Project Type: Legal Research and Writing
Fields of Law: Various areas of law depending on the research topic assigned, but areas may include: immigration and refugee law.
Positions Available: 2 students
About the Community Legal Clinic of York Region
The Community Legal Clinic of York Region promotes access to justice and the elimination of poverty through legal representation, summary advice, referrals, public legal education and information, community development, and law reform.
Project Details
The Community Legal Clinic of York Region (“CLCYR”) is a not-for-profit organization serving low- income residents in York Region. CLCYR supports York residents with a variety of legal matters related to:
- Housing and Tenant’s Rights
- Social Assistance
- Criminal Injuries Compensation Board Claims - Advice on Employment Law
- Advice on Immigration Law
The CLCYR project involves creating content for public legal education (PLE) in their core areas of law (i.e. Social Assistance Law, Housing, etc.) to support clinic clients. Research topics for PLE will be selected each week by students and research findings will be shared with the lawyer supervisor at the end of the week.
In addition to conducting legal research for the public legal education materials, there are opportunities to support client intake by supporting clients in filling out their legal forms (i.e. immigration documents). All completed legal forms will be reviewed and approved by the supervising lawyer prior to use by the client.
Role of Student Volunteer(s)
Students will be involved in legal research or creating content for public legal education. Students will conduct and produce research memos for case workers with a focus on Social Assistance Law but will also include other domains of law such as housing and immigration. At the start of each week students will meet online with their supervisor to discuss a research topic or question and will meet again at the end of the week to discuss the student’s findings.
Students may also be tasked with completing social assistance file work and other administrative tasks.
Is A Work Plan Required For This Position?
No.
If yes, the student(s) must reach out to the lawyer supervisor, draft a work plan, and submit it by email to the Program Coordinator and the lawyer supervisor by November 1st at the latest. Please note that workplans are required for all legal research and writing projects.
What Type Of Training Will the Organization Provide?
Note: All first year PBSC volunteers and all volunteers working on research projects must also attend a PBSC/Thomson Reuters legal research strategies workshop.
Comprehensive virtual orientation to the relevant law, process and workplace plus constant mentorship. The students will also receive training on the population that the clinic works with. There will be one full shift of training in October.
How Many Hours Per Week Will the Student Volunteer(s) Be Expected to Volunteer?
3-5 hours per week.
Will The Student(s) Be Expected To Show Up For Regular Shifts Each Week?
Schedule is flexible.
Is Workspace Provided For the Student Volunteer(s)?
No.
Requirements and Expectations
None, but speaking other languages is an asset.