College History
The College of Law was established as the third independent college at the University in 1912, with the first students being admitted in the academic year 1913-14. Professor Moxon and Dr. MacKay formed the nucleus of the faculty, other lecturers being drawn from the ranks of the local legal fraternity. On February 3rd, 1920, the Board of Governors formally appointed Professor Moxon as first Dean of the College. Prior to 1922, attendance at a law school had not been a requirement for admission to the Bar; however, in that year the Society's Rules changed by which they would require that a student seeking admission complete an LL.B. program or its equivalent in an accredited law school.
The College's first decade was spent in buildings downtown, although after 1922 the focus of legal education shifted from the law offices to the University. Throughout its early years, the University housed the College in several temporary locations, but in 1967 it moved into a new building designed to be its permanent home.
During the same period College programs began to expand. In 1968-69 the College began a graduate program leading to a LL.M. degree. As the result of a program aimed at providing legal advice to indigent persons, the Legal Assistance Clinic came into existence in June, 1970. In 1971 the College created a committee for legal education for Native people. The first summer course in Saskatchewan to prepare Native students for entrance into law schools across Canada was initiated in 1973. Moreover, the faculty undertook to organize a
Native Law Centre. The objectives of the Centre were to help in the development, adjustment and possible alteration of the law and the legal system in ways that would better accommodate the development of Native communities within Canadian society. The close relationship between the Law Society of Saskatchewan and the College was developed further in the spring of 1975. The Law Society created the office of Director of Continuing Legal Education (now known as the Saskatchewan Legal Education Society Inc.). This office is responsible for the development of continuing legal education and the administration of the Bar Admission Course.
In 1979 the College introduced a part-time program. In the same year, students embarked on a newly revised program of studies enabling them in second and third years to elect most of their courses. Curriculum changes in 1987 allowed for the upper year program to be totally elective with the only restriction for student choices being to certain group areas and with research and writing requirements. In 1990, the part-time program changed to allow upper-year students to complete a course load between a half load and a full load.
In 2008 the College completed a major expansion to its building as part of an on-going program of growth and renewal that will continue in the coming years.
The College counts among its many distinguished graduates people who have made important contributions provincially, nationally and internationally. The College can boast a prime minister, a governor-general, provincial premiers, many provincial and federal judges, and many business leaders.