Take the law into your hands

General public invited to learn the law through unique initiative at McGill University

McGill University is laying down the law this fall. Beginning in October, the Faculty of Law will be hosting Mini-Law, a new series of eight lectures that will provide an opportunity for the public to learn from top scholars on a range of legal topics, from human rights to contract law to corporate responsibility. Best of all, students will have no exams to write.

The Mini-Law series is the first of its kind in North America and is modeled after the hugely popular Mini-Med in the Faculty of Medicine, which has sold out every year since it was launched in 2001.

The Faculty of Law is drawing on its most dynamic speakers to offer a greater understanding of global legal issues and the language of law. Each weekly lecture will build on its predecessor, and seek to illustrate how law impacts society on many levels. Participants can also look forward to refreshments, a bilingual question and answer session, and an opportunity to chat with some of Canada’s most prominent legal scholars.

"We're really looking at this as an outreach venture," says Rosalie Jukier, a McGill law professor, who is one of the speakers and the organizer of the Mini-Law series. "Community outreach has long been one of the goals of McGill and our faculty."

The final lecture will be delivered December 8 by Dean Nicholas Kasirer, who will speak on "Family Law: Love and Money." Another expected highlight of Mini-Law is "Crime and Punishment ... Abridged," an overview of criminal law by Professor Patrick Healy.

A portion of the seats in Mini-Law are reserved for students who are interested in getting a taste of what is expected from a legal education. Other seats are reserved for seniors. All participants pay a nominal fee to attend Mini-Law, and "diplomas" will be presented to graduates at the end of the series.

The inaugural Mini-Law series commences on October 20 at 6 pm with former Dean Rod Macdonald addressing "What is Law? The Rules of Baseball and the Rule of Law." The following lectures will take place at the same time on subsequent Thursday evenings.

The new series was conceived by McGill Board of Governors member Kappy Flanders, and the series has received support from the McGill Alumni Association and from Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg, a Montreal law firm.

For more information on McGill Mini-Law, please consult the website.