Student responsibilities
Your success as a student at the College of Law is important to us and we aim to provide you with information and support to aid you as you work toward your law degree. As a student, you must take responsibility for understanding and doing what is required of you to achieve that success. Please feel free to ask us questions about anything that may be unclear. Our faculty and staff will always try to answer your questions, or point you in the right direction for the information you need.
Withdrawals: Should you decide not to attend USask College of Law, it is your responsibliity to notify the admissions officer of your decision. Non-attendance does not constitute cancellation. You will be charged for classes not officially cancelled, resulting in an "ABF" (Absent/Fail) assigned to your transcript as your final grade.
Get oriented
Incoming JD students will receive information on registering in 24-25 classes early-July 2024 via their PAWS email address.
Orientation for first-year JD students is scheduled for Tuesday September 3 & 4, 2024. In-person attendance is required. The Orientation Schedule will be posted and shared closer to.
First-year Law classes begin on Thursday September 5, 2024.
Connect with The Law Students’ Association (LSA) for student-to-student information.
Textbook orders can be placed through the bookstore at https://bookstore.usask.ca/students.php#MyTextbooks.
Once we have registered you in your courses/sections, you will also be able to log in through PAWS to view your textbooks under the "My Textbooks" channel.
The First-Year Welcoming Ceremony sponsored by McDougall Gauley LLP celebrates our incoming students and officially welcomes them to the college, the Juris Doctor (JD) program and the College of Law alumni community.
To view the livestream click HERE.
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2024 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm (appx. end time) at Convocation Hall (located in the Peter MacKinnon Building) at the University of Saskatchewan.
Students will need to arrive at Convocation Hall by 1:30pm on Wednesday, September 11. Students will gather in the Green Room, located upstairs. Remember to give yourself time to find the Peter MacKinnon Building and parking (if necessary).
Following the ceremony, all students and attendees are invited to a reception at Marquis Hall.
Gown Pickup – Gowns will be available for pickup in the law student lounge from 2:30pm until 3:00pm on September 10.
Contact Person: Katie Richard, Alumni Relations and Event Coordinator katie.richard@usask.ca
Katie will be sending out a memo with detailed information and instructions to all first year students following orientation. Please be sure to read through the memo and contact Katie if you have any questions.
WATCH: Past First-Year Welcoming Ceremony
First-year classes
The first-year law curriculum focuses chiefly on doctrinal case analysis and legal skills that help lawyers create and present legal arguments. The first-year courses are all listed below. In addition to your course work, you'll also participate in a mandatory one-week Dispute Resolution program in January that will introduce the communication and problem solving skills required for a successful lawyer-client relationship.
View your course and exam schedules here.
An introduction to the law of contracts, including formation of contractual obligations, consideration, privity, contract formalities, capacity, contractual terms, misrepresentation, mistake and remedies.
An introduction to criminal law including basic concepts, procedures and principles of criminal liability, physical and mental elements of a crime, common law and statutory defenses, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, capacity, justification, parties to offences, and specific offences.
A survey of the law of personal property. The forms and methods by which interests in personal property are created, used and transferred. A survey of English land law and its introduction to, and use in, Saskatchewan.
An introduction to tort law, the law that determines whether a person will be awarded compensation in a civil claim for harm or wrong done by another person. The course will review a range of torts, including intentional torts and detailed consideration of the tort of negligence. The history and theory of tort law, critical perspectives, and relevant policy issues will be discussed as appropriate.
An introduction to constitutional law including basic principles of federalism and of constitutional interpretation. The distribution of legislative power between Parliament and the Provincial Legislatures, Constitutional amendment and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms will be examined.
A course in Aboriginal people and the law, which includes the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal-Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.
An introduction to the methods of legal research and writing. Students will be required to complete a number of legal memoranda as well as bibliographical and research assignments. The first year moot court program forms part of this course.
In this course, students will learn about the continuum of dispute resolution processes and their comparative advantages; discuss and reflect on the professional roles of a lawyer, practice effective communication and negotiation skills; learn about client interviewing and counseling; consider ethical implications of the choices lawyers make; and experience problem-solving processes and how they have contributed to changes in systems of justice.
During first year, students must also complete the Dispute Resolution course requirement.Entrance Scholarships
This scholarship was established in 1991 by the will of the late Barrie Thomson, a former graduate and faculty member of the College of Law who originally farmed in the Eston, Sask., area. Incoming first-year students are invited to apply for the scholarship, valued at $2,700. Selection will be based on the following criteria:
- academic achievement with a minimum "second class" or "B" standing
- demonstrated past and continuing interest in the area of agriculture, either through previous university-level study or through practical experience gained by farming
Entering JD students will be invited to apply for this funding opportunity via PAWS in late-August.
The Mohinder Chadha Award in Law (valued at $2,000) will recognize and reward the volunteerism of a female Indigenous student who has successfully completed the Spring and Summer Law Courses for Indigenous Students at the University of Saskatchewan, and is accepted into first year of the Juris Doctor (JD) degree program in the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan.
Entering JD students will be invited to apply for this funding opportunity via PAWS in late-August.
The Robert L. Pierce and Eleanor D. Pierce Entrance Scholarship (valued at $2,000) will recognize the academic achievement of a student who graduated from a high school in rural Saskatchewan (defined as a city or town of less than 100,000 people), and is accepted into the first year of the Juris Doctor (JD) degree program in the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan.
Recipients are eligible to receive a renewal of this award for two additional years as long as they maintain a minimum average of 75% and remain in the College of Law.
Entering JD students will be invited to apply for this funding opportunity via PAWS in late-August.
- The Gary & Tammy Bugeaud Centennial Entrance Award – a min of $18,000
- William Elliott Scholarship - $6,000
- Law Society of Saskatchewan Scholarship - $6,000
- MLT Aikins LLP Scholarship in Law - $6,000
- Harris & Lauretta & Raymond Earl Parr Memorial Scholarship (2) - $6,000
- Morris and Jacqui Shumiatcher Scholarship in Law - $5,000
- Law Foundation of Saskatchewan 25th Anniversary Scholarship - $5,000
- Justice John H. Maher Memorial Scholarship - $5,000
- Thomas P. & Peter S. Deis WWII Memorial Scholarship - $5,000
- James M. Stevenson Entrance Scholarship - $5,000
- Philip Edward Mackenzie Entrance Scholarship - $5,000
Application-based Awards
- Rawlco Radio John Gormley Mature Student Award - $11,111.11
- J. Barrie Thomson Scholarship - $2,700
- Mohinder Chadha Memorial Award - $2,000
- Brian Crane-Gowling WLG Scholarship in Indigenous Law - $2,000
- Robert L. Pierce and Eleanor D. Pierce Entrance Scholarship – $2,000
- Black Law Student Association 1L Award - $1,500
Academic Success Program
The Academic Success Program (ASP) is designed to provide additional support to students who, due to language or cultural barriers, learning disabilities, and non-traditional pre-law studies may face challenges in building the skills to be successful in law school. The program is by invitation only, however any student who feels that they face challenges like those described is welcome to speak with the Associate Dean Acadmic or the ASP Professor about joining the program.