ASU Law School Creates North American Law Degree to Prepare Graduates to Practise in U.S. and Canada

TEMPE, Ariz. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - The J.D. at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law will now prepare students from the U.S. and Canada to seek bar admission in both countries, expanding the job market for new attorneys and creating new opportunities for international law practice.

The North American Law Degree will allow students to graduate, within three years, with a J.D. designed to allow them to immediately seek licensure in Canada without further coursework, in addition to qualifying them for bar admission in the U.S., making the College of Law's J.D. program unique among U.S. law schools. Dean Douglas Sylvester, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada and a graduate of both Canadian and U.S. schools of higher education, believes the degree will be an invaluable opportunity for future attorneys.

"I have seen firsthand the benefits of obtaining higher education and skills that are applicable to the legal and business environments in both countries," Sylvester said. "We expect our North American Law Degree will increase the diversity of our student body and attract students interested in dual bar admission. We are confident the program will prove attractive to a large and growing segment of Canadian companies and law firms looking to hire attorneys who will be authorized to practise law in both Canada and the United States. We intend to work closely with the Federation of Law Societies of Canada to ensure our program meets the highest standards for Canadian licensure."