Areas of interest
Faculty of law
Shape your legal path
TRU Law’s JD Program does not have formal specializations, but that doesn’t mean you can’t tailor your education to your interests. Through a combination of elective courses, moot competitions, clinical placements, and directed research, students build a legal education that reflects where they want to take their careers.
The areas of interest below are intended to help you think through that process. Each one outlines the courses, experiential learning opportunities, and student clubs most relevant to that area – giving you a practical starting point for planning your upper-year path.
Business and Corporate Law
What drives a corporate acquisition? How do businesses raise capital, manage risk, and navigate regulation? Business and commercial law sits at the intersection of law and the economy – shaping how companies are formed, governed, and held accountable. At TRU Law, students interested in business and corporate practice gain foundational knowledge in commercial transactions, corporate governance, taxation, securities, and finance. This area spans both transactional practice and regulatory compliance, and is supported by a faculty with deep expertise across the full range of commercial law subjects.
Faculty
David Ross
Sessional Faculty
Courses
The first-year curriculum introduces the law of contracts and the foundational rules governing commercial relationships. Upper-year students can develop expertise across a broad suite of business law subjects.
- Business Associations
- Bankruptcy and Restructuring Law
- Contracts
- Corporate Governance
- Corporate Tax
- Creditors’ Remedies
- Employment Law
- Insurance Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- Labour Law
- Law and Economics
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Secured Transactions
- Securities Law
- Tax Policy
Moots & Experiential Learning
- British Columbia Lottery Corporation Externship
- Davies Corporate/Securities Moot
- 1L Dentons Negotiation Competition
Clubs
- Business Law Society
- Intellectual Property Law Club
- Labour and Employment Association
- Securities Law Club
- Tax Law Club
Criminal Law
What is the purpose of criminal law? What rules govern a police investigation? How does a criminal trial actually work? Why are some groups of people incarcerated at higher rates than others?
TRU Law’s criminal law area of interest prepares students for careers in prosecution, defence, and the broader criminal justice system. Students benefit from hands-on experiential learning alongside rigorous coursework taught by faculty who are both scholars and practitioners. TRU Law’s close ties to the BC court system – including the judicial internship program – gives students unparalleled access to real criminal practice.
Faculty
Bonnie MacDonald
Sessional Faculty
Kate Mitchell
Assistant Professor
Courses
The first-year curriculum covers the substance of criminal law: offences, defences, and the basics of the criminal justice system. Upper-year students can deepen their knowledge through advanced coursework in criminal procedure, evidence, and specialized areas of criminal practice.
- Advanced Criminal Law
- Charter Civil Liberties
- Crime: Law and Procedure
- Criminal Process
- Evidence
- Sentencing Law
- Sexual Offences: Prosecution and Defence
Moots & Experiential Learning
- Judicial Internship
- Mock bail hearing
- Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre tours
- Western Canada Macintyre Cup Trial Moot
Clubs
- Criminal Law Club
Family Law
Family law touches the most personal aspects of people’s lives – relationships, children, property, and what happens when families separate. It is also a field defined by access to justice challenges: many of the people who need help the most cannot afford it. At TRU Law, family law is taught by experienced practitioners, academics, and judges, giving students direct exposure to the realities of family law practice. Experiential learning opportunities include clinical placements, externship programs, and a dedicated negotiation moot focused on family law matters.
Courses
- Elder Law
- Family Law
Moots & Experiential Learning
- TRU Law’s Annual Family Law Conference
- British Columbia Provincial Judicial Internship
- National Family Law Negotiation Moot
- Okanagan Thompson Legal Clinic Externship
- TRU Community Legal Clinic
- Criminal Law Club Mock Bail Hearing
Civil Litigation & Advocacy
What does it take to be an effective advocate? How are civil disputes resolved – in courtrooms, through negotiation, or through arbitration? TRU Law places a strong emphasis on advocacy and dispute resolution, and it shows in the results: TRU Law students compete at the national and international level across a wide range of moot competitions. Every TRU Law student develops foundational advocacy skills through Legal Foundations in first year, completing the 1L Moot as part of their required curriculum. From there, students can develop into skilled oral and written advocates through advanced coursework and a robust mooting program coached by experienced litigators.
