The Organisation 

Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) has a deep history of working in low- and moderate-income communities. Their presence in these communities has enabled them to connect community members in low and moderate-income households, who are most in need, but often hardest to reach, with information about their rights as tenants and consumers, financial literacy education, tax and benefit services, and leadership development training. By working collectively, they support communities to articulate priorities for addressing their greatest needs in the community whether it be safe and adequate housing, closing the digital divide, accessing fair financial services and more.  

The Project 

Research and Public Legal Education

About the Project 

Low-income renters face multiple barriers to exercising their rights when facing a major rent increase, fighting an eviction, and dealing with a landlord neglecting repairs or harassing their tenants. The high cost of legal representation, not understanding their rights or how the justice system works, and feeling overwhelmed by complicated legal forms, are major barriers tenants have identified for moving forward on important claims to improve their housing situation. Meanwhile, landlords and property management companies have the financial resources to retain lawyers during times of dispute whereas limited availability of and restrictions on free legal resources is a severe impediment for marginalized tenants.

What You Will Do 

Students will conduct legal research on issues affecting tenant rights in Ontario to support ACORN Canada's advocacy and policy initiatives. Working closely with ACORN, students will identify a focused research topic in the fall that aligns with current legislative or policy priorities, such as rent control, eviction protections, tenancy law enforcement, or other emerging housing issues.

Past PBSC projects have included jurisdictional scans of municipal renoviction bylaws, analyses of Above Guideline Increase (AGI) provisions under the Residential Tenancies Act, reviews of N13 eviction data, and comparisons of rental replacement bylaws across municipalities.

Where opportunities arise, students may also develop plain-language public legal education resources that explain Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) forms, procedures, and basic tenant rights. These materials are intended to help low-income tenants better understand the legal process and access community resources.

Main Deliverable

Students will prepare a legal research report that supports ACORN Canada's tenant organizing efforts and housing law reform campaigns. Where appropriate, students may also develop public legal education materials for low-income tenants.

Number of Students 

4 students

Who Can Apply? 

Upper-year students preferred. First-year students are also welcome to apply.

Language of the Project

English. Bilingualism is an asset. 

Special Features

We are looking for one project leader for this project. Students with prior leadership experience are encouraged to apply. This year, the students will also have a chance to collaborate with a student from Lincoln Alexander School of Law.

Prerequisites and Assets

No pre-requisites are required. However, an interest in tenant law will be considered a strong asset.

The following are strongly desired skills: an interest in social justice, a general openness to public interest work, an ability to work well under pressure, experience interacting with marginalized clients, and strong verbal communication skills.

Project and Lawyer Supervisor

Project: Ashley Reyns, Head Organizer at ACORN Canada

Lawyer: Simcha Walfish, Associate at Raven Law LLP 

Students will be able to complete all work remotely. Students will need a computer, Zoom, internet access. 

The Organization

The AIDS Committee of Ottawa (ACO) provides support, prevention, education and outreach services from an integrated anti-racism anti-oppression social justice framework that promotes the holistic wellbeing, human rights, and dignity of those living with, affected by, impacted by and at risk of HIV/AIDS in Ottawa.

Type of Project

Research and Public Legal Education

About the Project

This project will support the AIDS Committee of Ottawa in developing a legal strategy document to guide their work with clients navigating immigration and refugee law. The document will identify the most effective ways to connect clients with legal support, build a resource list of lawyers and organizations specializing in immigration and refugee matters, and outline best practices for legal referrals in this context. The document will also assess which organizations and referral pathways are most feasible and explain why certain options may be less viable for this population. 

What You Will Do 

Students will conduct legal research and stakeholder mapping to identify lawyers, legal clinics, and organizations best positioned to support clients navigating immigration and refugee proceedings. Students will synthesize their findings into a practical, accessible strategy document for internal use used by the AIDS Committee of Ottawa. 

Main Deliverable

The strategy document will focus on three primary client legal needs: 

1. Clients with a confirmed HIV diagnosis navigating refugee applications, including cases where the primary reason for seeking refuge may intersect with or differ from their disclosed circumstances 
2. Clients whose HIV status may be relevant to their immigration or refugee claim 
3. Clients facing intersecting vulnerabilities that require specialized legal support 

Number of students

2 students

Who can apply? 

Upper-year students preferred. First-year students are also welcome to apply. 

Language of the project

English. 

Special Features

We are looking for one project leader for this project. Students with prior leadership experience are encouraged to apply. This year, the students will also have a chance to collaborate with a student from Lincoln Alexander School of Law. 

Prerequisites and Assets

None. Lived or work experience with communities similar to ACO’s is an asset. 

Project and Lawyer Supervisor 

Project: Peter Szanto, Coordinator of Volunteer Resources at ACO

Lawyer: Daniella Febbraro, Associate at McCarthy Tétrault 

Students will be able to complete all work remotely. Students will need a computer and internet access. 

The Organization

The Ontario Legal Information Centre, more commonly known as Centre d'information juridique de l'Ontario (CIJO), offers a free 30-minute meeting with a lawyer to anyone in Ontario facing a legal problem or whose legal problem is located there. The Centre is a welcoming and supportive space where individuals can receive essential legal information, learn about their options, and develop a plan of action to resolve their legal issues.

This is an initiative of the Association des juristes d'expression francaise de l'Ontario (AJEFO). 

Type of Project

Legal Research and Public Legal Education

About the Project

The Ontario Legal Information Centre provides free legal information and referral services to individuals, regardless of their income or legal issue. As a result, the Centre’s lawyers are required to answer questions in all areas of law and must stay informed about changes and developments in the law.

At times, the lawyers are faced with more complex questions that require additional research. In these cases, the lawyers undertake to follow up with the individuals seeking legal assistance to provide them with additional legal information. The Centre’s lawyers are therefore looking for a law student who is capable of conducting a variety of legal research to answer questions submitted to the Centre. The areas of law covered will vary depending on the questions raised by the individuals seeking assistance.

The student will not attend meetings with individuals seeking legal assistance.

In addition, the lawyers refer individuals to various organizations throughout the province. The Centre’s lawyers are looking for a student to assist them in researching resources available throughout the province. This could involve anything from identifying legal clinics and their areas of practice in a particular region to finding online resources available to the public in a specific area of law.

Furthermore, the Centre works on developing resources designed to facilitate access to justice for the general public. These resources cover various areas of law, depending on the Centre’s needs throughout the project. For example, the Centre’s lawyers are looking for a law student to develop a civil litigation tool, written in plain language, to assist self-represented litigants. The tool will take the form of an infographic designed to facilitate individuals’ understanding of a particular area of law or the legal procedure they need to follow. 

What You Will Do 

• The student will conduct research on legislation and case law to understand legal procedures and the current state of the law. The student will then present the results of this research in the form of a summary note or an infographic, which will serve as a reference document for future meetings with clients or will be provided to them.
• The student will research online resources available to self-represented individuals, as well as local organizations that may assist them in specific areas. This work will take the form of a reference table to be completed.

Main Deliverable

Depending on the Centre’s needs, deliverables may include:

• legal research memoranda;
• a reference table identifying relevant legal and community resources; and
• a plain-language public legal education infographic.

All deliverables will be reviewed and approved by the lawyer supervisor before they are used or shared.

Number of Students

1 student

Who can apply?

Upper Year Students with strong French language skills. 

Language of the project

French 

Special Features 

No project leader on this project. 

Prerequisites and Assets

• The student must be at a superior to excellent French level

• The student should demonstrate strong research skills and initiative

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Jaëlle Bain, Manager at AJEFO-Centre d'information juridique de l'Ontario

Students will be able to complete all work remotely. Students will need a computer and internet access. 

The Organization

CliquezJustice.ca is an initiative of the Association des juristes d'expression francaise de l'Ontario (AJEFO). It provides clear and accessible information about everyday legal rights and responsibilities to Francophone minority communities outside Quebec. 

Type of Project

Legal Research and Public Legal Education

About the Project

The student will conduct legal research and create French-language content for the CliquezJustice.ca website. The student will translate legal concepts into clear, accessible language suitable for the general public.

The areas of law covered will depend on the organization’s needs and the student’s interests. Potential subjects include housing law, private law, federal law, discrimination, employment law, family law, and criminal law. The organization currently anticipates a particular focus on offences and criminal law. Final topics will be confirmed with the student in October.

The student will not provide legal advice.

What You Will Do 

The student will:

• contact the organization and lawyer supervisor at the beginning of October for an orientation and discussion of project expectations;
• arrive at the initial meeting prepared to discuss their legal interests and potential topics;
• conduct legal research on the selected topics;
• draft public-facing articles in clear and accessible French;
• create infographics that explain legal concepts to the general public;
• participate in regular virtual meetings to discuss progress, ask questions, receive feedback, and benefit from mentorship; and
• revise their work in response to feedback from the organization and lawyer supervisor.

The student will also develop a work plan and proposed timeline in consultation with the organization and lawyer supervisor.

Main Deliverables

Each student will produce, at minimum:

• one French-language article; and
• one French-language infographic.

The specific subjects and submission deadlines will be established with the organization and lawyer supervisor. All legal research and final materials must be reviewed and approved by the lawyer supervisor before publication or distribution.

Number of students

1-2 student(s). 

Who can apply?

Upper year students

Language of the project

French

Special Features 

No project leader on this project. 

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants must demonstrate:

• strong written and oral French-language proficiency;
• strong legal research and writing skills;
• the ability to work independently;
• effective communication and time-management skills; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Academic or professional experience in criminal law, family law, housing law, or employment law would be an asset but is not required. 

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Chloé Quirion, Manager of ClinquezJustice.ca 

Students will be able to complete all work remotely. Students will require a computer, reliable internet access, and the ability to participate in virtual meetings. 

The Organization

The Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario (AJEFO) promotes access to justice in French and equitable access to justice in both official languages. It educates legal professionals and the public about their rights to receive legal services in the official language of their choice.

Jurisource.ca is AJEFO’s French-language common law resource platform. It provides legal professionals working in Canada’s common law provinces and territories with free access to thousands of French-language legal and terminological resources.

Type of Project

Legal Research and Public Legal Education 

About the Project

The student will support the development of French-language criminal law resources for Jurisource.ca. The project has two components, which will be completed in order of priority and subject to the time available.

First, the student will develop one or two bilingual legal glossaries related to criminal law. Potential subjects include jury trials, firearms, or serious offences.

If time permits, the student will also help create an online learning module on a selected criminal law topic. The module will be added to Jurisource.ca’s Espace de formation, which contains more than 30 terminological training modules for legal professionals.

What You Will Do

The student will:

• review Jurisource.ca’s internal procedures and drafting guidelines;
• conduct detailed terminological research using legislation, case law, legal scholarship, and reliable federal, provincial, and territorial sources;
• identify, verify, and document relevant legal terms in English and French;
• collaborate with the Jurisource.ca team to revise and finalize the glossary content;
• if time permits, develop terminological exercises and clear, accessible content for an online learning module;
• identify relevant resources to support and enrich the online learning module; and
• participate in monthly meetings, or additional meetings as needed, to receive guidance and feedback.

