Campus-Dalhousie

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Overview / Intro to School

Dalhousie Law School emphasizes a solid grounding in the fundamentals: an active interest in both the practical and academic aspects of legal education, and a fervent dedication to public and community service and volunteerism. Founded in 1883, Dalhousie Law School is the oldest University Common Law School in Canada, and one of the first such schools within the British Commonwealth. When the doors of Dalhousie Law School opened on October 30, 1883, legal education in Canada and the British Empire was changed forever.

The Law School’s Academic Tradition lies at the heart of Canadian legal academia. The academic model of legal education established by Dalhousie Law School was ultimately accepted and entrenched in all the common law provinces of Canada, and in many other parts of the British Commonwealth.

Dean Richard Chapman Weldon planned for a very different kind of law school – a place that stressed not just the “what and the how” of the practice of law, but also the “why” behind law’s place in society. Dean Weldon inspired a legal education that cultivated a greater understanding of law’s role in society. With this came a greater understanding of a lawyer’s obligation to contribute to the communities in which he or she lives and works. This approach, “The Weldon Tradition, is proudly carried on today.

Every day, in every classroom, and through the example of Dalhousie Law School Graduates and Alumni, Dean Weldon’s vision is practiced and honored.

Specialties / Programs

For more than a century, the Law School has been a leader in Canadian legal education and an innovator in research, law making, and public policy. A Dalhousie law degree emphasizes a solid grounding in the fundamentals, an active interest in both the practical and academic aspects of legal education, a dedication to public and community service and volunteerism.

Over the years, graduates of Dalhousie Law School have gone on to distinguished and influential careers in practice, education, public service, and policy-making. Dalhousie’s graduates are found in all parts of the world, at all levels of government and private practice, and are leaders of international organizations and agencies.

An LL.B degree from Dalhousie Law School ensures recognition and respect in all Canadian common-law jurisdictions. It opens the door for contribution to the proud traditions established by Dalhousie graduates on both the national and international stages.

Facilites and Resources

The Weldon Law Building
As a student at Dalhousie Law School, your home away from home will be the Weldon Law Building. All of your law classes are held in this modern, newly renovated facility, which is home to one of Canada’s finest legal libraries.

The Weldon Law Building sits on the main University campus. The design and function of the Weldon building reflect the collegial, people-focused academic environment at Dalhousie Law School. A welcoming, bright plaza leads to a main-floor atrium shared by the Law Building and the Sir James Dunn law library. You will grow comfortable with this open and quiet area, filled with students, staff and faculty as they go about their days. The atrium often plays host to Law School special events as well. Just off the atrium is the dedicated Law Student Lounge, with a cafeteria and common-use area. Offices of student publications like the Dalhousie Journal of Legal Studies, the Weldon Times, and the Yearbook are located just next door, and the Law Student Council office is just upstairs. Seminar rooms are located throughout the Weldon Law Building’s upper floors, along with study rooms and faculty offices. A wireless Internet connection serves all of the Weldon Law Building and the library.

Sir James Dunn Law Library
Situated on four bright, spacious floors of the Weldon Law Building is the Sir James Dunn Law Library. Dalhousie is proud to be home to one of the finest collections of legal reference material in Canada, located within a comfortable, modern research environment. The Sir James Dunn Library holds some 280,000 volumes, including excellent holdings of common law materials and legal periodicals. There is an extensive collection of international legal materials and fast growing sections of marine and environment law and criminology.

Like the rest of the Weldon Law Building, the library is an online wireless environment. In addition, more than 100 dedicated network ports are located throughout the building. Adjacent to the reference area on the main floor is the Information Commons. State-of-the-art computer workstations, printers and a scanning station are located here, along with a digital microfiche reader. Comfortable chairs and collaborative study tables round out this popular study environment.

Legal Resources
The library collection of some 280,000 volumes represents an astounding collection of legal information and resources.The Sir James Dunn Law Library’s mandate is threefold – to provide legal materials to meet the immediate instructional needs of the graduate and undergraduate law students, to support the advanced levels of faculty and graduate student research, and to develop the collection to anticipate future needs.

In addition to its fundamental role for study and research at Dalhousie, the Law Library is often looked to by legal scholars and students from throughout Eastern Canada. A basic working collection of statutes and case law for all Canadian jurisdictions. There is a basic collection of Commonwealth primary materials, journals and textbooks, and an extensive collection of international legal materials and fast growing sections of marine and environment law and criminology. Also on hand is a significant collection of rare law books, valued at over a half-million dollars and available for reference study. Library holdings are augmented by access to online databases and journals, and full access to the nearly limitless legal resources now available through the Internet.

Campus Within a Campus
The Weldon Law Building is our own little corner of one of the finest urban campuses in the world. Dalhousie is a community in and of itself, nestled in the south end of Halifax, one of the oldest and most envied locations in the city.

The Dalhousie Student Union Building is located a few steps away, and offers a full suite of student services. The Killam Memorial Library, Dalhousie’s main library, is also nearby, as is the world-class Dalplex athletic facility and all other services and facilities available to students. Affordable accommodation abounds in the area. Dalhousie’s network of heritage buildings is built around significant green spaces, and campus buildings intermingle with heritage residence buildings.

It is a wonderful place to call home.

Location - The City of Halifax

With a population of over 400,000 people, Halifax and the surrounding areas make up a truly special community. Halifax is clearly where the friendliness and community-based life of a small town meet the cultural and lifestyle benefits of Atlantic Canada’s largest city.

The largest of three intertwined communities in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Halifax is Atlantic Canada’s financial, legal and business centre, and one of the world’s best deepwater shipping ports. Green spaces abound, including North America’s first authentic Public Gardens, just steps from the Dalhousie University campus. The ocean is everywhere you look – part of the 7,400 kilometers of coastline earning Nova Scotia the moniker “Canada’s Seacoast.”

Founded in 1749, Halifax is steeped in history. It is one of North America’s oldest cities, and many buildings in the downtown core were built more than 150 years ago. In addition to Canada’s first Law School, Halifax was also home to Canada’s first newspaper – The Halifax Gazette – and North America’s first postal service.

As Atlantic Canada’s cultural centre, arts and entertainment options abound in Halifax. The City is home to the nationally acclaimed Neptune Theatre, and many concerts and events are hosted at the Halifax Metro Centre. The City offers a wide selection of art galleries and museums, including the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, the Nova Scotia Art Gallery, and the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History.

Restaurants, cafes, pubs and east coast hospitality thrive in Halifax’s cozy downtown. Dining options range from internationally respected fine dining rooms, to trendy cafes, to family-run businesses serving just plain good food. Halifax also has a strong local music scene that is respected across Canada.

Halifax is a place where ocean meets land, where culture meets community, where small town meets big city. For those seeking a culturally rich lifestyle in a city seemingly built for learning, Halifax is the place.

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