Early Degree Conferral Process for Students in the Faculty of Law

JD Students may request early conferral of the JD degree prior to the Spring Convocation date in June, if degree requirements were completed in the previous fall term, and if there is a valid and pressing reason to seek the early conferral as an exception to the usual conferral process.

Steps: 

  1. Complete the application to graduate in SOLUS and choose the spring Convocation date. The Application to Graduate will be available in SOLUS on December 1st. Your record will be updated to reflect the early conferral date once your request has been processed.

  2. The Barrister's examination of the Law Society of Ontario is scheduled for March 2-6, 2021; the Solicitor’s examination is March 16-20, 2021. The deadline to register is 30 business days prior to the exam: January 19, 2021 for Barrister's, February 1, 2021 for Solicitor's. Your JD degree must be awarded and the official transcript received by the LSO to be eligible to register for the licensing examination.

  3. Send a request seeking early conferral of the JD degree prior to January 4, 2021 to the attention of Tricia Acton, Director, Student Records and Enrollment. Tricia will send a supporting letter to the Registrar's Office confirming completion of degree requirements and the underlying reason for the request. 

  4. If you have debts owing to the University you will need to request an exemption by emailing transcpt@queensu.ca referring to the Senate Policy on Student Debtors, so that a transcript showing the degree conferral may be released to the LSO, notwithstanding the debt. 

  5. After the degree conferred ruling has been added to your official academic record:   

  • Order a transcript through SOLUS to be sent by courier directly to: The Law Society of Ontario, Licensing Process, Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen St. West, Toronto, Ontario M5H 2N6. 
  • Ensure that your mailing address in January is updated in SOLUS. Your diploma parchment will be mailed to that address. If you attend Convocation in June you will be presented with a diploma tube, however it will be empty as you should have received your diploma by mail months earlier.