The student will receive an initial orientation introducing the organization, the project team, the assigned tasks, the anticipated schedule, and Jurisource.ca’s guidelines on inclusive and plain-language writing. The student must also prepare a work plan in consultation with the lawyer supervisor.

Main Deliverables

The primary deliverable will be:

• one or two bilingual criminal law glossaries containing approximately 400 English–French legal terms and the supporting information required by Jurisource.ca’s internal procedures.

If time permits, the student will also produce:

• content for an online terminological learning module, including exercises and a collection of relevant learning resources.

All content will be reviewed and approved by the lawyer supervisor and the Jurisource.ca team before publication.

Number of Students

1 student

Who Can Apply?

First-Year and Upper-Year students. 

Language of the Project

French and English.

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants must:

• be Francophone and able to write effectively in French;
• possess strong French-language legal writing skills;
• demonstrate an interest in legal and terminological research;
• have an interest in criminal law; and
• be able to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week. 

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Alexanne Stewart, Director of Professional Services
Lawyer supervisor: Natalie Bouchard, E-Learning Project Officer

This is a hybrid project with a flexible schedule. The student may work remotely or use the workspace available at AJEFO’s Ottawa office. Remote work requires a computer, reliable internet access, and access to Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

The Organisation

The Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario (AJEFO) promotes access to justice in French and equitable access to justice in both official languages. It educates legal professionals and the public about their rights to receive legal services in the official language of their choice.

Jurisource.ca is AJEFO’s French-language common law resource platform. It provides legal professionals working in Canada’s common law provinces and territories with free access to thousands of French-language legal and terminological resources.

Type of Project

Legal Research and Public Legal Education

About the Project

The student will conduct legal research and develop French-language content for publication on Jurisource.ca. The project will primarily involve updating an existing thematic file relating to criminal and penal law.

Depending on the time available, the student may also write three blog posts and prepare a 5- to 10-page reference document. The subjects of these materials will be selected in consultation with Jurisource.ca based on the organization’s needs and the student’s interests.

What You Will Do

The student will:

• review the existing content of a criminal or penal law thematic file;
• research developments in the relevant case law and identify new decisions that should be added;
• read selected decisions and prepare one- to two-sentence summaries providing context for each case;
• review the relevant legislation to ensure that the thematic file remains current;
• identify general resources and publications that should be added to or removed from the thematic file;
• propose topics, titles, and outlines for any blog posts or reference materials;
• draft and revise French-language content in accordance with Jurisource.ca’s inclusive and plain-language writing guidelines; and
• participate in regular meetings with the supervisor to receive guidance and feedback.

Before beginning each blog post or reference document, the student will prepare a proposed topic, title, and table of contents for approval. Drafts will be reviewed by the Jurisource.ca team, and the student will revise the materials in response to its feedback. A member of the Jurisource.ca team will publish the final materials.

The student will receive an initial orientation to the organization, project team, assigned tasks, anticipated schedule, and internal writing guidelines. The student will also develop a work plan and proposed timeline with the supervisor during the initial meeting in October.

Main Deliverables

The primary deliverable will be:

• an updated criminal or penal law thematic file containing current legislation, relevant case law and case summaries, and appropriate supporting resources.

If time permits, the student will also produce:

• three French-language blog posts; and
• a 5- to 10-page French-language reference document.

All content will be reviewed and approved by the supervisor and Jurisource.ca team before publication.

Number of Students

1 student

Who Can Apply?

Upper-year students

Language of the Project

French

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants must:

• be Francophone and able to write effectively in French;
• possess strong French-language legal research and writing skills;
• demonstrate an interest in legal research;
• have practical experience in criminal or penal law, or have completed advanced coursework in criminal or penal law; and
• be able to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Alexanne Stewart, Manager, AJEFO

This is a hybrid project with a flexible schedule. The student may work remotely or use the workspace available at AJEFO’s Ottawa office. Remote work requires a computer, reliable internet access, and access to Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

The Organization

Artists’ Legal Services Ottawa (ALSO) is a federally registered not-for-profit organization operated by volunteer lawyers, artists, and law students. ALSO provides accessible legal education, informational resources, workshops, and referrals to artists across the National Capital Region, helping creators develop the legal and business knowledge needed to build sustainable practices.

Type of Project

Public Legal Education and Legal Research

About the Project

This project will support ALSO in developing a practical, plain-language guide to contract negotiation for artists across creative industries, including visual arts, music, film, galleries, museums, and social media.

The guide will help artists understand common contractual terms, recognize provisions they may be able to negotiate, identify potential concerns, and formulate questions or requests during negotiations. It may address agreements involving commissions, licensing, gallery representation, exhibitions, performances, content creation, and other creative services.

Students may interview artists from ALSO’s network to learn about their experiences with contracts and the negotiation challenges they commonly encounter. Students will provide general legal information and will not provide individualized legal advice.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• Develop a preliminary research work plan;
• Divide and conduct legal and practical research by creative sector;
• Interview artists from ALSO’s network, where appropriate;
• Identify common contract terms, negotiation practices, and potential concerns;
• Prepare an outline and draft the guide; and
• Revise the guide based on feedback from ALSO and the lawyer supervisors.

Students will collaborate as a team to ensure that their research forms one cohesive resource. They will receive additional mentorship and guidance from the project and lawyer supervisors as a dedicated first-year student team. Students will meet with the supervisors periodically, with more frequent guidance during the initial scoping and final review stages.

A research work plan must be submitted to the Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisors by November 1.

Main Deliverables

The students will produce:

• A preliminary research work plan;
• An outline of the proposed resource; and
• A practical, plain-language contract negotiation guide for artists.

The lawyer supervisors will review the resource for legal accuracy and ensure that it provides accessible legal information without offering individualized legal advice. ALSO will review and approve the final guide for use as a public legal education resource for artists.

Number of Students

4 students

Who Can Apply?

First-year students and upper-year students

Language of the Project

English

Special Features

Students will receive enhanced mentorship and guidance from the project and lawyer supervisors while working collaboratively on a single resource.

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Strong research and writing skills, experience with legal research not necessary but an asset;
• The ability to communicate complex information in clear, accessible language;
• The ability to work collaboratively, creatively, and incorporate feedback; and
• The ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

An interest in contract law, intellectual property, business law, access to justice, or the creative industries would be an asset but is not required. No prerequisite courses or prior specialized experience are required.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Naomi Brearley, Chair of the Board of Directors, Artists’ Legal Services Ottawa

Lawyer supervisors:

• Lyndra Griffith-Harnden, Lawyer, Griffith Law
• Ariadni Athanassiadis, Lawyer, Kyma Professional Corporation

Students will be able to complete all work remotely. Students will require a computer, reliable internet access, email, and Zoom for supervisor meetings and research roundtables.

The Organisation

The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) is a national charity committed to building a more inclusive Canada. Through education, training, research, and action, CCDI promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and justice in workplaces, schools, and communities.

Type of Project

Legal Research and Public Legal Education

About the Project

This project will support CCDI in developing a series of plain-language legal fact sheets for human resources professionals, employers, and workplace practitioners navigating human rights and employment law in Canada.

At the kickoff meeting, students will work with CCDI and the lawyer supervisor to select topics based on the organization’s most pressing needs. Potential topics include workplace discrimination, trans rights, accessibility and accommodation, anti-racism policies, sexual harassment and gender-based violence protocols, competing human rights claims, privacy considerations in collecting DEIA data, and the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace.

Each fact sheet will draw on relevant legislation and case law to explain how the selected issue arises in practice. Students will not interact with clients or provide individualized legal advice.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• Consult with CCDI and the lawyer supervisor to select and scope the fact-sheet topics;
• Develop a research work plan;
• Research relevant legislation, case law, and legal principles;
• Analyze how the selected legal issues arise in Canadian workplaces;
• Draft clear and accessible fact sheets for a non-legal audience; and
• Revise the fact sheets based on feedback from the lawyer supervisor and CCDI.

CCDI will provide an orientation on its mandate and current diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility priorities during the kickoff meeting. The lawyer supervisor will provide regular guidance on legal research, case selection, and plain-language drafting.

A research work plan must be submitted to the Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Main Deliverables

The students will produce:

• A research work plan; and
• Approximately 2–3 plain-language legal fact sheets addressing selected workplace human rights or employment law issues.

The lawyer supervisor will review all fact sheets for legal accuracy before they are submitted to CCDI. CCDI will use the completed resources to support human resources professionals, employers, and workplace practitioners. The deliverables are confidential and may not be retained by PBSC after the project.

Number of Students

2 students

Who Can Apply?

Upper year student preferred. First year students can apply. 

Language of the Project

English

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Strong legal research and case-analysis skills;
• The ability to explain complex legal concepts in clear, accessible language;
• Strong writing, collaboration, and time-management skills; and
• The ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Coursework or experience in human rights law, employment law, labour law, privacy law, administrative law, or diversity and inclusion would be an asset but is not required.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Anna Lendvai, Specialist, Research and Knowledge Solutions, Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion

Lawyer supervisor: TBD

Students will be able to complete all work remotely on a flexible schedule. Students will require a computer, reliable internet access, videoconferencing software, and access to legal research databases such as CanLII, Westlaw, or Quicklaw.

The Organisation

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) is a national, non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that protects civil liberties, human rights, and democratic freedoms across Canada. CCLA advances these rights through litigation, legislative advocacy, research, public education, and civic engagement.

