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    * National Program (JD)

  National Program (JD)

      30 Units

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      * Program Requirements

      As a law school accredited by the Canadian Federation of Law Societies, the Common Law Section of the Faculty of Law offers a full range of courses in public law, private law, litigation and dispute resolution, aboriginal law, international law and human rights, technology law, and environmental law, all with numerous opportunities for experiential learning.

      This program is offered in English and in French.

        The Common Law Section offers a special double degree program under which selected civil law graduates, through subsequent studies, may be awarded the JD degree. Applicants apply to the one-year program after completing a civil law degree or during the third year of their civil law studies.

        The number of places in this program is limited. Priority is given to applicants who have completed their civil law studies at the University of Ottawa, though a number of spaces are reserved for out of province students. Applicants are evaluated primarily on academic performance in the LLL program. By way of reference, in the past few years, successful applicants have had on average a 6.0 (or "B") GPA. Applicants may use a personal statement to highlight discrepancies in their transcripts which resulted from circumstances beyond their control.

        Active knowledge of French and English is necessary. Students must therefore be able to read and express themselves in both official languages, otherwise they may encounter difficulties.

        Requirements for this program have been modified. Please consult the 2019-2020 calendars for the previous requirements.

          Students must obtain at least 30 units during the academic year.
          Course List
            Code                                                                                                       Title                                                               Units  
            Compulsory courses 1                                                                                                                                                         
            CML 3376                                                                                                   Professional Responsibility                                         3 Units
            CML 4341                                                                                                   Contracts                                                           3 Units
            CML 4342                                                                                                   Torts                                                               3 Units
            CML 4347                                                                                                   Property                                                            3 Units
            CML 4144                                                                                                   Civil Procedure I                                                   3 Units
            A course of a minimum of 3 Units, from those listed below, that meets the oral advocacy requirement: 2, 3  3 Units                                                           
              CML 2101                                                                                                 Appellate Advocacy                                                         
              CML 2320                                                                                                 Mediation Theory and Practice                                              
              CML 2321                                                                                                 Alternative Dispute Resolution Processes                                   
              CML 3119                                                                                                 Studies in Oral Advocacy                                                   
              CML 3120                                                                                                 Moot Court Competition                                                     
              CML 3121                                                                                                 Gale Cup Moot                                                              
              CML 3125                                                                                                 National Aboriginal Law Moot: Kawaskimhon "Speaking With Knowledge         
              CML 3127                                                                                                 Wilson Moot Competition                                                    
              CML 3128                                                                                                 Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Competition             
              CML 3132                                                                                                 Willms and Shier Environmental Law Moot                                    
              CML 3139                                                                                                 WTO/ELSA WTO Law Moot                                                      
              CML 3140                                                                                                 Canadian Corporate/Securities                                              
              CML 3142                                                                                                 Intellectual Property Advocacy                                             
              CML 3154                                                                                                 Trial Advocacy                                                             
              CML 3158                                                                                                 Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy                                            
              CML 3165                                                                                                 Arnup Cup                                                                  
              CML 3180                                                                                                 Eco-Justice Environmental Law Clinic                                       
              CML 3234                                                                                                 Labour Law II                                                              
              CML 3248                                                                                                 Introductory Legal Aid Clinic Course                                       
              CML 3313                                                                                                 Interviewing and Counselling                                               
              CML 3315                                                                                                 Negotiation                                                                
              CML 3317                                                                                                 Corporate Immigration Advocacy                                             
              CML 3366                                                                                                 Collaborative Family Law Practice                                          
              CML 3385                                                                                                 International Trade and Investment Law Practicum                           
              CML 3388                                                                                                 Intellectual Property Litigation                                           
              CML 3391                                                                                                 Dispute Resolution in Family Law                                           
              CML 3449                                                                                                 Clinical Legal Aid II                                                      
              CML 3450                                                                                                 Clinical Legal Aid III                                                     
              CML 3922                                                                                                 Philip C. Jessup International Moot                                        
              CML 3923                                                                                                 Laskin Moot Court                                                          
              CML 4100                                                                                                 Dispute Resolution Practicum                                               
              CML 4116                                                                                                 Advanced Refugee Law                                                       
              CML 4305                                                                                                 Advocacy Before International Tribunals                                    
            Optional courses                                                                                                                                                             
            12 optional course units in English or French in common law (CML) 4                                        12 Units                                                          
            Total:                                                                                                     30 Units                                                          
            

              Note(s)

              1

              The Faculty may offer these mandatory courses in English or in French.

              2

              Students who have already completed an oral advocacy course or who have already participated in a competitive moot as part of their studies in civil law (final eligibility determination to be made by the National Program Director) will be deemed to have met the oral advocacy requirement, will not have to register for a course contained in this list, and will therefore have to complete 15 Units of optional courses.

              3

              These courses may not all be offered every year. Also, some of these courses are worth more than 3 Units, which would reduce the number of optional credits to be completed. French equivalent courses are also acceptable.

              4

              Among the 12 optional course units (or 15 optional course units for students who have already met the oral advocacy requirement), students must take a course in English or French during the January intensive session.

          The 30 units must not include courses taken by the student before entering the program or courses that are substantially the same as courses taken by the student before entering the program.

          Students who have taken a required course before entering the program may not repeat that course as part of their minimum 30 units.

          Students who have previously completed courses at the Common Law Section, including the required courses of the National Program before being admitted to the program must replace these courses with other electives to meet the minimum requirement of 30 units.

          Students must satisfy the major-paper requirement of the Common Law Section.

          A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher is required for the success of the program.

          Students cannot enroll simultaneously in the National Program and any other full-time program such as the Barreau du Québec.

          In the National Program, students cannot register:

            * in internships sponsored by the Faculty or individually proposed, unless they provide evidence of a common law content that the Director of the National Program would judge acceptable;
            * in courses where the civil law content is too high, in the view of the Director of the National Program.
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