Appendix D:

 
The following is a short summary of the admissions policies of Canadian common law schools, as they relate to accommodating applicants with disabilities. Each faculty determines its own admissions guidelines and there is no national standard defining qualified students. Individuals with disabilities may apply as regular applicants or in a discretionary category, where one is available. There is no requirement that students with disabilities must apply in a discretionary stream, although this is generally recommended if the nature and extent of the disability had a significant impact on undergraduate performance. This strategy would help to ensure that the application will be considered in light of all relevant factors. Most of the information below was obtained from university and faculty of law web sites and from the LSAT Registration and Information Book, Canadian Edition, 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 (available from the Law School Admissions Council).

Note that this compilation reports statements made by the institutions concerning the quality of their equity programs and disability accommodations. Some comparative data may be lacking because it was not made available on the institution's website. The opinions expressed regarding each law school or university are those of the institution itself and have not been independently verified.

The University of Alberta encourages applications from students with disabilities and invites them to self-identify. There is at present (in early 2000) no specific recruitment program or special category for applicants with disabilities. (The Faculty does have an equity program for Aboriginal students.)

The UBC Faculty of Law offers three admissions categories for first year students: Regular Applicants, Discretionary Applicants, and First Nations Applicants. A limited number of positions in first year are reserved for Discretionary applicants. The Admissions Committee may take into account physical disabilities, learning disabilities or any other factors which the Discretionary applicant wishes the Committee to consider. These special circumstances are considered in the context of the applicant’s other achievements and experience. Discretionary applicants should be residents of British Columbia and are required to submit a biographical resume detailing any special factors with supporting documentation (such as medical reports) in order for their file to be evaluated. Each application is considered individually on its own merits. The UBC Faculty of Law admits up to ten part-time students each year where they demonstrate special needs such as disability or health problems that prevent them from undertaking a full course load. Students admitted to the part-time program must complete half the normal course load each academic year. The Faculty of Law admits 196 students to first year from all admissions categories.

There are no separate admissions categories, although the Admissions Committee considers a number of factors, including academic record, LSAT performance, evidence of maturity, the applicant’s personal statement of why he or she desires a legal education and letters of reference. Some applicants may be required to attend an interview in Calgary at their own expense and often on short notice. The Faculty of Law states that persons with physical disabilities who meet the [admissions] criteria are encouraged to apply and, once admitted, will accommodate students in accordance with the University policy. There is no mention of students with non-physical disabilities and it is unclear how far this disability accommodation policy extends. No mention is made of learning disabilities or mental disabilities.

The Faculty of Law admits 66 students to first year. No more than three part-time students are admitted to each year and are required to provide documentation of exceptional circumstances, personal health problems or any other personal hardship, disadvantage or special challenge.

The Faculty of Law admits first-year students in five categories: Regular, Special Status, Mature, Applicants to Indigenous Blacks, Mi’kmaq Programme and Native Applicants. While there is no special admissions category for applicants with disabilities, applicants are required to submit a personal information statement and are encouraged to indicate any exceptional circumstances that they wish the Admissions Committee to consider, including disability or health problems. The Faculty reserves limited places in first-year for part-time students who demonstrate that, because of extenuating circumstances (such as disability) they are unable to fulfil the demands of full-time studies.

The Faculty admits approximately 150 students per year. There is no special admissions category for students with disabilities, but the Faculty strives to promote diversity and considers many factors. Candidates are chosen on the basis of academic records, linguistic abilities (French and English), personal statements, community and extra-curricular activities and letters of reference. All candidates must have "substantial" reading ability in both English and French because of McGill’s comparative, bilingual environment. Applicants may apply for part-time studies where they demonstrate that full-time study is impractical due to compelling reasons such as disability or health problems. Candidates seeking admission to the part-time program must satisfy all ordinary entrance requirements.

The UNB Faculty of Law admits first year students in three categories: Regular, Discretionary and Aboriginal. An applicant may request consideration in more than one category. The Discretionary category seeks to increase access to legal education and the legal profession and enhance the diversity of the law school and the legal profession. However, discretion is exercised only where there is a clear indication that the applicant will be successful at law school. Where an applicant wishes the Admissions Committee to consider a disability, he or she must submit a personal statement explaining the disability, along with supporting (medical) documentation. Applicants in all categories must provide autobiographical information.