Type of Project

Legal Research

About the Project

Students will conduct legal research supporting CCLA’s litigation, advocacy, and public-engagement work. Research assignments will fall within one of CCLA’s three program areas (students must rank their preferred program):

• Privacy: 
  Privacy is an internationally protected human right. It’s also a gateway right, because protecting privacy means protecting the information about us that can be used to deny equality rights based on profiling. Privacy supports free expression, because knowing we’re being surveilled chills our willingness to express (or hear) controversial speech, and it supports our right to dissent, which again, can be inhibited by intrusive surveillance. Whether the risks come from new (or old) technologies in the service of law enforcement or national security, or the ‘surveillance capitalism’ model that underlies contemporary online services, privacy is under threat as new ways to identify, track, and profile people proliferate. CCLA seeks to bring a principled and rights-focused approach to assessing and advocating around the impacts of new technology and surveillance wherever rights are at risk. Examples of the types of research projects that might be required include:
  • State Surveillance at Protests: It has been reported that Canadian police services are increasingly relying on emerging technologies (facial recognition technology, body-worn cameras, social media monitoring, drones, etc) to surveil and profile people during and in advance of peaceful protests. This project would involve research on Canadian police services’ current policies/practices on surveillance of protesters, and an analysis of Charter issues arising from same, with the goal of developing a series of recommendations addressed to law enforcement.    
  • Facial Recognition Technology & Automated Assessment at the Border: A number of border control agencies, airports and airlines are increasing their use of Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) and of various AI assessment mechanisms in border control settings. We would research the adoption of these tools in Canada and assess their Charter implications.  
• Fundamental Freedoms:
  The Fundamental Freedoms program is focused on defending Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Association, Freedom of the Press, the Right to Protest, Democratic Rights and Mobility Rights from unjustified state interference. While it is almost impossible to imagine how a democracy could work without the protection of these most basic rights and freedoms, they continue to be under attack in many ways in Canada. Examples of the types of research projects that might be required include:
  • Outlining a Distinctive Concept of Freedom of Peaceful Assembly: More than 40 years after the Charter’s adoption, freedom of peaceful assembly (s. 2(c)) has yet to receive an authoritative interpretation from the Supreme Court of Canada. While s. 2(c) is often subsumed in expressive freedom (s. 2(b)), these two rights serve distinct values and should provide for distinct and complementary protections. This research project would involve research on international and Canadian case law and doctrine about freedom of assembly, with a goal to outline a distinctive conception of this right.
  • Climate Justice and Charter Rights: A comparative analysis of how the fact of Climate Change has led to developments in constitutional law worldwide, with particular focus on cognate jurisdictions and circumstances which are likely to provide some precedent to Canadian circumstances.
• Equality stream: 
  CCLA’s Equality Program is dedicated to supporting, standing with, and fighting for the rights of individuals and groups who face discrimination, and in particular those who are most marginalized, many of whom experience intersecting forms of discrimination, whose right to full equality has not been realized. Equality in its full and proper (and legal) meaning includes the concepts of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and recognizes that not every person has the same needs or abilities, but that all people are equal in value and worth, and all are deserving of equal fairness, dignity and rights in a meaningful way. Examples of the types of research projects that might be required include:
  • Gender-Affirming Care in Prisons: There has been a rise in anti-trans policies and practices across many jurisdictions in North America. This research project involves analysis of provincial and territorial legislation and policies that deal with trans and gender diverse individuals who are incarcerated. This research involves inter-provincial and international comparative analysis, including on prison placement decisions, access to gender-affirming healthcare while incarcerated, and medical and security personnel trans-competent training policies. This research will be undertaken with a view to articulating any Charter rights infringements. 
  • Forced Treatment of People with Addictions: This research project would involve analysis of provincial and territorial legislation and policies that mandates involuntary treatment for people with addictions. The research would involve comparative analysis across provinces with a focus on the infringement of Charter rights (including but not limited to liberty, autonomy, and equality rights). 

What You Will Do 

The student will:

• Conduct legal research on assigned civil-liberties and human-rights issues;
• Analyze relevant legislation, policies, jurisprudence, and Charter implications;
• Prepare case briefs, policy or legislative reviews, and research memoranda;
• Conduct comparative or social-science research where required;
• Meet with the assigned Program Director or lawyer supervisor for guidance; and
• Revise work based on feedback from CCLA.

A mandatory three-hour orientation and training session will take place on a Friday morning in late September. Students must also attend the PBSC/Thomson Reuters Legal Research Strategies Workshop. 

Main Deliverables 

Depending on the assigned project, the student will produce:

• Legal research memoranda;
• Case briefs;
• Reviews of existing, proposed, or draft legislation and policies; and
• Comparative or social-science research supporting CCLA’s advocacy and public-education work.

The assigned CCLA Program Director will review and approve all deliverables before they are used by the organization. The deliverables are confidential and may not be retained by PBSC after the project.

Number of Students

1 University of Ottawa Common Law Student, as part of a national cohort of 9 students

Who can apply?

Upper Year Students

Language of the Project

English. French fluency is an asset but is not required. 

Special Features

This is a national PBSC project involving students from nine Canadian law schools. The selected student will rank CCLA’s four program areas in order of preference and will work with the lawyer supervisor responsible for the assigned stream.

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Completion of a constitutional law or public law course;
• A strong interest in CCLA, civil liberties, or human rights;
• Strong legal research, analysis, and writing skills;
• The ability to work independently and respond constructively to feedback; and
• The ability to contribute approximately 5 hours per week.

IMPORTANT NOTE: On your cover letter, please indicate rank your preferred program areas from first to fourth. Final assignments will depend on CCLA’s current priorities. Students will not interact directly with clients or provide legal advice

French fluency and experience with constitutional law, administrative law, criminal law, human rights law, public policy, or comparative legal research would be assets but are not required.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Harini Sivalingam, Director of Equality, Canadian Civil Liberties Association

The assigned lawyer supervisor will depend on the student’s program stream:

• Harini Sivalingam, Director, Equality Program;
• Aaden Pearson, Staff Lawyer;
• Anaïs Bussieres McNicoll, Director, Fundamental Freedoms Program; or
• Tamir Isreal, Director, Privacy Program.

Students will be able to complete all work remotely. Students will require a computer, reliable internet access, a telephone, and Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

The Organisation

The City of Ottawa’s Catherine Street Community Service Hub, located at 370 Catherine Street, is a safe resting space where residents can access municipal and community social supports in one location. The Hub serves community members who may be living in poverty, experiencing homelessness or marginal housing, or navigating the immigration and refugee system.

The Hub offers services by a team of Employment and Social Services and community partner agency staff. The ID Project at the Catherine Street Hub will assist community members in accessing necessary documentation. Documents that may be needed include birth certificates, health cards, permanent resident cards, and Ontario photo ID cards. Without official documentation, individuals cannot access many community services and programs.

Type of Project

Client Services

The Project

The ID Project addresses the barriers marginalized community members face when obtaining identification needed to access services throughout Ottawa.

Four PBSC students will participate in scheduled clinics alongside a supervising lawyer from Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. The lawyer will supervise client interviews, confirm eligibility requirements, and help complete the required documentation. The City of Ottawa will provide a designated private space for consultations.

The project runs from October 2026 to April 2027, with a break in December for examinations. Students must arrive 15 minutes before each clinic begins to meet with the team and prepare the space.

Students will interact directly with clients but must not provide legal advice. A licensed lawyer will be present to supervise the students and answer legal questions.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• Welcome clients and explain how the ID Project operates;
• Identify the documents clients are seeking and introduce them to the supervising lawyer;
• Attend client consultations and assist with completing the applicable forms;
• Make copies of completed documents and provide them to clients for submission;
• Connect clients with Hub caseworkers or other community resources when additional assistance is required;
• Track any project work completed outside scheduled clinic hours; and
• Create or update public legal education materials relating to identification.

The supervising lawyer will confirm eligibility requirements and assist clients in completing forms such as the Ontario Photo Card – Address Requirement for Homeless or Marginally Housed Applicants and the Agency Assistance Form and Registration for Ontario Health Insurance Coverage.

When clients require financial or other support, students may liaise with a Hub caseworker regarding third-party payment or other assistance with the identification application.

All students must be available for the following clinic dates:

The clinic will stop receiving clients at 1:00 p.m. Students must remain available until 2:00 p.m. to complete outstanding work.

Number of Students

4 students 

Who can apply?

All students

Language of the Project

English. Bilingualism is an asset.

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants must demonstrate:

• The ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills;
• Punctuality and strong time-management skills;
• An interest in human rights, immigration, poverty law, or access to justice; and
• Availability for the clinic dates 

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisors:

• Laura Masson, Partnership Coordinator, City of Ottawa;
• Julie Wiley, Partnership Coordinator, City of Ottawa; and
• Jean Doyle, Coordinator, Catherine Street Community Service Hub.

Lawyer supervisors:

• Kirk Boyd, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP; and
• Michelle Doody, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP.

This project is conducted in person at the Catherine Street Community Service Hub, located at 370 Catherine Street, Ottawa. Students must be able to attend every scheduled clinic date.

The Organisation

Friends of the Earth Canada is a campaigning environmental organisation and the Canadian member of Friends of the Earth International, the world’s largest grassroots environmental network. Its work focuses on climate and energy, biodiversity, water and plastics, and environmental justice through research, education, policy development, advocacy, interventions, and litigation.

Type of Project

Legal Research

The Project

Canada is developing a National Agricultural Soil Health Strategy to strengthen the protection, conservation, and health of Canadian soils. This work builds on the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry’s report, Critical Ground: Why Soil is Essential to Canada’s Economic, Environmental, Human, and Social Health, and Bill S-230, An Act Respecting the Development of a National Strategy for Soil Health Protection, Conservation and Enhancement.

A previous PBSC student prepared an overview of Canada’s existing legal framework for protecting soil from toxic chemicals. Building on that work, this year’s student will conduct an environmental scan examining the presence and use of pesticides, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and plastics in Canadian soils.

The research will help Friends of the Earth prepare input for government consultations concerning new measures to protect Canadian soils.

The student will not provide legal advice, interpret evidence on behalf of Friends of the Earth, or make recommendations on the organisation’s behalf. The final report will be used internally by Friends of the Earth.

What You Will Do

The student will:

• Conduct a literature review of pesticide, PFAS, and plastic contamination in Canadian soils;
• Identify and synthesize known sources, pathways into soil, and documented environmental and health impacts;
• Examine legacy contamination and emerging environmental concerns;
• Identify high-risk applications, uses, sites, and geographic contexts;
• Assess gaps in Canada’s existing legal, regulatory, and policy framework;
• Consider the potential application of existing legal tools, including subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act;
• Interview resource people working in legal and environmental fields; and
• Prepare an internal research report for Friends of the Earth.

Friends of the Earth will provide training and mentorship on Access to Information requests and the machinery of the federal government. The student will meet with the organisation through weekly Zoom calls and with the lawyer supervisor at least twice per month.

A work plan must be submitted to the Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Main Deliverables

The student will produce:

• An internal research report examining pesticide, PFAS, and plastic contamination in Canadian soils and the relevant legal and policy responses; and
• If time permits, an infographic explaining how the legal system addresses soil protection.

The length and precise scope of the report will be determined jointly by the student and Friends of the Earth. The lawyer supervisor will review and approve the final report before it is submitted to the organisation.

All final materials will state that they contain general legal information, were prepared by PBSC law student volunteers, and do not constitute legal advice.

Number of Students

1 student

Who Can Apply?

Upper-year students

Language of the Project

English

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants must demonstrate:

• An expressed interest in environmental law. Previous work or student addressing environmental law or environmental campaigning is an asset.
• Strong legal and interdisciplinary research skills;
• The ability to synthesize scientific, legal, and policy materials;
• Strong written communication and analytical skills;
• The ability to work independently and meet agreed-upon deadlines; and
• The ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Previous work or studies involving environmental law, environmental science, public policy, or environmental campaigning would be an asset.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Beatrice Olivastri, Chief Executive Officer, Friends of the Earth Canada

Lawyer supervisor: Amanda Montgomery, Associate, Elson Advocacy

The student will complete all work remotely on a flexible schedule. The student will require a computer, reliable internet access, and Zoom.

