This FAQ expands on and provides Law-specific context for the general Queen’s University announcement regarding Fall 2020. For comprehensive information on the University’s plan and university-wide issues and planning for the Fall 2020 semester, please visit https://www.queensu.ca/covidinfo/updates.

Will there be in-person classes for the Queen’s Law JD program in the Fall 2020 term?

We hope so. If provincial regulations and public health directives permit, we will welcome law students to campus and provide at least part of the program through “in-person” teaching. But we are fully prepared to offer the JD program through remote teaching methods if the public health situation does not permit in-person teaching.

If in-person classes move forward, which courses will be taught in person?

Even if in-person teaching is permitted, public health directives may require physical distancing and thus small classes in relatively large classrooms. As a result, some courses may have an in-person component, and others will be taught remotely. The exact format for particular courses is still under consideration.

Will online learning be an option for in-person courses?

Yes. Students who are unable to attend in-person classes can still attend remotely, or catch up to in-person sessions via recordings after the fact; or, in some cases, alternative online group sessions will be held. Zoom and other tools will be used to ensure that those unable to attend can participate.

What will happen with the Queen’s Law Clinics?

The Clinic courses will resume in the Fall with work being done at the Clinics, but modified to reflect best practices in public health for both the teaching and public work aspects of the Clinics. Clinics will only be offered to those students who can be in Kingston: the ability to attend the clinics and courts is an absolute requirement of the experiential learning program. 

What will happen with placements?

Courses such as Professor Bala’s placements will require in-person attendance, as will Federal Government placements that require students to work with classified materials. We are waiting for information on the Department of Justice's fall program.

Will our exchange programs continue in Fall 2020?

We are not anticipating that our partner institutions will participate in exchanges in the autumn. We recommend that students not enter into leases or financial commitments related to exchanges.

Will our graduate program be delivered in Fall 2020?

If public health directives permit, we will offer our two graduate-specific classes, LAW 880 and LAW 881, in person to LLM and PhD students. Other graduate classes are combined with upper-year JD classes and will be subject to the same policies that will determine which courses will be in-person and which taught remotely.

Will Queen’s Law online programs be affected?

All online programs (the Certificate in Law and the Graduate Diploma in Legal Services Management) will continue to operate as planned. There will not be a blended offering of Law 201, Introduction to Canadian Law, on campus in the Fall of 2020; students are encouraged to enrol in the online version, LAW 201/701.

Should all law students plan to move back to Kingston for the fall?

We leave that to the discretion of individual students.

Aside from enjoying some in-person classroom experiences, students who are on site may also be able to access the law library (should the library be open), study spaces, and other campus facilities, assuming public health regulations permit. Various out-of-class opportunities for student engagement in law school life (such as student government, clubs, and organizations) may proceed in modified ways, again subject to relevant public health rules. There are many reasons to consider returning to Queen’s in the Fall Term.

We are committed to offering online options for all of our programs, with no diminishment in the quality of a Queen’s Law education, for students who cannot attend in person.

When will regular in-person classes resume at Queen’s Law?

We are still not sure when Queen’s will return to pre-COVID operations. We are making every effort to ensure that we can deliver the best legal education possible under evolving circumstances. All of our decisions are made with due respect to public health and the safety of students, faculty and staff. 

Will the Queen's Law Clinics be affected?

Supervising Lawyers and Clinics staff are working to move to systems to manage the situation without violating requirements of the Rules of Professional Conduct and will be in touch with students and stakeholders directly via email with detailed instructions. In general:

-    The Clinics are closed to the public and are not taking new cases until further notice; public legal education sessions are suspended.
-    Existing clients will be assisted using telephone, email and mail.
-    Student casework will continue and standard end of semester deadlines (April 3) continue to apply.
-    Students should not attend the Queen’s Law Clinics without previously consulting with and receiving permission from their Supervising Lawyer.
-    You can reach the QLC by calling 613 533 2101 or e-mailing qlcadmin@queensu.ca

Is the Career Development Office affected?

The CDO physical space will not be available for in-person appointments. Students looking to schedule individual counselling appointments can be met over the phone, or via Skype/Zoom Meeting. When students book an appointment through CSM, they may select what type of appointment they would prefer. If booking a phone/video appointment, please include the best contact method (phone number/Skype name) in the ‘notes’ of the counselling appointment booking. The CDO team welcomes any questions via email.

Should  students have any questions about this or any other CDO services, please email the Director at jbanting@queensu.ca.

Are alumni events cancelled?

Alumni events through May have been cancelled. Please see the Queen’s University Alumni site for details.

Is Homecoming 2020 cancelled?

At present there are no plans to alter Homecoming, scheduled for October 2020. Please see the Queen's Homecoming site for up to the minute details on Homecoming.

Is the library closed?

Queen's libraries closed their doors at 6 p.m. on March 18. Details here: https://www.queensu.ca/provost/statements/

Is the law building closed?

Yes. Per provincial mandate, the law building is closed until further notice. Please contact Student Services for any issues such as retrieving material from lockers, fob return, etc.

Are Law Students’ Society and club events cancelled?

Per the LSS Executive:

The LSS Executive have come to the conclusion that it is in the best interests of the student body that all LSS club and committee events are cancelled. Students intending on attending the 3L Grad Formal will receive updates from the organizers as they are made available. If a student has purchased a ticket to any LSS club or committee event outside of Grad Formal, please contact the relevant organizers to discuss reimbursement.

Who should I contact if I have questions about the fall term? 

  • If you are a student who has been admitted to or received an offer from Queen’s Law, please continue to work with our Admissions team, Andrew Van Overbeke and Maggie Doherty, at jd@queensu.ca. 
  • Returning second-year and third-year JD students can contact Student Services, and graduate students our Graduate Student Coordinator, Dianne Flint. 
  • If you have concerns about accommodations and special circumstances affecting your studies, please contact our Manager, Education and Equity Services, Helen Connop.

Where can I find information about campus services such as athletics, food services, other student wellness services, etc.?

The Division of Student Affairs is maintaining an up to date resource at their Spring/Summer 2020 page, which will include Fall 2020 information as it becomes available.