Faculty
Courses
- Advanced Advocacy
- Advanced Legal Research and Writing
- Civil Procedure
- Dispute Resolution
- International Dispute Resolution
- Legal Foundations
Moots & Experiential Learning
- 1L Moot
- 1L Dentons Negotiation Competition
- BC Law Schools Moot
- Davies Corporate/Securities Moot
- Dean’s Cup Moot
- Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Law Moot
- Jessup International Law Moot
- Kawaskimhon Moot
- National Family Law Negotiation Moot
- Western Canada Macintyre Cup Trial Moot
- Wilson Moot
Clubs
- Oral Advocacy Club
Human Rights & Social Justice
Human rights and social justice law spans some of the most consequential questions in legal practice – from the rights of individuals facing the justice system to the broader structures that shape access to legal protection. TRU Law is committed to access to justice and social equity, and this commitment is embedded throughout the curriculum. Students interested in this area can engage with courses, clinics, and moots that address systemic inequality, disability rights, gender justice, mental health law, immigration, and poverty law. The TRU Community Legal Clinic provides real-world experience serving vulnerable clients and communities.
Faculty
Courses
- Access to Justice
- Community Lawyering
- Elder Law
- Employment Law
- Health Law
- Human Rights Law
- Immigration and Refugee Law
- Labour Law
- Mental Health Law and Policy in Canada
- Women and the Law
Moots & Experiential Learning
- Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Law Moot
- Okanagan Thompson Legal Clinic Externship
- Pro Bono Students Canada
- TRU Community Legal Clinic
- Wilson Moot
Clubs
- Access to Justice Law Club
- Human Rights Club
- Labour and Employment Association
Indigenous Law & Reconciliation
Indigenous law is one of the most significant and rapidly developing areas of Canadian law, and TRU Law’s location and community connections make it an exceptional place to engage with it. Situated in Kamloops, and the traditional territory of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc, TRU Law has a responsibility and opportunity to lead in this area. Students interested in Indigenous law can take dedicated courses, participate in land-based and community experiential learning, and engage with Indigenous legal traditions alongside Canadian law. The program’s connections with Indigenous communities and the court system provide learning experiences available at few other law schools in Canada.
Faculty
Courses
- Canadian Legal History
- Comparative and International Indigenous Rights
- Constitutional Law
- First Nations Business and Taxation
- First Nations Governance and Economic Development
- Truth and Rebuilding Canadian Indigenous Legal Relations (TRC)
Moots & Experiential Learning
- Kawaskimhon National Aboriginal Law Moot
- Residential school visits
- TRU CLC Indigenous court visits
Clubs
International Law & Sports
How does law operate beyond national borders? What legal frameworks govern global conflict, trade, human rights, and the movement of people? TRU Law offers students a gateway to global legal practice through courses in public international law, comparative law, conflict of laws, air and space law, and international dispute resolution. Students interested in international careers benefit from study abroad opportunities with partner universities and participation in prestigious international mooting competitions.
TRU Law is also one of the few Canadian law schools with a dedicated sports law program. The intersection of international law and sports – including human rights, governance, and arbitration – is a particular strength of the faculty, making TRU Law an exceptional destination for students interested in the rapidly evolving field of sports law.
Faculty
Courses
- Air and Space Law
- Comparative and International Indigenous Rights
- Comparative Law
- Conflict of Laws
- Immigration and Refugee Law
- International Dispute Resolution
- International Intellectual Property Law and Policy
- International Law
- International Trade Law
- Sports and Human Rights
- Sports Law: High Performance
- Sports Law: Professional Leagues and International Sports Organizations
