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[Stugglesarereal]

I recently graduated from UVic Law. If you guys have any questions, please feel free to ask. I will give you an honest answer and hopefully it will help with planning your years ahead. 

 

Thanks!

[Lawtsoffun]

Hey! I am very interested in criminal law. From your experience, how is the criminal law education at UVic? 

[Stugglesarereal]

I think Criminal Law was one of the best-taught courses at UVic during my first year. We learned the basics and studied many key cases, which helped build a strong foundation. But now that I am in the real world working with Criminal Lawyers, it is quite different from what we have learned in the school. The main challenge was that a lot of content was packed into a short semester, it was more about theory than how it applies in practice and so many students found the three-hour final exam overwhelming. The course includes one midterm and one final, but the midterm grade is mainly used to help boost your final mark only if you do poorly on the final. This gives first-year students a bit of a breather as they adjust to the new and intense learning environment in law school. Criminal Law is a required core course, not an elective, and while it was once taught over two semesters, that may no longer be the case. I recommend going to the library to look at old exams, or even checking UBC Law’s website for samples to get a better idea of what to expect. Just from my experience, professors can be very knowledgeable but may expect a high level of performance and not always offer enough support when students struggle. That’s why I suggest reaching out to local lawyers for help. Talking to them or shadowing them can give you a clearer, real-world understanding of how criminal law actually works, beyond just the theory taught in class.

[EdibleMass]

Wondering if you lived alone or with roommate(s)? Would you recommend one over the other? How far away can a law student live for the frequency of the commute to be short enough to be reasonable via public transit? A car?

 

thanks!

Edited May 3 by EdibleMass

[CraneShoreandWoods]

Hi, thank you so much for doing this! I actually have quite a few questions, so apologies for the lengthy post:

1. Is there cold-calling in class? 

2.  I know they pick our schedule for 1L, but what does it look like in terms of how many hours each day? Also, do we get a reading week break in both the fall and spring terms?

3. While I realize that every class/prof/student is different, in general terms, what did you find most useful to prepare for exams?  Is it true that law school is a lot more about application than memorization? If so, how do you get better at application? Most of my undergrad was memorization-based, so I am a bit worried lol.

4. My understanding is that UVic has a very collegial environment, and that the Amicus program goes a long way in helping ease new students into their first year. Is the Amicus program the best way to access CANS? And for exams would you recommend using CANS from older classes, or writing your own?

5. Do you know if it is difficult to get into the co-op option? I know we have to apply during the fall of our first year, and I'm just wondering what the process looks like, and what I can do to maximize my chances. If you did co-op, and/or you know people who did, is it difficult to stay close with the rest of the cohort due to the different schedules?

6. Is it true that most students who are not in Co-op do not even attempt to get a law-related job during 1L summer? It seems that in Ontario most students at least try to get a summer job after 1L, and a lot of them do find work.

[Stugglesarereal]

I lived on Campus, short 10 min walk to the Law Building. I do prefer that over living somewhere further away as I could utilize the campus and Law Library when studying especially when it is exam time. I was allotted a bachelor studio on campus and had my own private bathroom and our floor was much peaceful so for me this was very helpful. I often saw law student who were allotted living in shared arrangement, requesting to move within the semester as they were usually paired with undergrads who were just entering uni life and wanted to party and enjoy in the shared space rather than studying. So it definitely depends on your personal preference. 

If you chose on -campus living, even though we are not technically masters or PHD student, university give priority to law students as it is our second degree and they see us as grad students/seniors. Alot of law student ended up renting places together to find support and motivate each other for studying as it is very easy to find yourself overwhelmed as Law school is very different from your undergrad experience and can be lonely. It is expensive however and It is hard to find clean rental places in general. I would highly recommend living in closer quarters of university even on campus. Connectivity is pretty good as university literally has a main bus connection hub where buses are coming and going. They have been timely but if it were to snow even a little bit, everything completely shuts down, even campus itself. I am from Alberta so I always found that to be a nuisance as I could not go anywhere as there was no bus service and I did not have a car. But it is definitely doable to be completely rely on public transit. Hope this helps. 

On 5/3/2025 at 3:29 AM, EdibleMass said:

Wondering if you lived alone or with roommate(s)? Would you recommend one over the other? How far away can a law student live for the frequency of the commute to be short enough to be reasonable via public transit? A car?

 

thanks!

 

[Stugglesarereal]

On 5/5/2025 at 7:39 PM, CraneShoreandWoods said:

Hi, thank you so much for doing this! I actually have quite a few questions, so apologies for the lengthy post:

1. Is there cold-calling in class? 

No, law professors typically won’t chase you down about whether you’ve done the readings, they expect you to take responsibility for coming to class prepared. At first, it might seem like there’s no real purpose to reading ahead, especially when lectures can feel dry or just follow a PowerPoint. But once you build the habit of prepping before class, you’ll likely find that the lectures make more sense and are actually more engaging. In my experience over three years of law school, professors rarely cold-called students or checked homework, you could ask questions if you wanted, but they generally left it up to you to stay on top of things. That said, every professor is different, so it's always possible things could vary.