The Organisation

Humane Canada is Canada’s national federation of SPCAs and humane societies. The organization works to end animal cruelty, strengthen animal protection, and promote the humane treatment of companion, farmed, wild, and research animals. Humane Canada advances animal-welfare interests before governments, policymakers, industry, and the public while also addressing the connection between animal abuse and family violence.

Type of Project

Legal Research and Public Legal Education

The Project

Students will research and summarize animal-cruelty cases prosecuted under the Criminal Code and provincial or territorial animal-welfare legislation.

The completed summaries will support Humane Canada’s National Centre for the Prosecution of Animal Cruelty (NCPAC) Case Law Database, a public database used by prosecutors and allied professionals for research and informational purposes.

Cases will be provided by Humane Canada’s Crown prosecutor partners or identified through legal research databases such as CanLII and Quicklaw. Students will also research newly reported animal-cruelty decisions. Each student can expect to complete approximately five to seven case summaries per semester.

Students will also update the National Animal Prohibition Order Database. This database was created in response to the absence of a consistent national system for tracking orders that restrict individuals from owning or caring for animals. Students will use templates provided by Humane Canada to enter information from publicly available cases and cases submitted by partners such as the BC SPCA and Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan.

Depending on the assigned case, students will complete:

• The NCPAC Database Case Template for a case that does not include an animal-prohibition order; or
• The NCPAC Database Case Template and Animal Prohibition Order Database submission form for a case that includes a federal, provincial, or territorial prohibition order. 

What You Will Do 

The students will:

• Research animal-cruelty cases using CanLII, Quicklaw, and other legal research sources;
• Analyze relevant decisions under the Criminal Code and provincial or territorial legislation;
• Prepare case summaries using Humane Canada’s prescribed template and tagging system;
• Identify animal-prohibition orders within assigned cases;
• Complete Animal Prohibition Order Database submission forms where applicable;
• Revise work based on feedback from the lawyer supervisor; and
• Collaborate with students from the University of Ottawa and University of Toronto PBSC chapters.

Students will receive an orientation to Humane Canada and NCPAC, along with training on the case-summary template, tagging system, and Animal Prohibition Order Database. Students must also attend the PBSC Legal Research Strategies Workshop.

A work plan outlining the students’ responsibilities, meeting schedule, and deadlines must be submitted to the Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Main Deliverables

Each student will produce:

• Approximately five to seven animal-cruelty case summaries per semester; and
• Up to five to seven Animal Prohibition Order Database submissions per semester, where applicable.

Assistant Vice-Dean and Professor Daphne Gilbert will review and approve the work completed by uOttawa students. Humane Canada will edit the approved summaries for style before uploading them to the NCPAC Case Law Database.

Content Warning

Some assigned cases may contain distressing descriptions of animal cruelty. Humane Canada will provide a content warning where appropriate. Students may decline an assigned case and request a different one without judgment or repercussions.

Number of Students

4–5 students from uOttawa Common Law

This is a joint project with three students from the University of Toronto.

Who Can Apply?

All students, including first-year students

Language of the Project

English. French proficiency is an asset.

Special Features

A Project Lead will be selected from among returning students who have previously worked on this project. The Project Lead will serve as the primary point of contact between the student team and Humane Canada.

Prerequisites and Assets

No prerequisite courses or previous animal-law experience are required.

Applicants should possess:

• Strong legal research and case-analysis skills;
• Clear and concise writing skills;
• Careful attention to detail;
• The ability to follow prescribed templates and meet deadlines; and
• The ability to contribute approximately three to five hours per week.

An interest in criminal law, administrative law, animal-welfare law, or public-interest advocacy would be an asset but is not required.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Kerri Thomson, Manager, Justice and Legislative Affairs, Humane Canada

Lawyer supervisor for uOttawa students: Assistant Vice-Dean and Professor Daphne Gilbert, University of Ottawa

Students will complete all work remotely on a flexible schedule. Students will require a personal computer in a private workspace, a reliable and secure internet connection, access to Zoom or Microsoft Teams, and a working camera and microphone.

The Organisation

Just Food is a community-based nonprofit organisation working on rural and urban food and farming issues in Ottawa and the surrounding region. Just Food participates in food-policy initiatives, supports the Ottawa Food Policy Council, and provides backbone support to the Food Communities Network.

Type of Project

Legal Research and Public Legal Education

The Project

This project will help farmers who lease agricultural land from the National Capital Commission (NCC) within the Greenbelt understand their leases and the legal framework governing the land. Farmers have raised questions about applicable federal, provincial, and municipal laws; the NCC’s responsibilities as a landlord; building and safety standards; and the remedies available when lease commitments are not fulfilled.

Students will research these issues and translate their findings into accessible legal information for small-scale and community farmers. Students will not provide legal advice or make recommendations concerning individual disputes. Any lease clauses considered during the project will be anonymised and discussed for educational purposes only.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• research whether federal or Ontario law governs NCC agricultural leases and which courts or tribunals have jurisdiction over disputes;
• examine the application of municipal bylaws, the Ontario Building Code, occupational health and safety requirements, and fire-safety legislation;
• research the NCC’s oversight responsibilities and any enforceable public-interest duties connected to its management of leased land;
• examine the jurisdiction of the NCC Ombudsperson and available complaint processes;
• research potential remedies for breaches of a lease, including repair orders, rent abatement, damages, and lease termination;
• examine relevant legal principles, including misrepresentation, promissory estoppel, and the duty of honest contractual performance;
• review case law involving the NCC as a landlord or lessor, particularly cases involving agricultural or Greenbelt properties; and
• present plain-language legal information to farmers at an in-person community event.

Students will work together as one team. Just Food will provide an orientation covering the NCC lease context, farmers’ concerns, and the project’s research questions. Students must submit a work plan to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Main Deliverables

The students will produce:

• a plain-language research guide explaining the legal framework, the NCC’s responsibilities, relevant safety standards, complaint processes, and possible tenant remedies;
• a plain-language presentation titled Understanding Your NCC Farm Lease: Legal Framework, Public Land, and Safety Standards; and
• a practical lease-review checklist for farmers.

Just Food will organise an in-person event at which students will present their findings and lead a capacity-building exercise. The lawyer supervisor will review and approve all materials before they are shared or presented.

Number of Students

2 students

Who Can Apply?

Upper-year students

Language of the Project

English. Bilingualism is not required.

Prerequisites and Assets

No prerequisite courses or specialised experience are required. Applicants should demonstrate:

• strong legal research and writing skills;
• the ability to communicate legal concepts in plain language;
• the ability to collaborate effectively as part of a team;
• comfort presenting information to a community audience; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

An interest in property, contract, administrative, constitutional, environmental, or agricultural law would be an asset but is not required.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Moe Garahan, Executive Director, Just Food
Lawyer supervisor: Heather McLeod-Kilmurray, Professor at the University of Ottawa and former Co-Director of the Centre for Environmental Law and Global Sustainability

Students will complete most of the project remotely but must attend the in-person farmer event. Students will require a computer, reliable internet access, Zoom, email, and access to legal research services such as CanLII, Westlaw, or Quicklaw.

The Organisation

Kind Space is an Ottawa-based nonprofit organisation that provides personal and peer support to members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Kind Space helps people understand and inhabit their identities with confidence while providing support during periods when they may be particularly vulnerable.

Type of Project

Client Services and Public Legal Education

About the Project

The ABLE2–Kind Space Trans ID Clinic helps trans and gender-diverse individuals navigate the process of changing their names and updating their identification documents.

The clinic will operate virtually twice per month. Kind Space will advertise the clinic and provide an appointment-booking platform. Students and the lawyer supervisor will provide clients with general legal information and practical assistance concerning the name-change and identification-document process.

Students will not provide legal advice. The clinic will comply with PBSC’s confidentiality and privacy requirements, and students must not provide clients with their personal contact information. If virtual delivery becomes impractical, the clinic may move to Kind Space’s Ottawa office.

The project also includes a public legal education component addressing common questions raised by clinic clients.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• attend two-hour virtual clinic shifts twice per month;
• welcome clients and gather the information required to understand their identification needs;
• provide general information about the process of legally changing a name and updating identification documents;
• assist clients with the relevant forms under the lawyer supervisor’s direction;
• obtain the lawyer supervisor’s approval for completed forms;
• refer clients to appropriate resources when additional assistance is required;
• conduct legal research during quieter clinic periods;
• develop public legal education materials based on frequently asked client questions;
• provide clients with access to PBSC’s Client Impact Survey following their appointments; and
• protect client privacy and maintain strict confidentiality throughout the placement.

Students must contact the lawyer supervisor, prepare a work plan, and submit it to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Kind Space will provide an orientation at the beginning of October covering the organisation, clinic procedures, and the students’ responsibilities. Students working on the research component must also attend the PBSC/Thomson Reuters legal research workshop.

Main Deliverables

The students will:

• assist clients with the name-change and identification-document process during scheduled clinic shifts; and
• create public legal education content responding to common questions raised by clients.

Depending on community needs, the public legal education component may include:

• a pop-up legal clinic event;
• a community workshop explaining the steps involved in legally changing a name; or
• an in-depth resource explaining individuals’ rights and the name-change process.

The lawyer supervisor will review and approve all completed forms and public legal education materials before they are provided to clients or shared with Kind Space. All public legal education materials must include PBSC’s required legal-information disclaimer.

Number of Students

2-3 students 

Who Can Apply?

Upper-year students. Preference will be given to third-year students.

Applicants who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ are encouraged to apply.

Language of the Project

English. Bilingualism is an asset but is not required.

Special Features

This is a joint project between uOttawa Common Law and Lakehead University, with uOttawa serving as the lead PBSC chapter.

The project will also have a Project Lead who will act as the principal student contact for the organisation and lawyer supervisor, help coordinate the student team, and provide leadership and guidance throughout the placement.

Prerequisites and Assets

No prerequisite courses are required. Applicants should demonstrate:

• sensitivity when working with trans, gender-diverse, and Two-Spirit community members;
• strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• professionalism and sound judgment when handling confidential information;
• the ability to work effectively as part of a team;
• an interest in regulatory, immigration, or family law; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Carling Miller, Executive Director, Kind Space
Lawyer supervisor: Geneviève Colverson, Legal Counsel, Canadian Human Rights Commission

Students will complete the project remotely through regularly scheduled two-hour clinic shifts twice per month and flexible independent research. Students will require a computer, reliable internet access, Zoom or Microsoft Teams, and a private space from which to conduct confidential virtual clinic appointments.

The Organisations

St. Leonard’s Society of Canada is a national charitable organisation that promotes humane and informed criminal and social justice policy, practice, and leadership.

The Lifers’ Liaison Group is a grassroots volunteer organisation that collaborates with prisoner-led groups in federal institutions. It provides people serving life, indeterminate, or long-term sentences with current information about their incarceration and supports their efforts to return to the community.

