The Faculty of Law is a constituent faculty of McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec. Its graduates obtain both a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.), concurrently, in three to four years, allowing them to practise in the Canadian, U.S. and UK common law system as well as Quebec's civil law system.
The Faculty of Law was officially created in 1848.
With the incoming class of 1969 the Faculty added a stand-alone common law degree, suitable to the practice of law in other Canadian provinces, which could be taken individually or jointly with the traditional civilian curriculum. The joint degree was then referred to as the National Programme, and taught common law and civil law in separate courses, but combined their study in a year-long introductory "Foundations" course and in some upper-year seminars.
With the incoming class of 1999 the Faculty eliminated its civil, common, and National programs, and replaced them with a single program, which includes some mandatory first-year courses and some upper-year courses which integrate both common and civil law. This joint and bilingual degree, which all students must take, is now referred to as the Transsystemic program.
The Transsystemic program was created under the direction of former Dean Stephen Toope, whereby every student graduates with degrees in both civil law and common law. This means that, from the first year, courses now explore civil and common law concepts in close comparison. Students analyse and critically evaluate the two traditions, their histories, and their social, political, and cultural contexts. Undergraduate students may participate in international exchange programs, and in the International Courts and Tribunals Program, which in 2006 received a Scotiabank-AUCC Award for Excellence in Internationalization.
Irwin Cotler, human rights lawyer, MP for Mount Royal and Canadian Minister of JusticePaul-André Crépeau, responsible for drafting the new Civil Code of QuebecH. Patrick Glenn, comparative legal scholar and author of Legal Traditions of the WorldJulius Grey, Quebec human rights lawyerJohn Peters Humphrey, founding Director of the United Nations Human Rights division and principal drafter of the Universal Declaration of Human RightsNicholas Kasirer, scholar of civil law, comparative law, and law and language, Dean of the faculty 2004-2009, Quebec Court of Appeal judgeDavid Lametti, MP for LaSalle—Émard—Verdun and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International TradeW.C.J. Meredith, Q.C., D.C.L., special federal prosecutor at the trial of Fred Rose, for whom the Meredith Memorial Lectures are namedRoderick A. Macdonald, Dean of the Faculty (1984-1989) influential law reformer, scholar, teacher, mentor and Founding President of the Law Commission of CanadaYves-Marie Morrissette, civil and comparative law scholar, Quebec Court of Appeal judgeF. R. Scott, constitutional rights lawyer, civil libertarian, and poetWilliam Tetley, C.M., Q.C., LL. L., maritime law scholar, Quebec MNA for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and Cabinet MinisterStephen Toope, international law scholar, former President of the University of British ColumbiaDouglas Abbott, puisne justice of the Supreme Court of CanadaJohn Abbott, Prime Minister of CanadaMarie Deschamps, (LL.M.) puisne justice of the Supreme Court of CanadaKen Dryden, former Montreal Canadiens goaltender, cabinet minister and MP for York CentreMorris Fish, puisne justice of the Supreme Court of CanadaBrian Gallant, (LL.M.) Premier of New BrunswickDésiré Girouard, puisne justice of the Supreme Court of CanadaGerald Le Dain, puisne justice of the Supreme Court of CanadaCharles Gonthier, puisne justice of the Supreme Court of CanadaLouis-Philippe de Grandpré, puisne justice of the Supreme Court of CanadaHubert Lacroix, CEO and President of the Canadian Broadcasting CorporationSir Wilfrid Laurier, Prime Minister of CanadaJoël Lightbound, MP for Louis-HébertYves Fortier, Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations and President of the United Nations Security CouncilPierre-Basile Mignault, puisne justice of the Supreme Court of CanadaJoe Oliver, former MP for Eglinton—Lawrence, Minister of Finance and Minister of Natural ResourcesThibaudeau Rinfret, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of CanadaEdward Stuart McDougall, judge on the International Military Tribunal for the Far EastThomas Mulcair, Leader of the NDP, MP for Outremont, former Quebec MNA for Chomedy and Minister of EnvironmentMax M. Teitelbaum, (B.C.L.) puisne justice of the Federal Court of CanadaDavid Lawee - Partner and founder of Google Capital
