Arms were registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority
Canadian Heraldic Authority
The Canadian Heraldic Authority is part of the Canadian honours system under the Queen of Canada, whose authority is exercised by the Governor General. The Authority is responsible for the creation and granting of new coats of arms , flags and badges for Canadian citizens, permanent residents and...
on April 20, 2007. The crest of Queen's University's Faculty of Law consists of a sword and the scales of justice superimposed on the Cross of St. Andrew. Professor Stuart Ryan, one of the law school's founding faculty members, gave the school its motto – Soit Droit Fait. The phrase has a double meaning. It is a statement of the power and creative potential inherent in the law that was used by medieval kings when assenting to bills passed by Parliament – "let the law be made." It is also an expression of the commitment to justice and decency implicit in the ideal of legality – "let right be done."
Admissions
Most accepted applicants have completed a four year university program. The preference is to accept those applicants who have an honours undergraduate degree, and many admitted students have attained graduate degrees as well. Acceptance into Queen's Law is highly competitive, with a few thousand applicants vying for around 160 positions. The average LSAT score of accepted applicants is 162 (86th percentile) and the average undergraduate average (for the last two years) is 84%.The Faculty Board and Queen's University Senate voted to change the LL.B. degree to a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
(J.D.) designation to reflect the fact that the vast majority of Queen's Faculty of Law's graduates enter the program with at least one university degree.
Joint degrees
The Faculty of Law at Queen's University is known for its vibrant and collegial learning environment. It currently offers a Juris Doctor program (J.D.Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
) and a graduate program in law (LL.M.). In addition, combined degree programs include a Masters of Industrial Relations (M.I.R.), Masters of Public Administration (M.P.A.),Masters of Arts in Economics (M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
) and a Queen's School of Business
Queen's School of Business
The Queen's School of Business is located in Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Since 2006, the Queen's School of Business MBA program has been ranked by Business Week number one internationally, outside the United States. The school of business became its own faculty in 1963 with its...
Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.). The Faculty of law also has a doctoral program.
Clinical programs
Practical experience is a major component of legal education at Queen's, with mandatory advocacy courses and a large proportion of the student body being engaged in Legal AidLegal aid
Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people otherwise unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial.A number of...
and other clinical programs. In these programs students gain practical legal training and experience in the realm of social justice. Queen's Law is particularly renowned for its clinical correctional law programs where students are directly involved in legal assistance to prisoners under the supervision of members of the faculty of law.
International opportunities
Queen's Law also offers an increasingly global perspective, including an extensive offering of exchange programs, a continuous stream of visiting scholars and guest lecturers from law schools and legal institutions around the world, and the hallmark International Law Spring Program at the International Study Centre (ISC) at the historic Herstmonceux CastleHerstmonceux Castle
Herstmonceux Castle is a brick-built Tudor castle near Herstmonceux, East Sussex, United Kingdom. From 1957 to 1988 its grounds were the home of the Royal Greenwich Observatory...
in East Sussex, England.
The International Law Spring Program at Herstmonceaux Castle offers an intensive and integrated academic program in international law taught by prominent practitioners and academics from around the world. The international law certificate program is split into three streams: International Public Law, International Business Law and Comparative International Law, and is open to accredited law schools in Canada and the United States and international universities with which Queen's is an exchange partner.
Taking advantage of the ISC's location, the International Law Spring Program includes a number of field trips to international institutions in Europe including the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
in Geneva, the Canadian Mission to the European Union in Brussels, the International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague, the United Nations Office in Geneva, and the OECD in Paris, among other key institutions.
Alumni
Notable Queen's Faculty of Law alumni include:- David Allgood (1974) – Senior Vice President - Corporate Taxation, RBC
- Michael Beatty (1994) – CEO of Praetorian Trust Company
- Christopher J. Pratt (1980) – Founder of Vella & Pratt PCVella & PrattVella & Pratt PC is an international law firm based in Toronto. The firm was founded in 1988 by George F. Vella and Christopher J. Pratt after the dissolution of Kennedy & Associates, a former, multinational Toronto law firm founded by businessman and champion thoroughbred breeder Richard R...
- Justice Harvey BrownstoneHarvey Brownstone-Early life and education:Brownstone was born on July 24, 1956 in Paris, France, and was raised in Hamilton, Ontario. He attended Scott Park Secondary School and received his LL.B...
(1980) – Ontario Provincial Court Justice and author of "Tug of War" - Jock ClimieJock ClimieJock Climie is a Canadian retired Canadian Football League player who played the slotback position primarily with the Toronto Argonauts, Ottawa Rough Riders, and Montreal Alouettes. He is currently a sportscaster with Canadian sports television channel TSN as part of the CFL on TSN studio panel...
(1998) – Lawyer, former CFLCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
player - Justice Thomas A. CromwellThomas Cromwell (Canadian jurist)Thomas Albert Cromwell is a Canadian jurist and current Puisne Justice on the Supreme Court of Canada. On September 5, 2008, Cromwell was nominated to succeed Michel Bastarache on the Supreme Court of Canada by Prime Minister Stephen Harper...
(1976) – Current Supreme Court of CanadaSupreme Court of CanadaThe Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
Justice - Douglas Cunningham (1967) – Lawyer and Ontario Superior Court Justice
- Justice David StratasDavid StratasDavid W. Stratas is a Canadian jurist. He has served on the Federal Court of Appeal since 2009.Mr. Justice Stratas was educated at Queen's University, earning an LL.B. in 1984 and Oxford University, earning a B.C.L. in 1986. He then returned to Canada and clerked for Justice Bertha Wilson of the...
(1984) – Current Federal Court of Appeal Justice - Justice Nancy Flatters (1981)
- Mike GillisMike GillisMichael David Gillis is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.-Playing career:...
(1989) – General Manager of the Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... - Yolande James (2003) – First black Minister in the province of QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
- David Lloyd JohnstonDavid Lloyd JohnstonDavid Lloyd Johnston is a Canadian academic, author and statesman who is the current Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation....
(1966) – President of the University of WaterlooUniversity of WaterlooThe University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
– Governor General of CanadaGovernor General of CanadaThe Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II... - Justice Jean MacFarland (1971) – Court of Appeal for Ontario
- John Sims – Deputy Attorney General for Canada
- David Paul SmithDavid Paul SmithDavid Paul Smith, PC, QC is a Canadian lawyer, politician and Senator.Smith was an alderman on Toronto City Council in the 1970s. He served a period as deputy mayor and president of city council. He ran for Mayor of Toronto in 1978, but was defeated by John Sewell in a three-way split...
(1970) – Canadian Senator - Winston George Nesrallah Tannis - Author, Philosopher-Jurist, Artist and Founding President, Director and Contributing Editor, Queen's Annual Business Law Symposium (1994-6)