University of New Brunswick Faculty of Law
The information on this page was provided by the law school.
Official Guide to Canadian JD Programs
Our limited enrolment and small class sizes create an intimate and supportive learning environment that many students find ideal. With an annual intake of just over 90 students, UNB Law has developed a reputation as an outstanding Canadian law school that offers a warm atmosphere which allows students to form close relationships with peers and professors. 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.
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.
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.
Legal Innovation Lab
The Legal Innovation Laboratory at UNB Law is dedicated to the study of law, technology, and access to justice.
The principal aim of the Laboratory is to study participatory policy-making methods in e-justice design to enhance access to justice in New Brunswick. The research team focuses specifically on bilingual and multilingual communities in the Atlantic Canada region.
We undertake research projects focused on the digital transformation of justice systems in New Brunswick. Our research projects explore how to resolve some of the tensions that are arising from the digitization of justice systems, such as privacy, security and accessibility.
UNB Law Journal
First published in 1947, the University of New Brunswick Law Journal/Revue de droit de l'Université du Nouveau-Brunswick is one of the oldest student-run legal publications in Canada and has a circulation of 1,100 copies.
The journal is an annual refereed publication devoted to the consideration of current legal issues, problems and philosophies through the presentation of articles, research notes, comments and reviews. It has a broad circulation with distribution including students and faculty, members of the Bar and law libraries worldwide. In addition, the journal is accessible through WestlawNext Canada, Quicklaw, and HeinOnline.
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
Tuition and Aid
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition |
$15,260.00
|
| Fees |
$1,088.00
|
| Expected Cost of Attendance |
$21,000.00
|
Scholarships, Prizes and Financial Aid:
Applicants for admission to the first year of the law program are automatically considered for many of the scholarships administrated by the Faculty of Law, some scholarships will require an application.
First year students may apply for the Lord Beaverbrook Scholarships - Three scholarships are awarded each year. Currently each scholarship has a maximum value of $54,000 ($18,000 per year).
Scholarships, prizes and bursaries will be awarded to upper year students.
For more information on the list of scholarships and financial aid opportunities please visit:
Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers
All eligible applicants are assessed in the Regular category. Applicants may also request and select assessment in the Discretionary (diversity, significant achievement, or disability) or Indigenous categories. Applicants applying in the Regular category must meet the minimum academic requirements of completion of a degree from a recognized Canadian or non Canadian university or be in their final year of a four year degree of full time academic study.
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 the Discretionary 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.
In establishing the Indigenous category, UNB Law seeks to further justice by improving access to legal education and the legal profession for Indigenous applicants; enhancing legal services to First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities and organizations; and increasing the social and cultural diversity of the student body and the legal profession.