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Diploma in Legal Studies
If you want to study law as an academic subject at the college level, the two-year, 60-credit Diploma in Legal Studies is a great choice. This program will be of interest to students who may be thinking of attending law school one day, students who feel some legal knowledge will be beneficial in whatever career they choose, and students who simply have a general interest in law as an area of study in the liberal arts.
The Diploma in Legal Studies is the only one of its kind offered in British Columbia and is fully university transferable (note: it is not a paralegal program or a legal secretary program).
Program details
The Diploma in Legal Studies consists of 12 mandatory courses (36 credits) that cover a wide range of law and legal system courses including the administration of justice, business law, criminal law, criminal procedure and evidence, public law (including immigration and human rights law), constitutional law, and private law (torts, contracts, property). The program also offers an exposure to legal research skills, legal remedies, and the basic principles of legal reasoning. In keeping with the liberal arts basis of the program, students must take eight elective courses (24 credits) outside of their law and legal system courses. All law courses in the program are taught by faculty members with law degrees who have first hand experience in the legal system.
Interested students can apply online now for entry to the Diploma in Legal Studies program. For more information on courses and requirements visit the Calendar or contact Graeme Bowbrick, Program Coordinator, at bowbrickg@douglascollege.ca
Faculty listing
The following are some of the faculty members who teach law courses in the Diploma in Legal Studies program:
Graeme Bowbrick, LLB (Victoria), QC (LLM candidate)
Experience as a private practitioner and in government as a cabinet minister and MLA. Held several positions in government including Attorney General of BC and Minister of Advanced Education. Interests include development and implementation of public policy in the criminal justice system. Substantive law interests include constitutional law, criminal law, civil law, human rights and civil liberties.
Cynthia Fulton, LLB (Victoria)
Experience in labour and administrative law as counsel to the BC Labour Relations Board and in criminal prosecutions as Crown Counsel with the BC Ministry of the Attorney General, as well as in private practice. Interests include criminal law, the administration of justice, constitutional law and mentally ill offenders.
Kathy Hunter, LLB (Dalhousie)
Experienced private practitioner and Crown counsel in the area of criminal law. Areas of interest include criminal and constitutional law, evidence, civil liberties, and young offenders.
Noah Neaman, LLM (London School of Economics and Political Science)
Experienced as a private practitioner, courtroom duty counsel and criminal defense, Sierra Legal Defense Fund and Law Courts Education Society. Areas of interest include human rights, international law and criminal and civil law.
Michael Sporer, LLB (Alberta)
Law and Liberty, Private Law, Constitutional Law
Areas of interest: eco-criminology (green criminology), environmental law, youth justice, and research methods
604-527-5841 or sporerm@douglascollege.ca
Professional experience as a civil litigator with an emphasis on tort litigation. Has previously served on the Executive of the Trial Lawyers' Association of British Columbia and served on the Judicial Advisory Committee for British Columbia (2009-2011). Recognized as a Master Advocate by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and a long time member of the Editorial Board of the Verdict. Primary academic interests include the relationship between law and liberty, the moral and legal limits of state power and the history and future of freedom in the West.
