Academic Calendar - 2024
Western University Academic Calendar. - 2024
Areas of Concentration
Areas of Concentration are available in Business Law, and Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law. The Area of Concentration programs require a student to complete a research paper in the pertinent area. The Area of Concentration research paper must meet the criteria of the Faculty’s writing requirement necessary for graduation, and may be used to fulfil that requirement. Students may, with the approval of both Directors and course instructors, complete a paper that satisfies the writing requirements in two Areas of Concentration where the paper is worth 3 or 4 credits. Approval will not be given where a student proposes to take a 4-weight course with a paper comprising 50% of the course evaluation. Students who complete an area of concentration within the JD program will have a notation, e.g., "Area of Concentration: Business Law", included on their transcripts. Students who fulfill the requirements of more than one Area of Concentration shall have a notation for all such successfully completed concentrations included on their transcripts.
Business Law
The Area of Concentration: Business Law is designed to help interested students within the JD program develop broad knowledge and focused expertise in business law and policy. JD students who complete the Area of Concentration: Business Law will have the notation "Area of Concentration: Business Law" included on their transcripts. In order to receive the notation, a student must, by the end of the final add-drop period of the winter semester in third year, inform the Director of the area of concentration of the student’s intention to complete the program. There will be no limit on numbers eligible for this area of concentration.
All students in the Area of Concentration: Business Law must successfully complete a research paper in the business law area on a topic approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration, as well as a prescribed number of designated business law courses. The following courses are required: Corporate Law, Income Taxation, Securities Regulation and Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders. A specified number of additional credits must be chosen by the student from a large set of business law courses to complete the Area of Concentration. Detailed information is made available to current law students in Lawsys.
In addition to these requirements, all students in the Area of Concentration: Business Law are required to complete the following courses:
Module One: Mandatory Courses
All of the following:
Law 5210A/C/D - Corporate Law -- 4 credits
Law 5220A/C/D - Income Taxation -- 4 credits
Law 5560A/D - Securities Regulation -- 3 credits
Law 5455A/C/D - Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders -- 4 credits
Note: Students are encouraged to take Corporate Law in the first term of second year.
Module Two: Commercial and Insolvency Law
One of the following:
Law 5505A/D - Bankruptcy and Insolvency Law -- 3 credits
Law 5510A/C/D - Commercial Law -- 4 credits
Law 5515A/D - Corporate Reorganizations -- 3 credits
---- January Term/Special Topic Course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration) -- 4 credits
Module Three: Business Law Electives
At least three credits from the following:
Law 5540A/D - Advanced Corporate Law -- 2 credits
Law 5500A/D - Banking Law -- 2 credits
Law 5545A/D - Case Studies in Business Law -- 6 credits
Law 5550A/D - Competition Law -- 3 credits
Law 5555A/D - Corporate Finance -- 2 credits
Law 5650A/D - Employment Law -- 3 credits
Law 5565A/D - Insurance Law -- 3 credits
Law 5558A/C/D - Securities Law: Concepts and Practice -- 4 credits
Law 5715C - Appellate Advocacy Competition (Corporate/Securities competition only) -- 4 credits
---- MBA course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration)
---- January Term/Special Topic Course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration) -- 4 credits
Module Four: The Global Environment
One of the following:
Law 5665A/C/D - Conflict of Laws -- 4 credits
Law 5640A/C/D - International Business Transactions -- 4 credits
Law 5670A/C/D - International Commercial Litigation -- 4 credits
Law 5435A/C/D - International Tax -- 4 credits
Law 5635A/C/D - International Trade Law -- 4 credits
---- January Term/Special Topic Course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration) -- 4 credits
---- MBA course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration)
Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law
The Area of Concentration: Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law is designed for students interested in intellectual property, information and technology issues. It allows students to develop knowledge and skills in the area.
Students who complete the Area of Concentration: Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law within the JD program will have the notation "Area of Concentration: Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law" included on their transcripts. In order to receive the notation, a student must, by the end of the final add-drop period of the winter semester in third year, inform the Director of the area of concentration of the student's intention to complete the program.
If the Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law research paper is done other than as part of a select group of courses, its topic must be pre-approved by both the Director of the Area of Concentration and the relevant course instructor/faculty supervisor.