The Common Law Section is committed to promoting academic diversity and considers many factors in addition to undergraduate performance and LSAT score. There are three admissions categories: General, Mature, and Aboriginal. While there is no special category for applicants with disabilities, personal success in overcoming challenges such as physical or learning disabilities are given significant weight by the Admissions Committee. Although there is no minimum LSAT score for Discretionary applicants, those with a score below the 40 percentile are rarely admitted. A limited number of part-time students are admitted each year. There are 120 first-year places in the English program.

The admissions policies of the Faculty are designed so that people with varied personal circumstances and life experiences have access to legal education. There are two admissions categories: Educational Achievement (General) and Life Experiences and Perspectives of Special Value to Law and Legal Education. The latter provides for eligibility based on attributes other than, or in addition to, undergraduate educational performance and includes disability. There are up to six places reserved in first year for applicants who demonstrate that, because of personal circumstances (such as disability or health problems), they are unable to attend full-time studies.

There are three admissions categories: Regular, Mature, and Aboriginal. While there is no special category for students with disabilities, each applicant’s file is reviewed on an individual basis and in comparison to others in the group. Applicants are required to submit personal statements supporting their application and are encouraged to identify factors such as disability that they wish the Admissions Committee to consider. Up to five candidates from all admissions categories who otherwise meet admissions criteria may be admitted to the half-time program, if they are able to demonstrate they are unable to attend school full-time because of such factors as a health problem or disability. There are 170 first-year places.

The Law Faculty admits 100 students in the first year program and offers three admissions categories to ensure diversity in the student body: Regular Category, Special Access Category, and Aboriginal Category. The Special Access Category is directed at students whose academic achievements have been "significantly" delayed, interrupted, or adversely affected by economic, cultural or physical factors, including disability. Selection from qualified Special Access applicants is made on the basis of the applicant's LSAT score, academic performance, and achievements in occupational endeavours, community and public service and cultural activities which indicate an ability to succeed in law school. All students submit a personal information statement and are encouraged to identify such issues as disability that they wish the Admissions Committee to consider. A limited number of positions are available for part-time studies. Students applying for part-time studies must demonstrate, with supporting documentation, that they are unable to attend school full-time because of, for example, exceptional hardship or health problems or physical disability.

The Faculty of Law admits first year students in three categories: Regular, Special Category and Access. The Special category includes applicants with disabilities, mature applicants and native applicants. The Access category does not include persons with disabilities but pertains to applicants who may be denied access on the basis of circumstances such as cultural identity or language barriers. A personal statement is required for all applicants to allow candidates to expand on information provided on the application form and to identify strengths and achievements and other factors. Applicants with disabilities should provide full documentation from qualified professionals re their disability and its effect on their academic record or LSAT score. All Special category applicants must have an LSAT score above the 39th percentile and must provide evidence supporting their "special" circumstances. They must also demonstrate a potential for academic success. The total number of Special Category applicants admitted each year is limited to a maximum of 25% of the class.

The Extended Time LL.B Program is available to up to five students who demonstrate that they cannot manage a full-time program. Applications for the Extended Time Program should be made at the same time as the application for admission to first year. Extended Time applicants are required to meet all existing admissions criteria and establish that it would be difficult for them to attend school full time because of, for example, health problems and disabilities.

While there are no special admissions criteria, the Faculty of Law assesses applications on the basis of the following seven criteria: university program, work experience, community involvement, personal accomplishments, career objectives, personal circumstances and LSAT scores. Students with disabilities could indicate their special circumstances for consideration under the personal circumstances category. The LSAT and other requirements may be waived in exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. The Faculty admitted 151 students in 1998, 5 of whom were enrolled in the half-time program.

Enrolment in half-time studies is limited and at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. Students must meet all requirements for full-time studies and demonstrate that they are unable to attend full-time because of financial hardship, family obligations, physical disability, or health condition.

The Faculty offers five categories of admissions: Regular, Special Circumstance Consideration, Mature Student, Aboriginal and Access (which includes applicants with disabilities). The Access Applicant Category recognizes that using solely conventional measures of ability can have discriminatory effects. The aim is to recruit and admit individuals with good academic potential who have confronted identifiable barriers to education. Applicants in this category submit a personal statement identifying those factors that they feel have affected their access to education. Corroborative documentation and reference letters must be provided. In the case of disability, the applicant must include details about any accommodations received in academic studies. Because of the calibre of applications received in this category, applicants must have attained an overall B/B+ undergraduate average and an LSAT score in at least the 50 percentile range.

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