Upper Year Only Projects

Partner Organization: WomenatthecentrE (WATC)
Project Name: Amourgynoir in Practice
Full Project Description.

Brief Description:
WomenatthecentrE is a pan-Canadian, survivor-led non-profit organization founded in 2008. Our mission is to eradicate gender-based violence against women, gender queer, 2-Spirit, and trans folk through personal, political, and social advocacy. Our goals are to amplify the voices of survivors in policymaking, service design, and public education.

​​The Amourgynoir in Practice is a 14.5 month project that aims to strengthen the capacity of service providers, legal professionals, and governments to deliver Black-centred, survivor-led, trauma- and violence-informed, culturally grounded, and accessible supports for Black survivors of violence and crime.

Role of Student Volunteer:
PBSC student volunteers will support the project through legal research, legal information development and knowledge mobilization activities designed to increase the capacity of legal professionals, service providers, community organizations, and government decision-makers to understand and respond to the unique needs of Black survivors of violence and crime.

Students may undertake activities such as:  

• Conducting legal and policy research related to the experiences of Black survivors within criminal, family, immigration, housing, employment, child welfare, and human rights systems.  

• Reviewing relevant legislation, policies, programs, and complain mechanisms to identify barriers and opportunities for improving access to justice for Black survivors.  

• Developing plain-language legal information resources informed by the Community Needs Assessment and the Amourgynoir Framework 

• Assisting with environmental scans and jurisdictional reviews of promising practices, legal supports, and community-based responses across Ontario and Canada 

• Supporting the development of resource directories and referral tools for services providers and survivors  

• Contributing to the creation of educational material that complement the project’s training and capacity-building activities.  

Please see Full Project Description for potential final deliverables that students may produce. 

Mode of Delivery: Virtual
Prerequisites: students who identify as Black and other members of the diverse Black Diaspora; fluency in French and English is considered an asset but not required 
Number of Placements: 2 (4 total)

Area of Law: Family; Immigration; Child Welfare; Housing; Human Rights
Communities Served: Domestic violence survivors; Racialized Communities; Immigrants, refugees & newcomers

Joint Project: University of Toronto (Lead); Lincoln Alexander School of Law

Partner Organization: Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA)
Project Name: National Research Project
Full Project Description.

Brief Description:
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association is a national, nonpartisan, non-profit organization that fights for the civil liberties, human rights, and democratic freedoms of all people across Canada. They are an independent, national, and non-governmental organization that works in the courts, before legislative committees, in classrooms and in the streets to protect the rights and freedoms that are entrenched in our Constitution and cherished by Canadians. 

CCLA’s current work is focused on these following thematic areas: Fundamental Freedoms, Criminal Justice, Equality and Privacy. Pro Bono students will conduct legal research in support of CCLA’s litigation, advocacy and public engagement work to protect and promote fundamental rights. Students should rank their preferences (1-4) for the program areas. 

Please see the Full Project Description attached above for more information on each program area. 

Role of Student Volunteer:
Students will be asked to conduct legal research and prepare memoranda on various topics by the CCLA’s Program Directors. This may include case briefs, reviews of draft or proposed legislation, policy reviews and research memoranda on fundamental freedoms, police powers, national security, privacy, criminal law reform, and equality. Students may periodically be asked to conduct social science research as well, used to inform CCLA’s advocacy and education work. 

Mode of Delivery: Virtual
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Constitutional Law and/or public law required; interest in CCLA and/or civil liberties/human rights work; fluency in French is considered an asset but not required.
Eligibility: Upper years only
Number of Placements: 1 (10 total)

Area of Law: Constitutional law, public law, administrative law, criminal law, human rights law
Communities Served: Other - General

Partner Organization: Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY)
Project Name: Digital Public Legal Education
Full Project Description.

Brief Description:
Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY) is a specialty legal clinic that provides free legal advice and representation to children under 18 in multiple, and often intersecting, areas of law. We extend our services to young people up to the age of 25 who are unstably housed or survivors of human trafficking. We strive to advance the interests, rights, and dignity of children and youth through direct client service, test cases, law reform, and public legal education & community development. 

