Comparative Labour Law Course for Professionals and Advanced Students

Bader International Study Centre
Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex, UK

July 19 to 30, 2010

The Faculty of Law at Queen’s University invites labour law and industrial relations practitioners and qualified law students to apply for admission to a high-level, intensive two-week residential summer course in Comparative Labour Law. 

The course will be offered at Queen’s University’s Bader International Study Centre at Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England, from July 19 to July 30, 2010. It will be taught by leading British and European labour and employment law teachers and scholars. The Academic Director of the course is Professor Emeritus Bernie Adell, former Dean of Queen’s Law and Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Labour and Employment Law Journal.

At a time when Canadian labour and employment law is being increasingly influenced by transnational developments, this course will give participants a unique comparative introduction to the European law, with particular reference to Britain and Germany. The content and approach will be responsive to the backgrounds and interests of Canadian labour lawyers, and will be designed to stimulate reflection on the relevance of the rich European experience to fundamental questions about the future of this area of law in Canada. The exceptional quality of the instructors, the timeliness of the subject matter, and the magnificent and tranquil setting of Herstmonceux Castle in the countryside near the English Channel, ensure that the course will be a memorable academic and personal experience.

The course will be of interest to labour and employment lawyers, to industrial relations practitioners and scholars, and to qualified law students with appropriate academic or professional backgrounds. Only twenty places are available. The instruction throughout will be at the Master of Laws level. Instructors will take advantage of the small class size to engage students in intensive analysis and discussion.  There will be about five hours of classes on each teaching day, leaving time for interaction outside the classroom.

Academic Sessions and Special Events

The course will begin with a brief overview by the Academic Director of the course, Queen’s Professor Emeritus Bernie Adell. This will be followed by a  day of instruction on European Union labour law by Professor Manfred Weiss of the University of Frankfurt, who will then lead two days of study of the German system of labour and employment law. A one-day session will follow on the interface between labour law and the law of corporate governance, led jointly by Professor Weiss and Professor Simon Deakin of Cambridge University.

On Friday, July 23, the class will participate in the academic session of the annual meeting of the International Association of Labour Law Journals, which will enable students to meet leading labour law scholars from several countries. The focus of this session will be on the law of corporate governance and its growing implications for employee rights. The second week of the course will consist mainly of four days of intensive study of the British labour and employment law system, led by Professor Alan Neal of Warwick University and Professor Catherine Barnard of Cambridge University. On Friday, July 20, the course will conclude with a field study visit to employment tribunals and labour law chambers in London.

Evaluation and Academic Credit

Students will be evaluated on the basis of a term paper to be submitted within two months of the end of the course, and on the basis of an oral presentation in class on a proposed topic for the term paper. Grading will be in accordance with the rules and policies of the Queen’s Faculty of Law.

Upon successful completion of the course, students enrolled in a graduate or J.D. program in the Queen’s Faculty of Law will receive four academic credits. All students will receive a Certificate of Completion from Queen’s Law, and an official document attesting to the grade received. Students enrolled in other faculties or universities should apply to their faculty for recognition of the course credits. Lawyers who are interested in obtaining continuing legal education credit should apply to their provincial law society.

The Bader International Study Centre

The Bader International Study Centre (BISC) at Herstmonceux Castle, owned and operated by Queen's University, is situated on a historic 500-acre estate 100 km. south-east of London. The BISC consists of the 15th century castle (which houses classroom, conference, computing, library, study and dining facilities), Bader Hall (a modern three-story residence), and extensive gardens and woodlands.

The Queen’s Faculty of Law operates three Global Law Programs at the castle each spring. Undergraduate programs operate during the academic year, with up to 200 students ordinarily in residence at a time. However, no other students will be at the castle during the Comparative Labour Law course, so those who enrol will have an unusual opportunity to enjoy the spectacular setting in the company of a small group of classmates and instructors.

Eligibility and Application Procedure

The course is primarily designed for law graduates with professional or academic experience in labour and employment law, and for graduate students who are doing research in this field. Industrial relations practitioners and scholars with a strong background in workplace regulation are welcome to apply, as are J.D. students who have completed at least two upper-year courses in labour and employment law or have had substantial relevant experience. Applicants should have at least upper second-class standing in their previous studies, or a record of professional attainment showing an ability to succeed in graduate-level studies in this field.

Applicants must submit the attached application form and the required documentation to the address indicated by February 26, 2010. Each application will be assessed in the order received, to determine whether the applicant meets the eligibility criteria. Prospective students are encouraged to apply early, because of the limited number of places.

Program Fee

The comprehensive program fee of CDN $4000 includes the following:

• Tuition: 40 hours of classroom instruction by eminent labour law scholars.
• Single rooms in Bader Hall residence, with shared bathroom facilities. (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms may be available for a supplement of GBP313.20, payable directly to the BISC.)
• Three meals per day.
• A full day’s participation in the 2010 conference of the International Association of Labour Law Journals, which will be attended by leading labour law scholars and journal editors from around the world.
• A one-day field study visit to labour law chambers in London, with transportation from the BISC to London. 
• Full access to BISC facilities and services, including computer rooms and technological support, a library, and a well-equipped sports room.

The program fee does not include: airfare to and from London; ground transfers to and from the BISC; supplemental health insurance (which is mandatory); textbooks and course supplies; and personal expenses and laundry

Payment of Fees

A student accepting the offer of a place in the course must pay a non-refundable deposit of $1,500. The balance of the program fee must be paid by April 9, 2010.

Course Content

Academic Policies

Application Form