Keystone logo

Osgoode Professional Development


About

Founded in 1889, Osgoode Hall Law School is one of Canada’s largest and most respected law schools. Osgoode Hall Law School has a long tradition of being at the centre of influential and innovative legal research and thought. Having trained some of the brightest legal minds, Osgoode continues to pride itself for its academic excellence and its progressive vision for the legal profession. Osgoode alumni include practising lawyers and legal scholars, business leaders and legislators, social activists and Supreme Court justices. Applying their legal talents across a wide range of roles and organizations, they share a proud legacy summed up in our school’s historic motto: Through law to justice.

A World Leader in Continuing Legal Education

Osgoode Professional Development (OsgoodePD) is the lifelong learning arm of Osgoode Hall Law School. Over nearly three decades our mission has remained consistent and clear: we provide a uniquely broad range of interdisciplinary graduate‑level legal education designed for professionals. We are committed to:

Integrating Internationally Trained Lawyers into the Canadian Legal Profession

We recognize that internationally educated lawyers bring valuable experience and prospectives to the Canadian legal profession. As part of our responsibility to aid in the diversification of the legal profession in Canada, we offer the broadest range of programs anywhere in Canada for internationally trained lawyers, without taking a one‑size fits‑all approach. We understand that internationally trained lawyers often have similar needs and goals, but also that each individual student brings with them their own interests and lived experiences that serve to enrich the programs they become a part of. The breadth of our course offerings and our wide array of student services are designed to help international students achieve academic and career success.

Technology & Innovation

OsgoodePD is known globally for its commitment to ongoing innovation in educational technology and pedagogy. We were the first law program in Canada to offer distance learning, and have worked to continuously improve quality, accessibility and flexibility. We strive to be at the centre of innovative design and delivery of professional legal education, enabling understanding, connection and transformation.

Remaining at the Forefront of Legal Knowledge, Expertise and Capability

We work continuously to enhance and extend our professional development offerings. As the needs of the global community for professional development in legal education evolves, we introduce new programs, courses and ways of learning to help students meet their goals.

Our Offerings

We work continuously to enhance and extend our professional development offerings. As the needs of the global community for professional development in legal education evolve, we introduce new programs and ways of learning to help you meet your Professional Development goals.

Professional Development

  • Short Courses, Conferences & Certificates: OsgoodePD’s conferences and short courses represent one of the largest collections of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) offerings in Canada.
  • Professional LLM Single Courses: Our single LLM courses provide professionals not yet ready to commit to an LLM program with a flexible way to explore the programs of their choice.
  • In-House & Custom Programs for Organizations: We have the expertise, resources, and technology to design a customized version of an existing program, a Certificate, or a new program that cost-effectively achieves your training objectives.

Academic Programs

  • Part-Time Professional LLMs: Designed at the graduate level and structured to accommodate the needs of the working professional, you can choose from among 15 specializations and a wide range of electives.
  • Full-Time Professional LLMs:Our full-time graduate-level Professional LLMs are designed for internationally trained lawyers who are seeking to study or practice law in Canada.
  • Graduate Diploma Programs: Our Graduate Diploma programs provide deep insight into specific areas of the law.
  • Research LLM:A full-time research-intensive degree, ideal for students who want to delve deeply into specific areas of study and for those who are considering advancing to the Ph.D.
  • Ph.D. in Law: A full-time advanced degree involving extensive, research-intensive study, suitable for students who aim for an academic position.

Internationally Trained Lawyers

We offer the largest number and broadest range of programs anywhere in Canada for internationally trained lawyers and experienced professionals. When designing these programs, we focus on the specific needs of internationally trained lawyers. We provide a wide array of student services to help international students achieve academic and career success.

  • OsgoodePD’s full-time Canadian Common Law LLM, International Business Law LLM and Taxation Law LLM specialization programs are designed specifically with the internationally trained lawyer in mind.

Two Convenient Locations

OsgoodePD offers programs in two locations: Osgoode Hall Law School at York University and our renovated learning facility in the heart of downtown Toronto. Our distance learning capabilities are second to none, with the latest in technology and knowledgeable and professional user support.

Downtown Toronto

  • Located in the heart of downtown Toronto
  • Direct access from Dundas subway station
  • Professional Development short courses, conferences, and certificates
  • Part-time Professional LLMs

Keele Campus

  • Located at the York University state of the art campus
  • Access from York University subway station
  • Full-time Professional LLM programs
  • Programs for Internationally Trained Lawyers

Student Services

As a full-time Professional LLM student, you’ll benefit from a wide range of student services designed to help you meet your academic and career goals.

Career Development: We understand that our full-time students are often interested in making a career transition after their studies, so we place significant emphasis on providing a range of resources, events, and one-on-one counseling to help our students meet their goals.

Academic Success: Full-time Professional LLM students come from across the globe and from many different professional backgrounds. To help you achieve academic success, we offer resources and counseling throughout your program.

Student Life: Our students are uniquely positioned to participate in student life on York University’s Keele Campus and through Osgoode Hall Law School groups and events, as well as in professional legal events and networking through the Osgoode Professional Development center.

Our full range of services and more details about each one can be viewed below.

Academic Services

  • Program Orientation
  • Introductory Courses
  • Workshops & Resources
  • Confidential Academic and Wellness Counselling

Career Support

  • Job Postings
  • Resources/Guides
  • Workshops & Events
  • Counseling

Campus Life

  • Student Social Activities
  • Osgoode & York U Extra Curricular
  • Professional Networking Events

All of our academic and career development services are available remotely, and counseling hours have varied schedules to suit the needs of part-time students.

    • Toronto

      Downtown Toronto, 1 Dundas Street West, Suite 2602, M5G 1Z3, Toronto

      • Toronto

        4700 Keele Street, Ignat Kaneff Building, M3J 1P3, Toronto

        Programs

        Questions

        Osgoode Professional Development