Be part of Otago's unrivalled law community.
Otago’s Faculty of Law has been providing world-class legal education for almost 150 years. Our academics will help you develop skills for a career that can drive social change in your chosen profession and in the world.
Law is part of all social activity. It defines relationships, protects rights, imposes obligations and gives structure to government and commercial enterprise. A Law degree from Otago is a professional degree that can lead to expected and unexpected careers. Many graduates find careers as lawyers in private practice, but others prefer to work in business, government, the public sector or welfare agencies.
Be part of our community: innovative, supportive and inclusive – we’ll empower you to follow your path.
Why study Law?
A Bachelor of Laws will give you the ability to question and challenge, analyse complex issues, find solutions to a wide variety of problems and contribute to decision making at all levels. You’ll develop precise language skills and gain an excellent grounding in analysing, decision making, negotiation, researching and forming legal and other arguments. These are all skills employers love and Aotearoa New Zealand needs.
Many Commerce, Science, Physical Education, Health Science, Arts, and Consumer and Applied Science students enrol in first-year Law to enhance their studies with an understanding of how the law works.
Background required
There are no specific subjects that you need to study at school for entry into first-year Law. In general, we advise you to take subjects that you do well in, and you enjoy.
Good language (English) and analysis (Maths) skills are useful. You could develop your language and analysis skills by taking part in activities such as drama and debating.
Law at Otago
The Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and the Bachelor of Laws with Honours (LLB(Hons)) degrees are both four-year professional programmes.
LAWS 101 The Legal System is the first-year paper for the law degree. It can also count toward another degree. In addition to LAWS 101, you will need to take four to six non-Law 100-level papers.
Entry into second-year Law is limited to approximately 250 places and selection is based predominantly on the mark you achieve in LAWS 101.
The second-year course consists of papers in Criminal Law, Law of Contract, Property Law and Public Law, and a programme of research and writing. These papers are fundamental to understanding law and provide a foundation for advanced papers in subsequent years.
During your third and fourth years of study, you will complete two compulsory papers – LAWS 301 Law of Torts and LAWS 302 Jurisprudence. These are generally taken during your third year. If you wish to practice as a barrister or solicitor, the LAWS 463 Legal Ethics paper is compulsory.
You may be invited into Honours as a result of exceptional performance in your second-year Law papers. The LLB(Hons) involves additional supervised research and the completion of a dissertation.
LAWS 101 The Legal System
LAWS 101 is an open-entry full-year course consisting of three lectures and one tutorial a week. You will learn how to read, interpret and apply Case Law and Statutory Law, how to reason and justify arguments, and how to write clearly, effectively and persuasively.
You’ll also work in small tutorial groups and focus on developing the basic skills of analysing a legal problem.
Double degree options
Many Law students at Otago complete double degrees, using Otago’s flexible cross-credit system, which can lead to even greater job opportunities. You can combine your LLB with study for a degree in Commerce, Arts, Science, Health Science and other degrees. If you intend to do a double-degree programme, you should include some papers from the second degree in your first year. By cross-crediting papers between the two courses, two degrees can usually be completed in five years of study.
Professional options
Law at Otago is a professional degree. If you wish to practice law following your LLB degree, you must also complete a professional legal studies course. This ensures that lawyers entering all areas of practice have the skills required to represent clients competently and ethically.
Student exchange
The University of Otago has exchange agreements with more than 90 institutions worldwide. If your marks average B or better, you may qualify to attend one of these institutions for one semester or a year. You pay only your New Zealand fees and complete your qualification within the same time frame as if you’d never been away.
Law students are able to take Law papers at the Law Faculty of specifically approved overseas universities.
Career opportunities
With world-class teachers, up-to-date courses and invaluable real-world training, it’s not surprising that so many Otago law graduates have gone on to successful, interesting and varied careers.
They are trusted advisers, skilled advocates and leaders in business and government. They work in law firms throughout Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas. They can also be found in not-for-profit organisations like the United Nations, the International Labour Organisation and Amnesty International. Government departments, local bodies, iwi authorities and businesses also require lawyers for specialist legal advice.
Law students who complete double degrees find this often opens up even more career opportunities in areas like the media, public relations, entertainment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and trade, and IT consultancies.
