University of New Brunswick Faculty of Law

University of New Brunswick Faculty of Law

The information on this page was provided by the law school.

Official Guide to Canadian JD Programs


Established in 1982, UNB Law has developed a reputation as an outstanding Canadian law school.  This reputation is rooted in our determination to treat our students as individuals, and to offer a broad legal education through our core curriculum.  UNB Law brings together ambitious students and committed teachers in a demanding but supportive learning environment. We admit about 92 students each year from across the country. The total student body is about 265, and the regular full-time faculty complement is 21.  This is supplemented by part-time instructors, mostly practising lawyers.  This makes for a close-knit community with a strong emphasis on career readiness.

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The JD Program

As at most law faculties, the first-year curriculum at UNB Law is entirely prescribed in order to ensure a foundation for study in the upper years. There are seven required courses, and students participate in a moot court in the second semester.  The first-year class is sectioned into two groups of about 45 students in each.  The curriculum in the upper years is, in part, elective.  The prescribed component consists of seven compulsory courses and a writing requirement. In addition, students must take at least one course from each of the three compulsory areas of study.  A concurrent MBA/JD degree program is offered in collaboration with the UNB Faculty of Administration.  Candidates can receive both degrees in four academic years.

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UNB Legal Clinic

The UNB Legal Clinic provides free legal services to individuals who cannot afford representation and who do not qualify for legal aid.  The clinic is housed in the Law building and currently offers legal services in employment law, tenant law and social benefits.

Student Life

Student Activities - Student Lounge

As UNB Law seeks to revitalize itself through the implementation of our Strategic Vision, we are proud to begin a highly practical project that will directly benefit our students.  The importance of a student lounge and providing a comfortable and inviting spaces are crucial to the mission of our Law School.  Our learning environment is structured to nurture collaboration and establish connections that will help graduates develop their practices and better serve the public.  These relationships start within the walls of the law school, especially the student lounge.

Students will also have the opportunity to join groups such as the Law Students' Society, the principal student organization at the Faculty of Law that oversees a multitude of activities including orientation programs and moot court boards, the bookstore as well as speakers hours and special events.  The UNB Law Journal is one of the oldest student run legal publications in Canada and is owned by the students.  Other student organizations include, Business Law Society, Criminal Law, Environmental Law Society, International Law Society as well as OUTlaw and Pro Bono Students Canada.

 

Career Placement and Bar Passage

At UNB Law we know that graduating from law school is only the first step on your path to a professional career, whether it be in law practice, a corporate or government legal department, business, a non-governmental organization, politics or elsewhere.  Whatever direction you pursue, you can always use some help in getting started. The Career Services Office, with support from the student-run Articling & Placement Committee, supports you in pursuit of fulfilling careers.  Our office offers support with career counseling, resume and cover letter review, interview advice, on campus interviews, workshops and seminars as well as many networking opportunities and job postings to all students.

Learn more about career placement and bar passage at UNB Law

Tuition and Aid

Expense Cost
Tuition
$13,522.00
Fees
$1,000.00
Expected Cost of Attendance
$20,000.00

Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers

All eligible applicants are assessed in the Regular category.  Applicants may also request and select assessment in the Discretionary or Indigenous categories. Applicants must meet the minimum academic requirements of completion of a degree from a recognized Canadian university or be in their final year of a four year degree of full time academic study at a recognized Canadian or non Canadian university.

All applicants are required to submit an LSAT score. The highest score will be considered for admissions review.

The assessment GPA is calculated based on a discounting, 15% when 90 credit hours of academic level courses are complete and 25% when 120 academic level courses are complete. - removal of the lowest discounted grades.  Regular applicants are initially selected using an admissions index, calculated using the applicant's LSAT score (40 percent) and the GPA (60 percent).  However, because the number of similarly qualified applicants is invariably high, we conduct a supplementary review of all files.

In establishing this category, UNB Law seeks to increase access to legal education and the legal profession by persons who have limited academic credentials but distinctive and sustained life achievement.  The goal is to enhance the opportunity for disadvantaged groups to acquire legal assistance from members of their own group and to increase the social and cultural diversity of the student body and the legal profession.

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Contact Information

PO Box 44271,
Fredericton, NB E3B 6C2,
Canada