Type of Project

Legal Research and Public Legal Education

About the Project

With support from the Law Foundation of Ontario, St. Leonard’s Society of Canada and the Lifers’ Liaison Group are developing inteGREAT: Generating Resources & Equitable Access Together. inteGREAT will improve access to legal information, education, and system-navigation resources within and beyond the federal prison system. This is the first project in this series. 

This project examines how provincial healthcare laws interact with the Corrections and Conditional Release Act for people serving indeterminate sentences, particularly those on federal parole in Ontario and Quebec.

While healthcare in federal institutions falls under federal jurisdiction, people released on parole re-enter provincial healthcare systems while remaining under federal correctional supervision. Students will research this overlapping jurisdiction and clarify the limits of Correctional Service Canada’s authority over healthcare decisions.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• map the relevant provisions of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, the Canada Health Act, and applicable provincial healthcare legislation;
• identify areas of federal and provincial authority and areas in which jurisdiction overlaps or conflicts;
• compare the applicable healthcare frameworks in Ontario and Quebec;
• examine healthcare areas including mental health, pharmaceuticals, and dental care;
• research the limits of Correctional Service Canada staff and Community Parole Officers’ authority over healthcare decisions;
• identify circumstances that may constitute an overreach of correctional authority; and
• consider how access to healthcare may be affected by factors such as race, Indigeneity, gender, and age.

Students will attend an orientation introducing the partner organisations, the inteGREAT initiative, the communities served, and the project’s legal issues. They may also participate in monthly roundtable discussions with the other inteGREAT students and supervisors.

Students must prepare a work plan and submit it to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Main Deliverable

The students will produce a plain-language public legal education guidebook that helps people on parole understand:

• their healthcare rights;
• whether federal or provincial healthcare rules apply;
• the differences between the Ontario and Quebec systems; and
• where Correctional Service Canada’s authority begins and ends.

The lawyer supervisor will review and approve the guidebook before it is distributed or published.

Number of Students

2 students

Who Can Apply?

First-year and upper-year students

Language of the Project

At least one student should be bilingual in English and French because the project includes research on the Quebec healthcare system. French Common Law students are particularly encouraged to apply.

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants should demonstrate:

• comfort conducting legislative and policy research;
• strong plain-language writing skills;
• sensitivity when researching issues affecting incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people;
• cultural competency when considering the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and other marginalised communities;
• reliable and consistent communication; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Coursework or an interest in health law, administrative law, constitutional law, corrections law, or access to justice would be an asset but is not required.

Special Features

Students may have opportunities to exchange research and insights with students and supervisors working on the other inteGREAT projects. Any joint meetings will be arranged according to project needs and participant availability.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Dani Kouri, inteGREAT System Navigation Coordinator at St. Leonard’s Society of Canada and Lifers’ Liaison Group volunteer
Lawyer supervisor: Elizabeth Anne White, retired lawyer and former Executive Director of St. Leonard’s Society of Canada

Students will complete the project virtually on a flexible schedule. Students will require a laptop or computer and reliable internet access.

The Organisations

St. Leonard’s Society of Canada is a national charitable organisation that promotes humane and informed criminal and social justice policy, practice, and leadership.

The Lifers’ Liaison Group is a grassroots volunteer organisation that collaborates with prisoner-led groups in federal institutions. It provides people serving life, indeterminate, or long-term sentences with current information about their incarceration and supports their efforts to return to the community.

Type of Project

Legal Research and Public Legal Education

About the Project

With support from the Law Foundation of Ontario, St. Leonard’s Society of Canada and the Lifers’ Liaison Group are developing inteGREAT: Generating Resources & Equitable Access Together. inteGREAT will improve access to legal information, education, and system-navigation resources within and beyond the federal prison system. This is the second project in this series. 

This project will identify and explain the legal and procedural rules that apply specifically to people serving life or other indeterminate sentences, including individuals designated as Dangerous Offenders.

Students will examine how the rules governing correctional processes, temporary absences, parole, and other entitlements differ from those that apply to people serving determinate sentences.

What You Will Do

The students will review and synthesise:

• the Corrections and Conditional Release Act;
• the Corrections and Conditional Release Regulations;
• the Parole Board of Canada’s decision-making framework; and
• Correctional Service Canada’s Commissioner’s Directives.

Students will identify:

• the processes, requirements, and entitlements unique to life and indeterminate sentences;
• rules that apply specifically to individuals designated as Dangerous Offenders;
• points at which the rules differ from those governing determinate sentences;
• circumstances in which decision-making authority changes depending on sentence type;
• who has authority to approve processes such as escorted temporary absences; and
• differences in eligibility for correctional or parole processes, including Parole by Exception.

Students will attend an orientation introducing the partner organisations, the inteGREAT initiative, the communities served, and the project’s legal issues. They may also participate in monthly roundtable discussions with the other inteGREAT students and supervisors.

Students must prepare a work plan and submit it to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Main Deliverable

The students will produce a plain-language resource document, pamphlet, or brief explaining the legal and procedural framework governing life and indeterminate sentences. The final format will be determined in consultation with the project and lawyer supervisors.

The resource will help people serving life or indeterminate sentences and those involved in their case management understand the rules, processes, decision-makers, and entitlements that apply to these sentence types.

The lawyer supervisor will review and approve the resource before it is distributed or published.

Number of Students

2 students

Who Can Apply?

First-year and upper-year students

Language of the Project

English. French-language skills would be an asset.

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants should demonstrate:

• comfort conducting legislative and policy research;
• strong plain-language writing skills;
• sensitivity when researching issues affecting incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people;
• cultural competency when considering the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and other marginalised communities;
• reliable and consistent communication; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Coursework or an interest in criminal law, administrative law, corrections law, criminal justice policy, or access to justice would be an asset but is not required.

Special Features

Students may have opportunities to exchange research and insights with students and supervisors working on the other inteGREAT projects. Any joint meetings will be arranged according to project needs and participant availability.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Dani Kouri, inteGREAT System Navigation Coordinator at St. Leonard’s Society of Canada and Lifers’ Liaison Group volunteer
Lawyer supervisor: Elizabeth Anne White, retired lawyer and former Executive Director of St. Leonard’s Society of Canada

Students will complete the project virtually on a flexible schedule. Students will require a laptop or computer and reliable internet access.

The Organisations

St. Leonard’s Society of Canada is a national charitable organisation that promotes humane and informed criminal and social justice policy, practice, and leadership.

The Lifers’ Liaison Group is a grassroots volunteer organisation that collaborates with prisoner-led groups in federal institutions. It provides people serving life, indeterminate, or long-term sentences with current information about their incarceration and supports their efforts to return to the community.

Type of Project

Legal Research

About the Project

With support from the Law Foundation of Ontario, St. Leonard’s Society of Canada and the Lifers’ Liaison Group are developing inteGREAT: Generating Resources & Equitable Access Together. inteGREAT will improve access to legal information, education, and system-navigation resources within and beyond the federal prison system.

This project will establish the legal and policy foundation for inteGREAT. Students will research the basis for St. Leonard’s Society of Canada and the Lifers’ Liaison Group to provide the service, the need for accessible system-navigation support, and the corresponding obligations of government partners.

The completed research will support the organisations’ advocacy and engagement with government partners.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• identify and synthesise relevant legislation, policies, government frameworks, and strategic commitments;
• explain the legal and policy need for the inteGREAT service;
• research the basis for St. Leonard’s Society of Canada and the Lifers’ Liaison Group to provide the service;
• examine government obligations to support or participate in initiatives of this nature;
• demonstrate how inteGREAT could help governments meet existing commitments and targets;
• consider relevant sources such as the Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism, Canada’s Black Justice Strategy, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action; and
• if time permits, help prepare a letter to relevant government officials.

Students will attend an orientation introducing the partner organisations, the inteGREAT initiative, the communities served, and the project’s legal issues. They may also participate in monthly roundtable discussions with the other inteGREAT students and supervisors.

Students must prepare a work plan and submit it to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Main Deliverables

The students will produce:

• an internal legal justification brief establishing the legal and policy foundation for inteGREAT; and
• if time permits, a draft letter to relevant government officials.

St. Leonard’s Society of Canada and the Lifers’ Liaison Group will use the brief to support their advocacy and engagement with government partners. The lawyer supervisor will review and approve all work before it is shared externally.

Number of Students

2 students

Who Can Apply?

First-year and upper-year students

Language of the Project

English. French-language skills would be an asset.

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants should demonstrate:

• comfort conducting legislative and policy research;
• strong legal research and writing skills;
• the ability to synthesise complex legal and policy materials;
• sensitivity when researching issues affecting incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people;
• cultural competency when considering the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and other marginalised communities;
• reliable and consistent communication; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Coursework or an interest in administrative law, constitutional law, criminal law, corrections law, public policy, or access to justice would be an asset but is not required.

Special Features

Students may have opportunities to exchange research and insights with students and supervisors working on the other inteGREAT projects. Any joint meetings will be arranged according to project needs and participant availability.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Dani Kouri, inteGREAT System Navigation Coordinator at St. Leonard’s Society of Canada and Lifers’ Liaison Group volunteer
Lawyer supervisor: Elizabeth Anne White, retired lawyer and former Executive Director of St. Leonard’s Society of Canada

Students will complete the project virtually on a flexible schedule. Students will require a laptop or computer and reliable internet access.

The Organisation

Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP is an Ottawa-based, multi-practice law firm with more than 50 lawyers. The firm provides services across a broad range of legal areas and is committed to pro bono work that improves access to justice and makes legal services more accessible.

Type of Project

Legal Research and Public Legal Education

About the Project

This project will support individuals experiencing intimate partner violence who are navigating family court proceedings. Students will examine the legal treatment of intimate partner violence following the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia, including the remedies available to survivors and how these issues intersect with ongoing family law proceedings.

Students will translate their research into practical, plain-language resources intended for people who may be unfamiliar with the legal system. The resources are intended to be distributed through the Superior Court of Justice, Family Court.

Students will provide general legal information and must not provide legal advice.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• research the history and evolution of legal claims concerning intimate partner violence in Canada;
• examine the legal remedies that were available before Ahluwalia and how courts previously addressed intimate partner violence;
• review recent decisions that apply, build upon, or distinguish Ahluwalia;
• examine how claims involving intimate partner violence interact with ongoing family court proceedings;
• consider the broader effects of intimate partner violence on individuals navigating the family justice system;
• translate the research into accessible, plain-language legal information;
• develop a public legal education presentation or workshop for a community organisation; and
• present their research and resources to Nelligan O’Brien Payne’s Family Law Group.

Students must contact the lawyer supervisor at the beginning of October to establish the project timeline, delivery methods, and deadlines. Students will generally meet with the lawyer supervisor one to two times per month and must communicate promptly about any challenges affecting their work.

Students must prepare a work plan and submit it to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

The lawyer supervisor will provide an orientation in October concerning the project, the supervisor’s role, and the firm’s practice areas.

