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#UBC-UH Joint Legal Education Program

The University of British Columbia Faculty of Law (UBC Law) and the University of Hawai’i at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law Joint Legal Education Program is the result of an agreement entered into by UBC Law and the Law School in 2009.

Students who successfully complete the program will receive a JD degree from UBC and a JD degree from the Law School.

Course Selection Guidance for University of Hawai’i Students Participating in the University of British Columbia / University of Hawai’i Joint Legal Education Program

Advising Information

Students from the University of Hawai’i (UH) who accept an offer of admission from the University of British Columbia (UBC) for 2013 entry into the Joint Legal Education Program should review this information sheet and contact Assistant Dean Kaila Mikkelsen (mikkelsen@law.ubc.ca ; Tel. 604.822.6350) with any questions about course requirements and advising.

Program of Study for Students beginning their law study at UH

UH students should have completed at UH at least four terms of full-time study with at least 60 credits including the “First Year Curriculum,” Constitutional Law I, Professional Responsibility, Second Year Seminar and 2 credits of skills or clinic courses. UH students are also required to complete 40 hours of pro bono work (volunteer service) at either UH or UBC.

How to Apply

First Year Course Requirements

The Federation of Law Societies of Canada (the “Federation”) requires that accredited JD programs provide students with knowledge of Canadian law and the Canadian legal system in a number of areas. Accordingly, UH students must take the following first year classes at UBC:

1. LAW 100 Constitutional Law (Term 1 2; 6 credits);
2. LAW 120 Criminal Law Procedure (Term 1 2; 5 credits);
3. LAW 160 Public Law (Term 1 Only; 2 credits); and
4. LAW 180 Legal Research Writing (Term 1 only; 2 credits) – UH students may be able to waive this requirement if they can show they have taken a legal research and writing course at UH where they have engaged with the types of legal research resources that reflect the Canadian context (e.g. precedent-based research).

Upper Year Course Requirements

UH students must also take the following upper year classes at UBC (note that an *asterisk denotes that Canadian content is required for courses as per the Federation’s guidelines):

Federation required courses

1. *LAW 210 Administrative Law (3 credits);
2. *LAW 468 Ethics and Professionalism (3 credits);
3. LAW 230 Business Organizations (3 or 4 credits) - UH students may be able to waive this course requirement if they can show they have taken a course which covers legal and fiduciary concepts in commercial relationships as Canadian content is not required by the Federation.

UBC required courses

1. LAW 290 Jurisprudence and Critical Theory (3 credits) - UH students may be able to waive this course requirement if they can show they have taken a similar course at UH.
2. UH students will also be required to complete a Seminar (which incorporates a substantial academic writing requirement) (4 credits).

Course Registration Information

UH students will be automatically enrolled in required first-year classes in August by Academic Services Staff. When registering for upper-years courses, UH students should ensure not to register in any course which has a timetable conflict with any of their first year courses. Admitted students will be able to register commencing July 15, 2014.

UH Native Hawaiian students are welcome to participate in UBC’s Indigenous Legal Studies Program.

UBC requires a student to acquire a minimum of 92 credits of which 34 credits will be accepted from UH. UBC requires a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 34 credits per year. Each year consists of two consecutive terms in each of which a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 18 credits shall be taken.

UBC Students

UBC law students will complete the first two years of their UBC J.D. degree at UBC and, if admitted by UH to the program, they will subsequently attend UH for two years. After successful completion of the first year at UH, UBC will award them their UBC J.D. degree.  After successful completion of the second year at UH, UH will award them their UH J.D. degree. Up to five UBC Law students may be admitted to the program each year and the admission process is handled by UH.

Eligibility and Application Process

1. You must take at least 30 total credits in second year at UBC Law.
2. Up to five UBC Law students a year will be accepted by UH into the program (application made in your second year of studies at UBC).
3. To apply, you must complete the free electronic application for the UH-UBC Joint Legal Education Program via LSAC before May 1, Midnight HST.  It will become available on March 1.
4. Applications consist of:
   • Personal Statement:  Compose a 500-word personal statement on a subject of your choice.
   • Résumé: Write a résumé detailing your education, extracurricular activity, professional experience, and community service.
   • Addendum:   Outline your background and goals and how the joint program will be beneficial to you in an addendum.
   • Additional Application Materials. Sent directly to the Admissions Office at UH Law School. (Do not use the LSAC Credential Assembly Service):

Admissions Office

William S. Richardson School of Law

2515 Dole Street

Honolulu, HI 96822-2350

1. Letter of Permission from the UBC Law stating you are a student in good standing and eligible to participate in the joint legal education program (sent by UBC Law to UH)
2. Two academic letters of reference from professors  (UH strongly recommends that at least one letter be from a law school professor) (sent by the professors to UH)
3. All undergraduate and graduate/professional transcripts (sent from the educational institutions to UH)
4. Copy of your LSAT report and writing sample (sent by UBC Law to UH)

Tuition and Costs

The Joint Legal Education program is not an exchange program. Rather you are registered for two years at UBC where you pay UBC Law fees and then for your final two years (four semesters) at UH where you pay UH fees as a non resident student.  See http://www.law.hawaii.edu/tuition .  The estimated living costs per year at UH are approximately US$16,000 (books, housing, personal expenses and transportation).  For further information, see http://www.law.hawaii.edu/cost-attendance .

Law students will be considered automatically on admission for scholarships based on need and merit on admission.

Please note that all monetary amounts mentioned in this document are subject to change.

Contact

Any questions about admission to the UH part of the program should be directed to Elisabeth Steele Hutchison, Director of Admissions at esteele@hawaii.edu or (808) 956-5557. You may contact Associate Dean for Student Services Ronette Kawakami at ronettek@hawaii.edu with questions about the academic program at UH.

If you have questions about your two years at UBC Law, please contact Kaila Mikkelsen, Assistant Dean, Students, mikkelsen@law.ubc.ca .   A UBC law third year student who is currently finishing her first year at UH is also happy to answer questions from UBC law students.  To contact her, please email Elisabeth Steele Hutchison at esteele@hawaii.edu .