Windsor Law School enjoys a sound reputation for developing in its students a critical approach to the study of law, strong legal skills, and fine research capabilities. We began to do empirical research on the characteristics and evolution of the legal profession over 15 years ago and, as a result, have contributed to developing and generalizing new ways of providing legal services. One example is the path breaking research which created the possibility of the setting up of pre-paid legal service plans and the inclusion of this benefit in some collective agreements or insurance policies. A second example is our longstanding focus on mediation and arbitration courses; these courses prepared our graduates for recent procedural reforms which require parties to attempt mediation to settle their dispute. Progressively, we are introducing courses using new teaching technologies. In these times of change and widespread uncertainty, our legal training is aimed at providing our students with the knowledge, skills and creativity necessary to broaden their career paths.

Our Faculty has developed as primary themes for teaching and research, the themes of access to justice and Canadian/American legal issues. Our access to justice theme is incorporated into core courses as well as our teaching methodologies. This theme appears, for example, in subjects related to civil or criminal procedure, to human rights law or clinical advocacy; it also informs our approach to teaching about the sources of law and the institutions which exercise power over our lives. Windsor Law has developed programs on the legal profession, legal aid, community legal education, alternative dispute resolution, and law in aid of development. In addition to the opportunity of following clinical programs at our student run Community Legal Aid, at Legal Assistance of Windsor, a community based clinic or at the Mediation Clinic our newest clinical program, our students can apply to participate in a Clerkship with the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. Our courses present law in its social context. Essentially, we believe that successful law students are those who integrate their social concerns into the study of law and who learn to use newly acquired legal skills to promote social well-being and justice for all people.