Main Deliverables

The students will produce:

• a legal research memorandum examining the development and treatment of intimate partner violence in Canadian family law;
• a plain-language information sheet or pamphlet explaining intimate partner violence and family law rights following Ahluwalia;
• a one-page guide identifying available legal and community supports;
• a presentation for Nelligan O’Brien Payne’s Family Law Group; and
• a public legal education presentation or workshop for a community organisation.

The lawyer supervisor will review and approve all deliverables and will attend the public legal education presentation to address questions that fall outside the students’ scope.

Students may also be recognised or invited to participate remotely in a Family Law Conference occurring outside the PBSC placement period. Participation in the conference is optional.

Number of Students

2–3 students

Who Can Apply?

First-year and upper-year students

Language of the Project

English. Bilingualism is an asset but is not required.

Prerequisites and Assets

No prerequisite courses are required. Applicants must demonstrate:

• strong public speaking and communication skills;
• the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team;
• sensitivity when researching and communicating about intimate partner violence;
• professionalism when presenting to legal and community audiences; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

An interest in family law, advocacy, public legal education, or access to justice would be a strong asset but is not required.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Daniel Duyvelshoff, Lawyer, Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP

Students may complete the project remotely. The schedule is flexible, but students must be available during regular working hours for scheduled meetings and for any agreed-upon presentations. Students completing the project remotely will require a computer, reliable internet access, and Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

The Organisation

Odawa Native Friendship Centre is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of Indigenous people in the National Capital Region. The organisation maintains a tradition of community, promotes self-help and development, and provides traditional teachings from Elders.

Type of Project

Client Services and Public Legal Education

About the Project

The Odawa Native Friendship Centre Human Rights Clinic works to combat anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination by increasing knowledge of human rights within urban Indigenous communities and empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their rights.

The clinic provides clients with summary legal advice and legal information concerning experiences of, or questions about, discrimination. It also provides referrals and delivers public legal education about human rights law.

Students will support the clinic but will not provide legal advice. A lawyer supervisor will attend every summary legal advice and legal information meeting, provide all legal advice, and approve students’ substantive work and client communications.

What You Will Do

Under the supervision of the organisation and the clinic’s lawyer supervisors, the students will:

• conduct client intake interviews;
• attend and support summary legal advice and legal information meetings;
• gather and organise information required by the lawyer supervisor;
• provide clients with approved legal and community referrals;
• prepare client correspondence under a lawyer’s direction;
• administer and maintain clinic files;
• help develop and present public legal education sessions concerning human rights law;
• help develop legal information or other clinic materials; and
• perform other responsibilities connected to clinic operations, as assigned and appropriately supervised.

Detailed responsibilities, confidentiality requirements, and clinic procedures will be provided in the Clinic Policy Manual and Law Student Handbook.

Students will receive training in:

• human rights law;
• anti-oppression practices; and
• Indigenous cultural competency.

The organisation representative, Clinic Supervising Lawyer, and students will develop a detailed work plan covering clinic shifts and public legal education activities. The work plan must be submitted to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Main Deliverables

The students’ primary responsibilities will be completing client intake and providing supervised assistance through the Human Rights Clinic.

Students will also help:

• develop and deliver public legal education presentations;
• prepare human rights legal information materials;
• provide approved referrals;
• administer client files; and
• support the clinic’s general operations.

All substantive client correspondence, referrals, legal information, and public legal education materials must be reviewed and approved by a lawyer supervisor.

Number of Students

4–6 students

Who Can Apply?

First-year and upper-year students

Language of the Project

English. Bilingualism is not required.

Prerequisites and Assets

No prerequisite courses are required. Applicants should demonstrate:

• an interest in human rights law;
• an interest in or experience working with Indigenous communities;
• sensitivity to the experiences of people affected by anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination;
• a commitment to anti-oppressive and culturally competent practice;
• strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• professionalism when handling confidential client information;
• reliability and the ability to attend scheduled clinic shifts; and
• the ability to contribute approximately five hours per week, applicants must provide detailed information about their weekly availability. Availability will be considered when selecting students and assigning clinic shifts.

Special Features

The broader Indigenous Human Rights Program involves students from other PBSC chapters, including Lakehead University and the University of Toronto. uOttawa students may participate in joint training sessions, but the Odawa Native Friendship Centre Human Rights Clinic is expected to be staffed by uOttawa Common Law students.

Students may also be invited to attend other Friendship Centre programs or events voluntarily to learn about the organisation and build relationships with the community.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisors

Project supervisor: Nadine Okalik, Indigenous Human Rights Program Coordinator, Odawa Native Friendship Centre

Lawyer supervisor: Sarah Beamish, Founder and Principal Lawyer, Beamish Law

The clinic also works with a roster of insured volunteer lawyers who provide summary legal advice and legal information to clients and directly supervise the students participating in those meetings.

This is a hybrid project. Most students should expect to attend a regular three- to four-hour in-person shift each week at the Odawa Native Friendship Centre, in addition to approximately one to two hours of related work. Applicants must provide detailed information about their weekly availability. Availability will be considered when selecting students and assigning clinic shifts. Some students may instead work primarily on public legal education on a more flexible schedule. Students will require a computer, internet access, and a telephone for the remote portions of the placement.

The Organisation

Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN) is a charitable nonprofit organisation with a province-wide mandate. OJEN develops innovative educational tools that introduce young people to the justice system, help them understand the law, and build their capacity to manage legal issues that may arise in their lives.

Type of Project

Public Legal Education

About the Project

In collaboration with OJEN, students will design and develop an educational game that brings the youth justice system to life for Ontario high school students. The game will be used in law and civics classrooms to help young people understand their rights, navigate legal processes, and recognise barriers to access to justice in Canada.

Students will begin by creating a comprehensive internal research document explaining the relevant legal system. They will then translate their research into engaging and accessible game content for high school students.

Students will not interact directly with youth. They will work with the organisation contact, lawyer supervisor, and their fellow student volunteer. Students will provide general legal information and must not provide legal advice.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• work with OJEN to establish the game’s scope, intended learning outcomes, and selected legal pathways;
• research the laws, legal processes, rights, and available resources relevant to the chosen pathways;
• prepare an internal research document explaining the relevant legal framework;
• translate complex legal concepts into accurate and accessible plain language;
• develop characters, scenarios, choices, and consequences for the educational game;
• design game content that is engaging and appropriate for Ontario high school students;
• consider how legal issues and barriers to justice affect young people; and
• revise the research and game content in response to feedback from OJEN and the lawyer supervisor.

Potential game pathways include:

• digital privacy and online harms;
• gig-economy and AI-related employment issues;
• human rights and algorithmic discrimination;
• health and housing;
• disability accommodations;
• settlement and immigration; and
• another youth-related legal issue selected in consultation with OJEN.

Students will receive training in public legal education, plain-language writing, and working with justice-sector professionals and educators.

Students must contact OJEN, develop a work plan, and submit it to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Main Deliverables

The students will produce:

• a comprehensive internal research document explaining the legal framework underlying the selected game pathways; and
• accessible and engaging content for an educational game intended for use in Ontario high school law and civics classrooms.

The lawyer supervisor will review all research and game content for clarity, consistency, and legal accuracy before the final materials are provided to OJEN.

Number of Students

2 students

Who Can Apply?

First-year and upper-year students

Language of the Project

English 

Prerequisites and Assets

No prerequisite courses are required. Applicants should demonstrate:

• strong legal research and writing skills;
• the ability to communicate complex legal concepts in plain language;
• creativity, initiative, and an interest in developing interactive educational content;
• the ability to collaborate closely with another student;
• reliability in following an agreed-upon work plan and meeting schedule; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

An interest in the criminal justice system, public legal education, or working on issues affecting young people would be an asset but is not required.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Bryn Rieger, Director of Educator Support, Ontario Justice Education Network

Students will complete the project remotely on a flexible schedule but must be available during regular working hours for meetings with OJEN and the lawyer supervisor. Students will require a laptop or computer, reliable internet access, and Zoom.

The Organisation

The Ottawa Mission provides food, shelter, healthcare, housing support, education, employment assistance, and other essential services to people experiencing homelessness and poverty in Ottawa.

Delivered in collaboration with the Ottawa Mission, Pro Bono Students Canada, and Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, the ID Project helps people experiencing homelessness or marginal housing obtain essential identification documents, including birth certificates, health cards, permanent resident cards, and Ontario photo ID cards. Without official documentation, individuals may be unable to access essential community services and programs, creating further barriers to addressing the circumstances that contribute to homelessness.

Type of Project

Client Assistance and Intake

The Project

The ID Project assists people experiencing homelessness or marginal housing, as well as immigrants, refugees, and newcomers, with obtaining the identification documents they need to access services throughout Ottawa.

PBSC students will speak with clients, explain the program, and help determine whom clients should meet with to obtain the required documents. When a client needs assistance from a lawyer, students will make the introduction, attend the consultation, and help complete the applicable forms under the lawyer’s supervision.

Volunteer lawyers will confirm each client’s eligibility. Students will then help complete documents such as the Ontario Photo Card – Address Requirement for Homeless or Marginally Housed Applicants and the Agency Assistance Form and Registration for Ontario Health Insurance Coverage. Students will make copies of completed documents and provide them to Ottawa Mission staff at the end of the clinic.

Students must arrive 15 minutes before each clinic shift to meet the other volunteers and prepare the space to receive clients.

Students must be available for the following clinic dates:

A range of other legal issues may arise while students are interviewing clients. Under the lawyer supervisor’s guidance, students may provide appropriate referrals and identify additional legal or community resources. Students will provide legal information and supervised assistance but will not provide legal advice.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• attend all scheduled clinic shifts;
• arrive 15 minutes before each shift to prepare the clinic space;
• greet clients and explain how the ID Project works;
• assist with client intake;
• introduce clients to the volunteer lawyer;
• attend client consultations and help complete identification forms under the lawyer’s supervision;
• make copies of completed documents and provide them to Ottawa Mission staff;
• identify appropriate legal and community referrals;
• maintain and organise clinic files;
• develop or update a referral guide and other resource materials;
• research identification-document fee waivers;
• explore opportunities to expand the project;
• research the process for obtaining Indigenous identification cards, if assigned; and
• complete additional research to better understand and respond to issues arising during clinic shifts.

A formal work plan is not required. However, students must contact the Ottawa Mission and the lawyer supervisors at the beginning of October to arrange an orientation, confirm expectations, and discuss the clinic schedule.

Training and Supervision

The Ottawa Mission will provide an orientation addressing:

• its mandate and operations;
• the ID Clinic’s procedures;
• working with vulnerable populations;
• client-interviewing skills;
• the information students may provide to clients; and
• completing the applicable identification forms.

Before beginning the placement, students will also participate in training delivered by Connecting Ottawa on assisting clients from linguistic-minority communities who may require additional support.

