Northern most law school in western hemisphere set to open in 2017

That's right, friends, the Arctic College in the Canadian territory of Nunavut is planning to open up a law school in the fall of 2017. The school will be located in Nunavut capital of Iqaluit which will make it the northernmost law school in the western hemisphere, beating Seattle University's satellite Anchorage campus by several degrees in latitude.  According to a 2011 census, Iqaluit's population is only 6,699 so the inaugural class will max out at 25.  Nunatsiaq Online has more details:

Nunavut to revive law school, Quassa says

Universities of Ottawa and Victoria both interested in partnering with Nunavut Arctic College

 

A law school program aimed at training beneficiaries to become lawyers will start in September 2017, Education Minister Paul Quassa said March 14 in the legislature in Iqaluit.

 

Iqaluit-Sinaa MLA Paul Okalik asked Quassa during question period for an update on the planned program, to be run through Nunavut Arctic College.

 

“There’s a [Request for Proposal] now being reviewed as to who will be providing support for this program. We expect this fiscal year of 2016 to make a decision,” Quassa said.

 

Two institutions responded to the RFP, Quassa said: the universities of Victoria and Ottawa.

 

The University of Victoria helped set up and run the Akitsiraq Law School — a short-lived legal training effort that produced 11 graduates in 2005 after 18 students enrolled in 2001.

 

The Akitisiraq Law Society partnered with Ottawa University in 2010 to provide legal training to a second batch of beneficiaries, slated to begin September 2011.

 

But the Government of Nunavut rejected the society’s request for $3.57 million at that time.

 

Finance Minister Keith Peterson said in 2010, “in a time of limited resources, our focus is on improving our school system from kindergarten to Grade 12.”

 

The revived program will be a partnership between the GN and Nunavut Arctic College, Quassa said March 14, with the Nunavut Law Society acting as an advocate for the program.

 

The law society will help the college select up to 25 students to begin the four-year program in September 2017.

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Hat tip to Professor Rob Hudson.

(jbl).