2.  I know they pick our schedule for 1L, but what does it look like in terms of how many hours each day? Also, do we get a reading week break in both the fall and spring terms?

In my first year of law school, my courses spanned two semesters, comprising a total of five substantive courses. Each course included a midterm in December and a final exam in April. Our academic schedule included reading breaks in both November and February, providing a brief respite from the rigorous workload. Classes were distributed throughout the week, with each course generally meeting twice per week. Lecture durations varied, typically ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Following each class, I dedicated approximately 3 to 5 hours to reviewing readings and preparing for the next session. Initially, I read every assigned case thoroughly and meticulously, believing it was necessary to fully understand the material. However, this approach quickly became overwhelming  and midway through the first semester, a senior student advised me to focus on case summaries and concentrate on the most relevant paragraphs that illustrated the legal principles being taught. This strategy significantly improved my efficiency and reduced my post-class study time to about 3 hours per session. To stay on track, I also reserved 3 to 5 hours on either Saturday or Sunday to catch up on any outstanding readings. Planning ahead is key for sure. 

3. While I realize that every class/prof/student is different, in general terms, what did you find most useful to prepare for exams?  Is it true that law school is a lot more about application than memorization? If so, how do you get better at application? Most of my undergrad was memorization-based, so I am a bit worried lol.

I found that the most effective way to prepare for law school exams was to focus on creating condensed outlines and doing timed practice exams. You have to create a schedule that balances your mental health and your workload. Initially, I relied heavily on memorization, but I quickly realized that success in law school is much more about applying legal principles to new fact patterns than simply recalling information. To improve my application skills, I used practice problems and past exams to work through hypotheticals using the IRAC method (Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion). This will be heavily used in all of your exams. This helped me learn how to spot relevant issues quickly and apply the law logically and efficiently. Coming from a memorization-heavy undergrad myself, this shift was challenging at first, but practicing regularly made a big difference and helped me feel more confident in my exam writing.

4. My understanding is that UVic has a very collegial environment, and that the Amicus program goes a long way in helping ease new students into their first year. Is the Amicus program the best way to access CANS? And for exams would you recommend using CANS from older classes, or writing your own?

Amicus is generally offered to first-year students only, and I highly recommend taking advantage of it. It really helps ease the transition into law school. While Amicus may have limited resources when it comes to things like course outlines, the guidance it offers can still be incredibly valuable. In my experience, most professors didn’t release their previous exams or CANs, so formal practice materials were hard to come by. However, UBC does have a few past exams posted online, which I found helpful for getting familiar with the format. I strongly recommend starting your course outlines early. You’ll likely have access to outlines from past students who submitted them voluntarily, and while those can be useful references, it’s best to create your own. The law and course content can change, and writing your own outline helps you process and understand the material better. If your professor does provide a CAN, use it for practice—but be cautious not to rely too heavily on others’ work, as that can raise concerns about unintentional plagiarism.

5. Do you know if it is difficult to get into the co-op option? I know we have to apply during the fall of our first year, and I'm just wondering what the process looks like, and what I can do to maximize my chances. If you did co-op, and/or you know people who did, is it difficult to stay close with the rest of the cohort due to the different schedules?

When I was in school three years ago, the co-op program was conducted through a lottery system but that may have changed since then. That said, many of my peers were successful in getting into the program. Their advice was to submit your application as soon as the portal opens and to make an effort to connect with the people in charge of the program. This can help you better understand the process and ensure that you don’t miss any required documents. Keep in mind that participating in co-op does create some distance from your non-co-op peers since you'll be away from campus for longer stretches. However, you’ll also have classmates who are on the same co-op journey, so you won’t be alone in the experience. If you choose this path, you’ll be just fine. One of my peers who got into the program shared this link with me at the time, it might be helpful for you as well.

https://www.uvic.ca/law/jd/lawcoop/index.php

6. Is it true that most students who are not in Co-op do not even attempt to get a law-related job during 1L summer? It seems that in Ontario most students at least try to get a summer job after 1L, and a lot of them do find work.

That’s not true. There are definitely opportunities for 1L students to secure summer jobs. I personally chose not to go that route because I wanted my first summer to be a bit more relaxed and law-free, and I also had some health issues that required travel. That said, UVic offers an online portal called OCEANS, where various law firms post openings for 1L summer positions. You apply just like any job, submitting the required documents, which may vary from firm to firm. If selected, you’ll go through interview rounds, and many students who secure 1L positions through OCEANS have gone on to receive articling offers after graduation. It can be stressful to balance job applications with classes, readings, and assignments—especially since the deadlines fall during the school year—but it’s absolutely doable and worth considering if you're interested.

Hopefully, this was helpful 🙂

[CraneShoreandWoods]

23 hours ago, Stugglesarereal said:

Hopefully, this was helpful 🙂

Oh wow, what an outstanding response! Yeah, I would say that it was INCREDIBLY helpful, so much so that I am not sure the term "helpful" actually does justice to your reply hahaha.

Thank you for taking the time to write such detailed answers. You clarified a lot for me, and I now feel that I have a much better grasp on things. You rock!!