BLG volunteer lawyers will attend the clinic, confirm clients’ eligibility, supervise students’ work, and help students understand the legal issues that arise. The lawyers may also assign research questions for students to complete between clinic shifts. 

Main Deliverables

The students will:

• complete client intake and provide supervised assistance with identification documents;
• maintain clinic files and prepare appropriate referrals;
• develop or update a referral guide or resource document;
• research available fee waivers and other identification-related issues; and
• help identify opportunities to expand the project.

Number of students

2 students

Who can apply?

Upper Year Students

Language of the project

English. Bilingualism is an asset. 

Prerequisites and Assets

No prerequisite courses are required. Applicants must demonstrate:

• the ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team;
• strong written and oral communication skills;
• an interest in human rights and immigration law;
• sensitivity when working with vulnerable communities; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Project Supervisors and Lawyer Supervisors

Project supervisors:

• Mackenzie George, Coordinator of Mental Health Services, Ottawa Mission; and
• Jordanna Marchand, Manager of Client Services, Ottawa Mission.

Lawyer supervisors:

• Kirk Boyd, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP; and
• Michelle Doody, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP.

Clinic shifts will take place in person at the Ottawa Mission, located at 35 Waller Street. Students may complete their assigned research remotely and will require a computer, reliable internet access, and Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

The Organisation

The RCMP Veterans’ Association is a nonprofit organisation primarily composed of former RCMP employees. The Association connects veterans through information sharing, support, advice, and referrals. It also promotes community involvement at the local, provincial, and national levels to support veterans, current RCMP employees, their families, and the broader Canadian law-enforcement community.

Type of Project

Legal Research 

About the Project

Building on research completed in previous years, this project supports the RCMP Veterans’ Association’s commitment to ensuring that its members and the broader public have access to meaningful, objective, and legally grounded information about bail law and bail reform in Canada.

Students will research the current legal framework governing bail, including relevant legislation, parliamentary materials, and jurisprudence. They will examine how bail is intended to function, how it operates in practice, and how Canadian bail law has evolved.

The project will maintain an objective, balanced, and nonpartisan tone. Students will provide legal information rather than legal advice. The research will support member education and internal consultation but will not constitute organisational policy.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• research the history and fundamental principles of bail in Canada;
• examine the current bail provisions of the Criminal Code;
• research recent legislative amendments and their intended effects;
• compare the legislative design of the bail system with how it operates in practice;
• identify tensions, inconsistencies, and practical challenges affecting bail processes;
• analyse significant bail-related jurisprudence from the past ten years;
• identify emerging legal trends and precedents;
• examine how current and proposed reforms align with existing laws, regulations, and legal standards;
• identify potential conflicts within the existing legal framework;
• research the current positions of federal political parties on bail reform in a balanced and nonpartisan manner;
• maintain organised research records and provide proper citations for all sources;
• participate in virtual meetings with the organisation and lawyer supervisor; and
• revise the research and educational materials in response to supervisory feedback.

Students must meet with the organisation and lawyer supervisor to confirm the scope, deadlines, meeting schedule, and division of responsibilities.

Students must also prepare a work plan and submit it to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

The RCMP Veterans’ Association will provide an overview of its mandate and, where relevant, share its governance materials, bylaws, and organisational manual. Students must also attend the PBSC/Thomson Reuters legal research strategies workshop.

Main Deliverables

The students will produce:

• an educational PowerPoint presentation explaining what bail is, how it is intended to operate, how it functions in practice, and how it has evolved; and
• a comprehensive internal research report explaining the current state of bail law and bail reform in Canada.

The presentation will provide RCMP Veterans’ Association members and serving RCMP personnel with objective, fact-based information. The internal report will be available to the Chief Administrative Officer and senior leadership for consultation. It will not constitute legal advice or organisational policy.

The length and format of the research report will be determined in consultation with the organisation and lawyer supervisor, taking into account the project’s purpose and the students’ weekly volunteer hours.

The lawyer supervisor will review and approve all deliverables before they are finalised or shared.

Number of Students

3 students

Who Can Apply?

First-year and upper-year students

Language of the Project

English

Prerequisites and Assets

No prerequisite courses or specialised experience are required. Applicants should demonstrate:

• strong legal research and writing skills;
• the ability to analyse legislation, parliamentary materials, and case law;
• the ability to communicate complex legal information clearly and objectively;
• careful attention to citations and source management;
• the ability to work collaboratively on a substantial research project; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

An interest in criminal law, public policy, or access to justice would be an asset but is not required. Applicants who are current or former RCMP employees, have served with the RCMP, or have another meaningful connection to the RCMP or law-enforcement community are particularly encouraged to apply.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Glen Siegersma, Chief Administrative Officer, RCMP Veterans’ Association

Lawyer supervisor: Patrick Shea, Partner, Gowling WLG

Students will complete the project remotely on a flexible schedule. Students will require a computer, reliable internet access, a telephone, and access to FaceTime, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams.

The Organisation

ABLE2 is an organization whose programs and services empower persons of all ages across the disability spectrum and their families to build meaningful lives as valued members of the community. One of its programs is the Reach Legal Program (formerly Reach Canada which amalgamated with ABLE2 in December 2023). The Reach Legal Services provide an independent legal referral service and regular legal educational seminars. Reach maintains a list of lawyers, paralegals and mediators who have agreed to provide free legal advice for clients with disabilities.

Type of Project

Client Services and Intake

The Project

Students will assist with the operations of the Reach Legal Services for people with disabilities.  Duties include: 

• Direct and daily client interaction through phone,virtual meeting platforms and email intakes with people living with diverse disabilities, their families and case workers.
• Identifying legal issues and areas of law and making appropriate legal referrals to community legal clinics, legal aid, other community resources, private bar of lawyers, paralegals and mediators.
• During their assigned shifts, throughout the referral process, students will conduct phone and email communications with clients and legal professionals within Ottawa and its surrounding regions.
• Ongoing file management and documentation using legal software (Clio)
• Conducting research on legal topics and drafting memos with analysis of research for the attention of the supervising lawyer.
• Researching and writing legal articles for the Plain Language Legal Library on the Reach page of ABLE2’s website.
• Performing outreach activities to legal professionals and agencies serving people living with disabilities. Assisting in the implementation and manning of the Chat Box function on the Reach page of ABLE2’s website.
• Updating legal referral procedure office materials and resources
• Assisting with Reach's educational seminars 

Students will be scheduled based on their availability. They must be available for 5 hours per week for their shift. Shifts are scheduled for a duration of anywhere between 3-5 hours/week from Monday to Friday between the hours of 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM, ideally students work one 5 hour shift each week. 

Number of students

9 students from uOttawa Common Law. 

Who can apply?

Upper Year Students

Language of the project

English. Bilingualism is an asset. 

Special Features

This is a joint project with Queen's University and Lincoln Alexander School of Law, with uOttawa as the lead chapter. 

The project will also have two Project Leads who will act as the principal student contact for the organisation and lawyer supervisor, help coordinate the students, and provide leadership and guidance throughout the placement.

Prerequisites and assets

• Excellent interpersonal skills (confidence in answering phone calls, speaking with clients about sensitive issues, speaking to legal professionals).
• Customer service experience is an asset.
• Sensitivity and empathy for people with disabilities.
• Professionalism
• Experience working with vulnerable populations is an asset.
• Bilingual

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor 

Scott Mainprize, Manager, Reach Legal Referral Services

This clinic is conducted remotely. Students must have access to a computer, internet, Microsoft Teams, headphones, and the ability to download internet phone software to their computer or cellphone.

The Organisation

She Matters United is a survivor-led nonprofit organisation working to close gaps in sexual assault care and justice. Its work focuses on systemic advocacy, legal research, and resource development to improve access to justice for survivors of sexual violence, particularly underserved populations such as minors and people living in northern, rural, and remote communities across Canada.

Type of Project

Legal Research

About the Project

Survivors of sexual violence in rural, remote, and underserved communities often face significant barriers to accessing timely forensic examinations. These barriers may include geographic isolation, limited access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or other specially trained medical professionals, long wait times, and personal or systemic mistrust of medical and legal institutions.

Delays can result in the loss of time-sensitive forensic evidence. In response to similar challenges, jurisdictions such as Australia and the United Kingdom have introduced supported self-collection models, sometimes referred to as early evidence kits. These models allow survivors to preserve swabs, clothing samples, or other evidence in a supported setting when a comprehensive forensic examination is not immediately available. Supported self-collection is intended to supplement, rather than replace, access to a complete forensic examination.

With funding from the Minister of Women and Gender Equality, She Matters United is examining the feasibility of introducing supported self-collection in Canada. Students will help develop the legal argument and policy foundation for introducing a supported self-collection framework that protects survivor autonomy, safety, and access to justice.

Students will not interact directly with clients or survivors. Their research and final deliverables will be provided directly to She Matters United for organisational and advocacy purposes.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• review She Matters United’s preliminary research on supported self-collection;
• research the Canadian legal framework governing forensic evidence collection following sexual violence;
• examine relevant criminal, evidence, child welfare, and constitutional law;
• identify legal and policy barriers to introducing supported self-collection in Canada;
• research applicable case law and evidentiary requirements;
• consider the admissibility, preservation, continuity, and handling of self-collected evidence;
• examine survivor rights, autonomy, privacy, safety, and informed consent;
• review supported self-collection and early-evidence models used in Australia, the United Kingdom, and other relevant jurisdictions;
• compare international models with existing Canadian legal frameworks;
• identify legislative or policy reforms required to introduce supported self-collection in Canada;
• develop legally grounded recommendations for communities, municipalities, and other decision-makers; and
• translate the research into accessible, plain-language recommendations.

Students must work closely with She Matters United to ensure that the research reflects the realities facing survivors and affected communities.

Students must contact the lawyer supervisor, prepare a work plan, and submit it to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Main Deliverables

The students will produce:

• a legal argument and policy brief examining the feasibility of supported self-collection in Canada;
• an analysis of relevant Canadian legislation, legal principles, and case law;
• comparative research concerning international supported self-collection models;
• recommendations for legislative or policy reform; and
• plain-language content supporting the introduction of a legally sound, survivor-centred self-collection framework.

The final deliverables will directly support She Matters United’s legislative advocacy and law-reform work. The lawyer supervisor will review and approve all materials before they are shared or used for advocacy.

Number of Students

2 students

Who Can Apply?

Upper-year students

Language of the Project

English. Bilingualism is not required.

Sensitive Subject Matter

This project involves research concerning sexual violence, child sexual abuse, forensic evidence collection, and the experiences of survivors. Applicants should carefully consider their comfort and capacity to engage with this subject matter before applying.

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants must demonstrate:

• emotional maturity and the ability to engage sensitively with research concerning sexual violence and child sexual abuse;
• strong independent legal research and writing skills;
• the ability to work effectively on a self-directed project;
• the ability to communicate complex legal and policy issues in plain language;
• sound judgment when developing recommendations affecting survivors and vulnerable communities;
• reliable communication with the organisation and lawyer supervisor; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Prior completion of Criminal Law is preferred. Coursework or experience in evidence law, child welfare law, or constitutional law would be an asset.

