In a first for legal education in Canada, Osgoode Hall Law School of York University has launched a unique collection of one- and two-credit courses for students in the Juris Doctor (JD) program who want to gain more in-depth knowledge and skills in specific areas of legal practice.
Dean Trevor Farrow
Designed to complement the foundational knowledge provided by the core JD curriculum, professional skills micro-courses give students a head start on mastering the practical aspects and inevitable challenges from managing finances to building relationships with clients that are part of any legal career.
"As our JD students combine rigorous legal training with hands-on experience to prepare for their careers, it's important that they also learn to navigate the day-to-day realities of practising law," says Osgoode Dean Trevor Farrow. "In creating this innovative collection of micro-courses focused on specific professional skills, we're reinforcing Osgoode's long-time leadership in cutting-edge legal education."
Exploring a diverse range of career-focused topics
Osgoode has announced its inaugural offering of professional skills micro-courses for the JD program's 2024-25 academic year:
- AI and Technology in Legal Practice: An in-depth look at how artificial intelligence and other technological innovations are transforming the practice of law. Students will gain hands-on experience with applications from digital management tools to software enabling AI-assisted research, analysis, and decision-making support.
- Legal Practice Dynamics: Teaches the skills and strategies required to become a successful legal practitioner in any environment, whether at a firm, as part of a corporate team, or in the public sector.
- Mental Health, Wellness and the Legal Profession: Provides the analytical insights and practical tools needed to navigate mental health challenges in legal practice and to intervene, when appropriate, in a spirit of empathy and trust.
- Financial Literacy for Lawyers: Designed to help future lawyers gain a basic understanding of financial reporting and accounts, along with the ways such information can be leveraged in legal practice.
More micro-courses coming soon
Additional subjects in development include: juridical French, Indigenous languages, and client relations and communications. The common thread is providing knowledge and skills that JD graduates can apply immediately as they embark on their careers.
"At Osgoode, we don't draw a hard line between law school and the so-called real world,'" says Farrow. "Our JD program offers unrivaled opportunities to gain direct legal experience. And now these unique micro-courses enable students to start developing professional skills today that they'll use throughout their careers."
To learn more about professional skills micro-courses, visit Osgoode's website.
About Osgoode Hall Law School
Around 900 students are enrolled in Osgoode's three-year Juris Doctor (JD) program, including its joint and combined programs. The school's highly selective graduate LLM and PhD programs are among the most highly regarded in North America, and finest in the country. Osgoode's professional development courses and certificates offer degree and non-degree programming for Canadian and international lawyers, non-law professionals, firms and organizations.
Founded in 1889, Osgoode is one of Canada's largest and most respected law schools and a centre of influential legal research and thinking. The school's students, teachers and scholars share a common goal: to advance positive change in a world where rights are often contested, and justice can be complex. Throughout Osgoode's long history, the practice of law has always been seen as more than a means to an end. It's a journey that takes one from identifying the issues that matter to creating meaningful impact.