Students in this Area of Concentration are required to complete the following course:
Law 5200A/C/D - Administrative Law -- 4 credits
Law 5625A/C/D - Intellectual Property -- 4 credits
Law 5630A/D - International Protection of Intellectual Property -- 3 credits
Plus at least ONE course from each of the following groups:
Group 1:
Law 5665A/C/D - Conflict of Laws -- 4 credits
Law 5670A/C/D - International Commercial Litigation -- 4 credits
Group 2:
Law 5600A/D - Advanced Intellectual Property -- 3 credits
Law 5610A/D - Advanced Patent Law -- 2 credits
---- January Term/Special Topic Course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration)
Group 3:
Law 5615A/D - Biotechnology Law -- 3 credits
Total required credits = 20-22; 16-18 without Administrative Law
Areas of Concentration
Areas of Concentration are available in Business Law, and Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law. The Area of Concentration programs require a student to complete a research paper in the pertinent area. The Area of Concentration research paper must meet the criteria of the Faculty’s writing requirement necessary for graduation, and may be used to fulfil that requirement. Students may, with the approval of both Directors and course instructors, complete a paper that satisfies the writing requirements in two Areas of Concentration where the paper is worth 3 or 4 credits. Approval will not be given where a student proposes to take a 4-weight course with a paper comprising 50% of the course evaluation. Students who complete an area of concentration within the JD program will have a notation, e.g., "Area of Concentration: Business Law", included on their transcripts. Students who fulfill the requirements of more than one Area of Concentration shall have a notation for all such successfully completed concentrations included on their transcripts.
Business Law
The Area of Concentration: Business Law is designed to help interested students within the JD program develop broad knowledge and focused expertise in business law and policy. JD students who complete the Area of Concentration: Business Law will have the notation "Area of Concentration: Business Law" included on their transcripts. In order to receive the notation, a student must, by the end of the final add-drop period of the winter semester in third year, inform the Director of the area of concentration of the student’s intention to complete the program. There will be no limit on numbers eligible for this area of concentration.
All students in the Area of Concentration: Business Law must successfully complete a research paper in the business law area on a topic approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration, as well as a prescribed number of designated business law courses. The following courses are required: Corporate Law, Income Taxation, Securities Regulation and Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders. A specified number of additional credits must be chosen by the student from a large set of business law courses to complete the Area of Concentration. Detailed information is made available to current law students in Lawsys.
In addition to these requirements, all students in the Area of Concentration: Business Law are required to complete the following courses:
Module One: Mandatory Courses
All of the following:
Law 5210A/C/D - Corporate Law -- 4 credits
Law 5220A/C/D - Income Taxation -- 4 credits
Law 5560A/D - Securities Regulation -- 3 credits
Law 5455A/C/D - Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders -- 4 credits
Note: Students are encouraged to take Corporate Law in the first term of second year.
Module Two: Commercial and Insolvency Law
One of the following:
Law 5505A/D - Bankruptcy and Insolvency Law -- 3 credits
Law 5510A/C/D - Commercial Law -- 4 credits
Law 5515A/D - Corporate Reorganizations -- 3 credits
---- January Term/Special Topic Course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration) -- 4 credits
Module Three: Business Law Electives
At least three credits from the following:
Law 5540A/D - Advanced Corporate Law -- 2 credits
Law 5500A/D - Banking Law -- 2 credits
Law 5545A/D - Case Studies in Business Law -- 6 credits
Law 5550A/D - Competition Law -- 3 credits
Law 5555A/D - Corporate Finance -- 2 credits
Law 5650A/D - Employment Law -- 3 credits
Law 5565A/D - Insurance Law -- 3 credits
Law 5558A/C/D - Securities Law: Concepts and Practice -- 4 credits
Law 5715C - Appellate Advocacy Competition (Corporate/Securities competition only) -- 4 credits
---- MBA course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration)
---- January Term/Special Topic Course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration) -- 4 credits
Module Four: The Global Environment
One of the following:
Law 5665A/C/D - Conflict of Laws -- 4 credits
Law 5640A/C/D - International Business Transactions -- 4 credits
Law 5670A/C/D - International Commercial Litigation -- 4 credits
Law 5435A/C/D - International Tax -- 4 credits
Law 5635A/C/D - International Trade Law -- 4 credits
---- January Term/Special Topic Course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration) -- 4 credits
---- MBA course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration)
Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law
The Area of Concentration: Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law is designed for students interested in intellectual property, information and technology issues. It allows students to develop knowledge and skills in the area.
Students who complete the Area of Concentration: Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law within the JD program will have the notation "Area of Concentration: Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law" included on their transcripts. In order to receive the notation, a student must, by the end of the final add-drop period of the winter semester in third year, inform the Director of the area of concentration of the student's intention to complete the program.
If the Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law research paper is done other than as part of a select group of courses, its topic must be pre-approved by both the Director of the Area of Concentration and the relevant course instructor/faculty supervisor.
Students in this Area of Concentration are required to complete the following course:
Law 5200A/C/D - Administrative Law -- 4 credits
Law 5625A/C/D - Intellectual Property -- 4 credits
Law 5630A/D - International Protection of Intellectual Property -- 3 credits
Plus at least ONE course from each of the following groups:
Group 1:
Law 5665A/C/D - Conflict of Laws -- 4 credits
Law 5670A/C/D - International Commercial Litigation -- 4 credits
Group 2:
Law 5600A/D - Advanced Intellectual Property -- 3 credits
Law 5610A/D - Advanced Patent Law -- 2 credits
---- January Term/Special Topic Course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration)
Group 3:
Law 5615A/D - Biotechnology Law -- 3 credits
Total required credits = 20-22; 16-18 without Administrative Law