Prior experience or a demonstrated interest in access to justice, criminal law, legislative advocacy, comparative law, or survivor-centred policy development would also be an asset.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Victoria Donkin, Health Equity Researcher, She Matters United
Lawyer supervisor: Emma Partridge, Associate, Gluckstein Lawyers

Students will complete the project remotely on a flexible schedule determined in consultation with the organisation and lawyer supervisor. Students will require a computer, reliable internet access, Zoom or another videoconferencing platform, and access to legal research databases such as CanLII and Westlaw.

The Organisation

She Matters United is a survivor-led nonprofit organisation working to close gaps in sexual assault care and justice. Its work focuses on systemic advocacy, legal research, and resource development to improve access to justice for survivors of sexual violence, particularly underserved populations such as minors and people living in northern, rural, and remote communities across Canada.

Type of Project

Legal Research

About the Project

Does Geography Impact Access to Justice? examines the barriers that survivors in northern, rural, and remote communities face when attempting to access forensic care, evidence collection, and support services.

The project focuses on Northern British Columbia, Northern Ontario, and the Yukon. Preliminary research has identified significant limitations in access to forensic care and evidence collection for adults and minors in these regions. These geographic barriers remain under-addressed in Canadian law and policy.

Students will examine the legal framework governing supported self-collection of forensic evidence by mature minors, generally those aged 12 and older. The project will support She Matters United’s advocacy for legislative and policy reforms that ensure minors can access forensic care and evidence collection regardless of where they live.

Students will not interact directly with clients or survivors. Their research and final deliverables will be provided directly to She Matters United for organisational and advocacy purposes.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• review She Matters United’s preliminary research concerning access to forensic care and evidence collection;
• research barriers affecting minors in northern, rural, and remote communities;
• examine the current legal framework governing supported self-collection of forensic evidence by mature minors;
• identify relevant legal prohibitions, restrictions, and procedural requirements;
• research and analyse applicable case law;
• examine relevant criminal, evidence, child welfare, and constitutional law;
• identify gaps in the existing legislative and policy framework;
• consider how geographic barriers affect access to justice for survivors of sexual violence;
• develop legally grounded recommendations for legislative or policy reform;
• prepare a legal research memorandum setting out the findings and recommendations; and
• present the research findings to She Matters United at the conclusion of the project.

Students will work closely with the organisation to ensure that the research reflects the realities facing affected communities.

Students must contact the lawyer supervisor, prepare a work plan, and submit it to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Main Deliverables

The students will produce:

• a legal research memorandum examining the barriers to forensic care and evidence collection for minors in northern, rural, and remote communities;
• an analysis of the applicable legislation, policies, and case law;
• recommendations for legislative or policy reform; and
• a presentation of the research findings to She Matters United.

The final memorandum will be reviewed and approved by the lawyer supervisor before it is shared with the organisation or used to support advocacy.

Number of Students

2 students

Who Can Apply?

Upper-year students

Language of the Project

English 

Sensitive Subject Matter

This project involves research concerning child sexual abuse and the experiences of survivors of sexual violence. Applicants should carefully consider their comfort and capacity to engage with this subject matter before applying.

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants must demonstrate:

• emotional maturity and the ability to engage sensitively with research concerning child sexual abuse and sexual violence;
• strong independent legal research and writing skills;
• the ability to work effectively on a self-directed project;
• sound judgment when developing recommendations concerning vulnerable communities;
• reliable communication with the organisation and lawyer supervisor; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Prior completion of Criminal Law is preferred. Coursework or experience in evidence law, child welfare law, or constitutional law would be an asset.

Prior experience or a demonstrated interest in access to justice, criminal law, legislative advocacy, or issues affecting northern and remote communities would also be an asset.

Project Supervisors and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisors:

• Jacqueline Villeneuve-Ahmed, Founding Director, She Matters United; and
• Victoria Donkin, Health Equity Researcher, She Matters United.

Lawyer supervisor: Linda O’Brien, Partner, Gluckstein Lawyers

Students will complete the project remotely on a flexible schedule determined in consultation with the organisation and lawyer supervisor. Students will require a computer, reliable internet access, Zoom or another videoconferencing platform, and access to legal research databases such as CanLII and Westlaw.

The Organisation

She Matters United is a survivor-led nonprofit organisation working to close gaps in sexual assault care and justice. Its work focuses on systemic advocacy, legal research, and resource development to improve access to justice for survivors of sexual and domestic violence, particularly underserved populations such as minors and people living in northern, rural, and remote communities across Canada.

Type of Project

Legal Research and Public Legal Education

About the Project

This project will help She Matters United strengthen the legal content available through its Survivor Support Platform, a free, publicly accessible resource for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Some of the platform’s existing domestic violence resource pages do not provide sufficient detail about relevant legal rights, processes, and protections. The student will identify these gaps, research the applicable Canadian legal framework, and develop accurate and accessible plain-language legal information for publication on the platform.

The project may involve criminal, evidence, child welfare, and constitutional law. The student will provide general legal information and will not provide legal advice.

The student will not interact directly with clients or survivors. The research and final resources will be provided directly to She Matters United for review and publication.

What You Will Do

The student will:

• review the existing domestic violence resources on the Survivor Support Platform;
• work with She Matters United to identify gaps in the platform’s legal content;
• confirm the research priorities and scope at the beginning of the project;
• research relevant provisions of the Criminal Code and other applicable legislation;
• identify relevant legal rights, protections, processes, and available remedies;
• research and analyse applicable case law;
• consider relevant criminal, evidence, child welfare, and constitutional law;
• prepare an organised record of the legal research and supporting authorities;
• translate complex legal information into clear and accessible plain language;
• develop or revise content for publication on the Survivor Support Platform; and
• revise the materials in response to feedback from the organisation and lawyer supervisor.

The student must contact the lawyer supervisor, prepare a work plan, and submit it to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1. 

Main Deliverables

The student will produce:

• an internal legal research memorandum or organised research record addressing the identified gaps in the platform’s legal content; and
• plain-language legal information resources for publication on the Survivor Support Platform.

The final resources will be designed for survivors of domestic and sexual violence and must communicate legal information in clear, accessible, and trauma-informed language.

The lawyer supervisor will review and approve all materials before they are published or otherwise shared publicly.

Number of Students

1 student

Who Can Apply?

First-year and upper-year students

Language of the Project

English. Bilingualism is not required.

Sensitive Subject Matter

This project involves research concerning domestic violence, sexual violence, child sexual abuse, and the experiences of survivors. Applicants should carefully consider their comfort and capacity to engage with this subject matter before applying.

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants must demonstrate:

• emotional maturity and the ability to engage sensitively with research concerning domestic violence, sexual violence, and child sexual abuse;
• strong independent legal research and writing skills;
• the ability to work effectively on a self-directed project;
• the ability to translate complex legal information into accessible plain language;
• sound judgment when developing public-facing resources for survivors;
• reliable communication with the organisation and lawyer supervisor; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Prior experience or a demonstrated interest in access to justice, criminal law, public legal education, survivor advocacy, or trauma-informed resource development would also be an asset.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Project supervisor: Jacqueline Villeneuve-Ahmed, Founding Director, She Matters United
Lawyer supervisor: Daniel Epstein, Staff Lawyer, Refugee Law Office – Ottawa

The student will complete the project remotely on a flexible schedule determined in consultation with the organisation and lawyer supervisor. The student will require a computer, reliable internet access, Zoom or another videoconferencing platform, and access to legal research databases such as CanLII and Westlaw.

The Organisation

Workers’ Education and Rights Collective (WERC) empowers workers to exercise their rights through legal education, information, and support in four key areas: labour rights, employment rights, human rights, and environmental rights.

WERC serves Ottawa residents, particularly low-income and precariously employed workers, Indigenous people, Black and racialized communities, people with disabilities, and youth entering the workforce. It also supports federally regulated workers and complainants across Canada. By providing accessible legal information and support, WERC helps address the absence of a dedicated employment law clinic or workers’ rights organisation in Ottawa.

Type of Project

Public Legal Education

About the Project

Students will help WERC develop a bilingual public legal education resource concerning employment law for workers in Ottawa. The specific topic will be confirmed at the project’s kickoff meeting in October based on the most pressing legal information gap identified by WERC.

Potential topics include:

• workers’ rights in the workplace; or
• how to file an employment standards complaint.

Students will research the selected topic and translate their findings into clear, practical, and accessible information for a nonlegal audience. The final resource will be available in English and French and presented to a community audience.

Students will provide general legal information and will not provide legal advice.

What You Will Do

The students will:

• participate in a kickoff meeting with WERC to confirm the project’s topic, scope, format, and deadlines;
• develop a work plan in consultation with the organisation and lawyer supervisor;
• research the relevant employment and human rights legislation, legal processes, and available remedies;
• identify the information most useful to workers experiencing workplace problems;
• translate complex legal information into plain and accessible language;
• develop corresponding English- and French-language versions of the resource;
• work collaboratively to ensure consistency between both language versions;
• design a workshop or presentation suitable for a community audience;
• revise the materials in response to the lawyer supervisor’s feedback;
• deliver the final workshop or presentation in person or virtually; and
• share PBSC’s Client Impact Survey with participants at the end of the presentation.

Students must prepare a work plan and submit it to the PBSC Program Coordinator and lawyer supervisor by November 1.

Main Deliverables

The students will produce:

• an English-language public legal education workshop or presentation;
• a corresponding French-language version of the workshop or presentation; and
• any accompanying plain-language materials required to deliver the presentation effectively.

The final deliverable will educate workers about their employment law rights in clear, practical, and accessible language. The lawyer supervisor will review and approve both language versions before they are shared publicly.

Number of Students

2 students

At least one student must be bilingual in English and French and comfortable developing French-language legal information.

Who Can Apply?

First-year and upper-year students

Language of the Project

English and French. At least one student must be bilingual and able to produce content in French.

Prerequisites and Assets

Applicants must demonstrate:

• strong legal research and writing skills;
• the ability to communicate complex legal information in plain language;
• an interest in workers’ rights and access to justice;
• the ability to collaborate effectively with another student;
• comfort developing and delivering a presentation for a community audience; and
• the ability to contribute approximately 3–5 hours per week.

Prior exposure to employment law or a relevant professional, academic, or community background would be an asset but is not required.

Project Supervisor and Lawyer Supervisor

Amanda Montague-Reinholdt, Legal and Programs Director, Workers’ Education and Rights Collective

Students will conduct their research and develop the materials remotely on a flexible schedule. Meetings with WERC may take place virtually or in person. The final workshop or presentation will be delivered virtually or in person, depending on the needs of the community audience. Students will require a computer and reliable internet access.