From the classroom to the frontlines of change
At U of T Law, learning goes far beyond the classroom. Our professor-led programs offer students the chance to dive deep into cutting-edge legal fields, work alongside world-renowned faculty, and make a real-world impact. Whether you're passionate about animal rights, tech and innovation, global health, or capital markets, there's a place here for you to grow, lead, and shape the future of law.
Animal Law Program
Where compassion meets the courtroom.
Led by Professor Angela Fernandez, this program challenges students to rethink the legal status of animals and explore how the law can better reflect ethical and scientific understandings of nonhuman life. From anti-cruelty legislation to Indigenous legal perspectives, students engage in hands-on research, advocacy, and real-world legal reform. If you're ready to be a voice for the voiceless, this is your platform.
Centre for Innovation Law and Policy (CILP)
Law at the speed of innovation.
Led by Professor Simon Stern, the CILP is where law meets the future. With a focus on emerging technologies, intellectual property, and digital policy, this centre equips students to navigate and shape the legal frameworks of tomorrow. Through externships, research projects, and events with industry leaders, students gain the tools to lead in a rapidly evolving legal landscape.
Centre for the Legal Profession (CLP)
Where ethics drive the practice of law.
Under the leadership of Professor Anita Anand, the CLP brings together students, lawyers, judges, and scholars to tackle the evolving challenges of legal practice. Through conferences, workshops, and the Program on Ethics in Law and Business, students engage in meaningful dialogue at the intersection of law, ethics, and leadership.
International Reproductive and Sexual Health Law (IRSHL)
Justice without borders.
Co-directed by Professors Rebecca Cook and Bernard Dickens, this globally recognized program empowers students to tackle some of the most pressing human rights issues of our time. From reproductive justice to sexual health law, students engage in international research, advocacy, and policy development that makes a difference in communities around the world.
Johnston Centre | Capital Markets Initiative
Where law and finance converge.
In 2024, the U of T Capital Markets Institute was restructured as the Capital Markets Initiative under the Johnston Centre for Corporate Governance Innovation, a joint venture between U of T Law and the Rotman School of Management. Building on the legacy of former director Professor Jeffrey MacIntosh, the initiative offers JD/MBA Student Fellowships and fosters collaborative research on Canadian capital markets. With guidance from Professors Edward Iacobucci and Simone Sepe as Research Fellows, the Centre continues to lead high-impact dialogue on securities regulation, governance, and financial innovation.