Qualifications
Explore your study options further. Refer to enrolment information found on the following qualification pages.
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
- Bachelor of Laws with Honours (LLB(Hons))
- Master of Laws (LLM)
- Doctor of Laws (LLD)
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Programme requirements
Programme requirements
Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
Year | Papers | Points |
---|---|---|
1st year | LAWS 101 The Legal System 108 points from any degree * | 36 108 |
2nd year | LAWS 201 Criminal Law LAWS 202 Law of Contract LAWS 203 Property Law LAWS 204 Public Law LAWS 298 Legal Writing | 30 30 30 30 0 |
3rd and 4th years | LAWS 301 Law of Torts LAWS 302 Jurisprudence 210 further LAWS points (30 points of which may be from any other subject at 200-level or higher) LAWS 398 Legal Research Skills LAWS 498 Research and Writing LAWS 499 Advocacy Skills | 30 30 210 0 0 0 |
* LAWS 101 and at least 72 non-LAWS points are normally taken in the first year; any further papers to make a total of 108 non-LAWS points must be taken in the third or fourth year. |
Bachelor of Laws with Honours (LLB(Hons))
Year | Papers | Points |
---|---|---|
1st year |
LAWS 101 The Legal System 108 points from any degree * |
36 108 |
2nd year |
LAWS 201 Criminal Law LAWS 202 Law of Contract LAWS 203 Property Law LAWS 204 Public Law LAWS 298 Legal Writing |
30 30 30 30 0 |
3rd and 4th years |
LAWS 301 Law of Torts LAWS 302 Jurisprudence 210 further LAWS points (30 points of which may be from any other subject at 200-level or higher) LAWS 398 Legal Research Skills LAWS 498 Research and Writing LAWS 499 Advocacy Skills |
30 30 210 0 0 0 |
Honours Requirements |
LAWS 380 (taken in the third year) LAWS 490 (taken in the fourth year) |
0 60 |
|
* LAWS 101 and at least 72 non-LAWS points are normally taken in the first year; any further papers to make a total of 108 non-LAWS points must be taken in the third or fourth year. |
Master of Laws (LLM)
Thesis |
---|
|
Papers
Paper code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
---|---|---|---|---|
LAWS101 | 2023 | The Legal System | 36 points | Full Year |
LAWS201 | 2023 | Criminal Law | 30 points | Full Year |
LAWS202 | 2023 | Law of Contract | 30 points | Full Year |
LAWS203 | 2023 | Property Law | 30 points | Full Year |
LAWS204 | 2023 | Public Law | 30 points | Full Year |
LAWS298 | 2023 | Legal Writing | 0 points | Full Year |
LAWS301 | 2023 | Law of Torts | 30 points | Full Year |
LAWS302 | 2023 | Jurisprudence | 30 points | Full Year |
LAWS350 | 2023 | Lawyers, Clients, and the Profession | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS351 | 2023 | Climate Law and Policy | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS352 | 2023 | International Tax Law and Policy | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS353 | 2023 | The Law in the South Pacific | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS354 | 2023 | Insolvency Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS356 | 2023 | International Labour Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS357 | 2023 | Law and the Biosciences | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS380 | 2023 | Preliminary Honours Research Papers | 0 points | Full Year |
LAWS398 | 2023 | Legal Research Skills | 0 points | Full Year |
LAWS401 | 2023 | Children and the Family Justice System | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS403 | 2023 | Immigration and Refugee Law | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS404 | 2023 | Administrative Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS405 | 2023 | Civil Liberties and the Private Sector | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS406 | 2023 | Civil Procedure | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS407 | 2023 | Company Law | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS409 | 2023 | Private International Law | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS410 | 2023 | Criminology | 15 points | 1st Non standard period |
LAWS411 | 2023 | Family Law | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS412 | 2023 | International Law | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS413 | 2023 | Labour Law | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS414 | 2023 | Law of Evidence | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS415 | 2023 | Resource Management Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS416 | 2023 | Taxation | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS417 | 2023 | Criminal Justice | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS418 | 2023 | Crime and Property | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS419 | 2023 | Securities Market Regulation | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS420 | 2023 | Law and the Democratic Process | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS421 | 2023 | International Environmental Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS422 | 2023 | Bill of Rights - Theory and Practice | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS423 | 2023 | Information and Data Protection Law | 15 points | Summer School |
