Canadian & American Dual JD
Prepare for a transnational legal career with the only three-year Dual JD program of its kind in North America.
Earn a JD from both Detroit Mercy Law and Windsor Law. Graduate eligible to pursue licensure in both the US and Canada.
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Earn a JD from both Detroit Mercy Law and Windsor Law.
As a student in the Dual JD program, you will experience two different legal cultures, often on the same day. The Dual JD program, founded in 1983, is a collaboration between Detroit Mercy Law and Windsor Law.
The Dual JD program is a rigorous course of study. Course content is substantial. Most required classes are taught in a comparative format that exposes students to both countries’ laws simultaneously.
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The law schools are located just four miles apart.
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Graduate eligible to pursue licensure in both the US and Canada.
Dual JD alumni have remarkable careers across the US, Canada, and beyond working in a variety of settings—from major international law firms in Toronto and New York, to immigration firms in Detroit and Windsor, to nonprofits combating human trafficking.
- Managing Legal Director, Nomura Securities International, New York City, NY
- Vice President, Television Business and Legal Affairs, MGM Studios, Los Angeles, CA
- Partner, Reed Smith LLP, Chicago, IL
- CTO Chief of Staff, Research & Advanced Engineering, Ford Motor Company, Detroit, MI
- Director, Legal & Government Affairs and Legal Counsel, Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto, ON
- Trade Commissioner, Embassy of Canada to the Kingdom of Thailand, Ottawa, ON
- Senior Legal Counsel, Oilers Entertainment Group, Edmonton, Alberta
- Company Secretary and Solicitor, Aston Martin Lagonda, London, United Kingdom
- Associate, Black Srebnick Kornspan & Stumpf, Miami, FL
- Associate, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Calgary, AB
- Solicitor and Counsel, BC Hydro, Vancouver, BC
- Legal Counsel, Derivatives, Ontario Securities Commission, Toronto, ON
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Meet Nashara Peart '18 (Detroit)
"The Dual JD program gave me options no other program could have. If you want an education that will instantly set you apart from other candidates, this program might be for you."
Nashara Peart '18, Dual JD, Associate Attorney, Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone PLC, Detroit, MI
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Meet Alexander Treiber '16 (New York City)
“The Dual JD Program has set me up for my truly “cross-border” career. After practicing law in Toronto, I recently transitioned to working for an AmLaw 100 law firm in New York City. While the curriculum is certainly challenging, double the degrees means double the opportunities.”
Alexander Treiber '16, Dual JD, Litigation Associate, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, New York City, NY -
Meet Christopher Betty '17 (Toronto)
“An international legal perspective, unique experiential learning opportunities and a supportive community of students and faculty are key highlights of my Dual JD experience."
Christopher Betty '17, Dual JD, Associate Director Business Development, Global Equity Derivatives at Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets, Toronto, ON
Dual JD students are full time during the academic year for the three-year duration of the program and complete required courses during the first-year summer. Learn more about the time commitments required for this full-time program here.
Students must apply and be accepted to the Dual JD program. Students must complete the full three-year program. Transfers are not accepted into the Dual JD program and coursework does not transfer to the US JD program.
First Year
Students complete required courses in the fall, winter, and summer terms. Students should not work during the academic year but may choose to work during the summer. Many students choose to complete a clinic, externship, or other form of legal experience during the first summer.
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Sample 1L Fall and Winter Schedule
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Sample 1L Summer Schedule
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Fall Required Courses
- Comparative Legal Writing & Research I & II (Detroit Mercy Law)
- Canadian & US Contracts (UWindsor Law)
- Canadian & US Property (UWindsor Law)
- Canadian & US Criminal Law (UWindsor Law)
- Canadian Constitutional Law (UWindsor Law)
- Indigenous Legal (UWindsor Law)
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Summer Required Courses
- US Constitutional Law (Detroit Mercy Law)
- US Civil Procedure (Detroit Mercy Law)
Second Year
Students complete required courses with their cohort and elective courses on both sides of the border.-
Sample 2L Fall Schedule
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Sample 2L Winter Schedule
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Required Courses
- Canadian & US Professional Responsibility (Detroit Mercy Law)
- Canadian & US Evidence (Detroit Mercy Law)
- Canadian Civil Procedure (UWindsor Law)
- Canadian & US Business Organizations (Detroit Mercy Law)
- Canadian & US Torts (Detroit Mercy Law)
Third Year
Students have no remaining required courses that must be taken at a set time with their cohort. Students need to ensure they will complete all Dual JD degree requirements at both Detroit Mercy Law and Windsor Law.
Additionally, students need to ensure they have satisfied the flexible curricular requirements. These curricular requirements have flexibility in how they are satisfied, such as which exact courses students complete and when they complete them. Flexible curricular requirements include Judicial Review at Windsor Law and a clinic, Law Firm Program, upper level writing requirements and qualifying Transnational Law courses at Detroit Mercy Law.
Degree Requirements
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Graduation requires 105 credit hours of required and elective courses—60 credits from Detroit Mercy Law and 45 credits from Windsor Law.
At Detroit Mercy Law, students complete 49 required credits, which includes a Law Firm Program course, a clinic, an upper-level writing course, and qualifying Transnational Law courses, and 11 elective credits. At Windsor Law, students complete 34 required credits and at least 11 elective credits.
Students must complete all degree requirements at both Detroit Mercy Law and the University of Windsor Faculty of Law to be awarded the degrees from the program. The degrees are awarded jointly, which means that students are not eligible to receive one degree in advance of completing the requirements for both programs.
Learn more about the curriculum here.
Contact Us
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