Law
This program emphasizes law and society. Areas of focus include:
- Indigenous legal orders and aboriginal law
- constitutional law
- environmental law and policy
- employment and labour law
- international law
- commercial law
- family law
- tax law
- social justice and public law
Potential careers
What can you do with a law degree? Here are a few jobs that relate to the program:
- lawyer
- judge
- politician
- arbitrator
- mediator
- editor
- policy analyst
- investigator
- patent agent
- human resources officer
- consultant
- settlement specialist
- negotiator
- researcher
- teacher or instructor
Some of these roles may require post-graduate studies or training.
Find a career that fits you
- Explore your career options at an appointment with a career educator.
- Attend career development workshops as you search for work.
- Take part in the Career Clarity program to generate career ideas and plan your next steps.
Experience & connections
Opportunities in the law program
- With the Co-op Program you can alternate study with paid work.
- The Law Careers Office provides career counselling and support to law students.
Opportunities outside your program
- With a work study position you can develop skills during your study term.
- Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community while you build skills.
Networks you can connect to
Here are a few professional associations related to law:
Hands-on learning opportunities
Clinics
The Faculty of Law offers a number of clinical programs.
Course-based
Field experience, field school, research and exchange opportunities are available. Find more information about law course offerings at the course planning and registration site.
Co-op
Co-op work terms
Alternate academic study with paid work terms to gain workplace experience
What you'll learn
Every student at UVic builds skills all employers look for. At UVic Co-op & Career we call these "competencies". This is what you’ll learn in the law program.
Legal knowledge and skills
- understand the Canadian and British Columbian legal systems
- understand the Canadian constitutional system
- understand the structure of the courts and the role of the judiciary
- understand substantive and procedural law
- investigate the administrative process, the development of tribunals and agencies and the interaction of these bodies with the courts
- understand the legislative process and the interpretation of legislation
- understand criminal law, private law and administrative law
- understand the major disputing processes, including mediation, negotiation and adjudication
- use basic legal research techniques and tools
- write legal documents using proper citation
- develop an oral argument
Contextual knowledge
- understand the social, economic, historical, philosophical and cultural contexts in which our legal system has developed and continues to evolve
- understand the role of the legal profession and the law in society
- understand the relationship between law and government
- understand of the role of law in economic and social ordering
- understand the barriers to the legal system and issues around access to justice
Specialized legal training and skills
- understand administrative law, civil procedure and evidence
- understand environmental law, corporate law, international law and comparative law
- understand Indigenous legal issues and the need for the Canadian legal community to better understand and focus on them
- get clinical experience, substantive legal knowledge and legal skills through the Environmental Law Centre, the Business Law Centre and the Law Centre
- do legal writing, including drafting memos and opinion letters
- advocate, interview, counsel and negotiate