LAWS424 | 2023 | International Criminal Court | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS425 | 2023 | Energy Law | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS426 | 2023 | Insurance Law | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS427 | 2023 | Commercial Equity | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS428 | 2023 | Law and Emerging Technologies | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS430 | 2023 | Advanced Criminal Law | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS431 | 2023 | Advanced Contract and Tort | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS432 | 2023 | Animals and the Law | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS433 | 2023 | Advanced Family Property | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS435 | 2023 | Banking Law | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS436 | 2023 | Commercial and Consumer Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS437 | 2023 | Competition Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS438 | 2023 | Civil Liberties and the Public Sector | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS440 | 2023 | Environmental Law | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS441 | 2023 | Advanced Taxation | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS442 | 2023 | Law and the Sports Industry | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS443 | 2023 | International Investment Law | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS444 | 2023 | Intellectual Property | 15 points | Summer School |
LAWS447 | 2023 | Law and Medicine | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS448 | 2023 | Law and Psychiatry | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS449 | 2023 | Criminal Procedure | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS450 | 2023 | Law of Restitution | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS452 | 2023 | Legal Theory | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS453 | 2023 | Advanced Legislation | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS454 | 2023 | Negotiation | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS455 | 2023 | Māori Land Law | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS456 | 2023 | Media Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS457 | 2023 | Secured Transactions | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS458 | 2023 | Sentencing | 15 points | 1st Non standard period |
LAWS459 | 2023 | Treaty of Waitangi | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS460 | 2023 | Vendor and Purchaser | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS461 | 2023 | Laws and Indigenous Peoples | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS462 | 2023 | Wills and Trusts | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS463 | 2023 | Legal Ethics | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS464 | 2023 | Advocacy | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS465 | 2023 | Law and Society | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS466 | 2023 | Gender and the Law | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS467 | 2023 | International Human Rights Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS468 | 2023 | Advanced Company Law | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS469 | 2023 | Law and Religion | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS470 | 2023 | Special Topic 1 | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS471 | 2023 | Special Topic: International Trade Regulation | 15 points | Summer School |
LAWS472 | 2023 | Special Topic 3: Law and Language | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS473 | 2023 | Special Topic 4: Public Health Law | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS474 | 2023 | Special Topic 5: International Criminal Law: Terrorism and Human Rights | 15 points | Summer School |
LAWS475 | 2023 | Special Topic 6: Global and Comparative Animal Law | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS476 | 2023 | Special Topic 7 | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS477 | 2023 | Special Topic 8: Mediation | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS478 | 2023 | Special Topic: Remedies in Private and Commercial Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS479 | 2023 | Special Topic 10 | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS480 | 2023 | Research Paper | 15 points | Semester 1, Semester 2, 1st Non standard period, Summer School |
LAWS481 | 2023 | Special Topic 11: International Litigation and Dispute Settlement | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS485 | 2023 | Special Topic 14: Chinese Law | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS486 | 2023 | Special Topic: Not-for-Profit Law | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS487 | 2023 | Special Topic 16 | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS488 | 2023 | Accidents and the Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS490 | 2023 | Final Honours Research Paper | 60 points | Full Year |
LAWS498 | 2023 | Research and Writing | 0 points | Semester 1, Semester 2, Summer School |
LAWS499 | 2023 | Advocacy Skills | 0 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS512 | 2023 | Family Law | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS515 | 2023 | Resource Management Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS521 | 2023 | International Environmental Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS528 | 2023 | Law and Emerging Technologies | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS540 | 2023 | Environmental Law | 15 points | Semester 1 |
LAWS547 | 2023 | Law and Medicine | 15 points | Semester 2 |
LAWS548 | 2023 | Law and Psychiatry | 15 points | Not offered in 2023 |
LAWS588 | 2023 | Accidents and the Law | 15 points | Semester 2 |
Key information for future students
Contact us
Faculty of Law
Email law@otago.ac.nz
Web otago.ac.nz/law