Welcome to U of T Law! We are thrilled that you are joining us in August.

The first step towards having a great law school experience is ensuring that you have a smooth and successful transition into the law school community. This starts during the summer, ramps up during the first two weeks of our official Orientation (August 21 – Sept 1), and continues throughout your first term.

 

 

 

Our 1L Orientation is designed to give you an introduction to the three main components of your law school experience: Academics, Student Life - Resources and Supports, and Social Activities.  All students must register for orientation using their UTMail+ address via the orientation registration form that was emailed to you. If you have not already done so, please complete your registration by the end of day on July 23rd. 

Our goal for orientation is to make sure that you have a solid general sense of the institution and community you are joining, how things work, and where to ask questions, before you start the school year in September. 1L Orientation will also create space for you to get to know each other and start to build your law school community.

2023 Orientation Schedule

Social Events at Orientation 

Led by upper year student coordinators and volunteers, our social orientation events provide a range of fun and inclusive opportunities for students to get to know each other. This year's social activities will include snacks after Legal Methods classes, a Blue Jays Game, a trip to Toronto Island, BINGO, a trivia night and more!  Social events during orientation will provide opportunities to make new friends and start to build your law school community. 

For more information about student led social activities, see below. All events are in person. 

1. Games Night with Mentors, Thursday August 24th, 3:30pm - 5:30pm.
   Location: Rowell Room 
    

2. Amazing Race Scavenger Hunt, Friday, August 25th, 10:00am - 12:00pm.
   Location: Meet in the atrium 
    

3. Trivia Night, Friday August 25th, 3:00pm - 5:00pm.
   Location: Moot Court Room
    

4. Toronto Island, Saturday August 26th (day time) 
   Note: Participants pay for ferry. More information will be sent via about meeting up locations
    

5. BINGO, Tuesday August 29th (after Legal Methods)
   Location: Jackman Law Building (room TBD)
    

6. Blue Jays Game, Tuesday August 29th, 7:00pm
    

7. Location: Rogers Stadium
   Note: students must register in advance to attend this event 
    

8. Evening Mixer, Friday September 1st, 7:00pm - 11:00pm. 
   Location: Arta Gallery in Toronto's Distillery District  

If you have questions about Orientation 2023, please do not hesitate to reach out to Sara-Marni, our Student Programs Manager, at sara.hubbard@utoronto.ca

 

2023 Orientation - Day 1 Agenda 

8:00am - 9:00am  - Event check-in - Flavelle House and  Jackman Entrances (78 Queens Park)

             Continental breakfast available

9:00am - 10:45am - Opening and Welcome Program, Moot Court Room (J250)

Traditional Indigenous Opening 

Welcome from Jerome Poon-Ting, JD Admissions

Welcome from Eleonora Dimitrova, Assistant Dean, JD Program

Welcome from Sara Faherty, Assistant Dean, Office of the Associate Dean

Welcome from Ada Maxwell-Alleyne, Assistant Dean Equity, Diversity & Inclusivity

Welcome from Jutta Brunnée, Dean, University Professor and James Marshall Tory Dean’s Chair

 

10:45am –  11:45am - Law School Tours

12:00pm – 1:00pm - Lunch (provided by the law school) 

1:00pm – 3:00pm -  Legal Methods - First Class

3:00pm – 4:00pm - Snacks and chill (Atrium) 

Our Sponsors

We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors for their continued support of our 1L Orientation.

Academic

The Legal Methods intensive course is designed to give you a thorough introduction to the way we study the law BEFORE you start your substantive law classes in September. Legal Methods classes are mandatory and run Monday – Thursday from August 21 – August 31, 2023 with a final exam on Friday Sept 1.

Student Life - Resources and Supports

We want you to make the most out of being a law student at UofT.  To support you in doing so, we offer you lots of important student-focused services.  At the central university these include: athletic centres, accessibility services, health and wellness, equity offices, and the multi-faith centre.

At the Faculty of Law, we also offer our students dedicated staff and resources in the areas of: financial aid, career services, academic support, academic accommodations and mental health and wellness.  Our amazing team of student services staff are very happy to answer your questions. Before you arrive, get to know who does what.

 

 

 

Did you know...

UofT Law introduced Legal Methods to our orientation just 6 years ago. We are one of several internationally ranked law schools to offer an immersive academic orientation, along with the National University of Singapore and Columbia Law School.