JD Program

The Juris Doctorate (JD) program challenges you to think critically, ask difficult questions, and approach legal problems from multiple perspectives. You will engage with diverse viewpoints and connect legal solutions to broader ethical principles. As you build a strong foundation in legal fundamentals, you will also have the flexibility to shape your own path, gaining practical experience and expanding your career possibilities.

ZeroL

Your journey begins with ZeroL, Osgoode’s academic orientation. Completed online in the summer before 1L, this mandatory, self-paced program introduces core legal concepts and prepares you for the expectations of law school. It ensures you arrive ready to engage fully, starting at Day 1.

First-Year Courses (Mandatory)

In first year, you will complete a structured set of required courses that establish the foundations of legal study:

• Ethical Lawyering in a Global Community
• Public and Constitutional Law
• Tort Law
• Contract Law
• Criminal Law
• Introductory Lawyering Skills
• Legal Process
• Property Law
• Perspective Option seminar

Choice Shouldn’t Have to Wait Until Graduation

In your upper years, you will build a program of study that reflects your interests and goals. You can choose how to earn credit through lectures, seminars, research papers, clinical programs, journal work, graduate courses in other faculties, or international exchanges.

Upper-Year Course Offerings

Mandatory

• Administrative Law

Extensive Options

Courses are offered across a wide range of areas, including business law, constitutional and administrative law, family law, health law, human rights law, Indigenous law, intellectual property law, labour law, legal information technology, legal theory, natural resources law, property law, regulatory law, social justice, equality and the law, taxation law, and transnational law. See the full range of courses and seminars.

Specialized Streams

Students may focus their studies through one of four optional curricular streams:

• International, Comparative and Transnational Law
• Labour and Employment Law
• Litigation, Dispute Resolution and the Administration of Justice
• Tax Law

Joint Programs

You can expand your studies through joint and combined degree programs:

• Hennick Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration (JD/MBA) with the Schulich School of Business
• Juris Doctor/Master of Environmental Studies (JD/MES) with the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change
• Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in Philosophy (JD/MA) with the Department of Philosophy
• Juris Doctor/Bachelor of Law (Civil) (JD/LLB (Civil)) with the Université de Montréal, Faculté de Droit

Enrichment Activities

The JD program offers opportunities beyond the classroom, including summer internships, research collaborations, student leadership, and editorial roles with Osgoode-based law journals.

Global Reach

Students interested in international work will find a range of opportunities at Osgoode. You can pursue the International, Comparative and Transnational Law (ICT) stream, participate in intensive programs, or gain experience through international internships and partnerships.