The student will work to build a library of public legal education materials designed specifically to be posted on the Justice for Children and Youth’s social media pages. The student will use their research skills and creativity to develop schematic PLE materials. The primary platform is Instagram, but posts will also be created for Facebook and Twitter. The topics for the digital PLE materials (social media posts) will be provided by JFCY staff and/or will be developed in collaboration with JFCY staff. The student volunteer will be invited to attend the weekly scheduled meetings with the other student volunteers at JFCY, and this may create opportunities for student input for PLE topics to be covered through this project. The expectation is that the student volunteer creates at least two digital PLE materials per week.

Please see Full Project Description for more details. 

Role of Student Volunteer:
Students will receive topics/issues of interest from JFCY staff, will conduct any necessary research, and will use that research to create schematic PLE materials that can be posted on social media (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter). Students will write captions to accompany the images/graphics when applicable and will share the PLE materials created with the lawyer supervisor. These materials will be composited in a digital library for the staff at JFCY to post on social media.  

The PLE materials must be appropriate for an audience of youth under the age of 25. In general, students will be responsible for meeting deadlines, keeping open communication with their Lawyer Supervisor, and ensuring they are bringing any delays or concerns to the attention of the Lawyer Supervisor and/or Program Coordinator in a timely fashion. 

Mode of Delivery: In-person; lunteers will work shifts at JFCY on a weekly basis 
Prerequisites: Experience in communications or journalism, working with the youth, working within an anti-oppression framework is considered an asset
Eligibility: Upper years only
Number of Placements: 1 (1 total); priority will be given to Lincoln Alexander Students 

Area of Law: Poverty; Housing; Human Rights; Constitutional; Immigration & Refugee; Administrative; Family; Victim Representation; Leaving Home; Criminal Law
Communities Served: Children & Youth; homeless & marginally housed; LGBTQ+

Partner Organization: Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic (BSCC)
Project Name: Family Court Support Program
Full Project Description.

Brief Description:
The Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic offers trauma-informed legal services and representation, counselling and multilingual interpretation, and drives system transformation to support women and gender diverse people who have experienced violence.

The Family Court Support Program is funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. Ordinarily Clinic staff are Court-based 4 days per week (M/T/Th/F).  Each day, clients may drop in, may be attending court, or may have appointments by phone.  Court Support Workers provide legal information, referrals, safety planning and support at the four Toronto family courts (311 Jarvis St., 361 University Ave, 47 Sheppard Ave and 10 Armoury St.).​ 

Role of Student Volunteer:
PBSC students will assist the BSCC Court Support Workers in direct client service provision, including intakes, assessments, and safety planning. Students will complete other tasks under the direct supervision and guidance of the BSCC Court Support Workers, including:  

• Completing client intakes; 

• Assisting with follow-up calls to clients; 

• Supporting Family Court Support Workers with writing up and organizing client notes; 

• Researching referrals to specialized services and community supports; and,  

• Supporting Family Court Support Workers with client court accompaniments, including, where appropriate, meetings with lawyers.  

Students will not provide legal advice, assist with pleadings, or complete case law research but will be exposed to the court system and where appropriate provide court accompaniment. Accompaniments typically involve the opportunity to sit in on legal proceedings and take notes and debrief with clients.

At the beginning of each semester, students will provide their availability for attending an in-person 3-5 hour weekly shift between the hours of 9AM-5PM to correspond with the hours at the four Toronto courthouses. To be accepted into the program, you must confirm your availability by signing the accompanying “In-Person Shift Availability Agreement” Form as part of your application. 

The family courts are providing services both in-person and remotely. Student work will involve both in-person and remote court attendance for scheduled proceedings. Students are expected to be present for a minimum of two in-person shifts at a Toronto family court each month. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-to-case basis).

Mode of Delivery: In-Person; ​​​Students are expected to work one shift per week of 3-5 consecutive hours. Shifts will usually be on location at one of the three family courts in Toronto (3 downtown; 1 in North York). A minimum of two shifts every month will be in person at the courts. Remote work may be possible on occasion.​ 
Prerequisites: Family law knowledge is preferred, but not necessary; past work with survivors of violence is an asset; Students enrolled in UofT’s Barbra Schlifer Clinical Program are not eligible for this placement.
Eligibility: Upper years only
Number of Placements: 1-2 (3-6 total)

Area of Law: Family law, with some intersecting issues in immigration and criminal law 
Communities Served: Domestic violence survivors; women; racialized communities 

Joint Project: Osgoode Hall (Lead); University of Toronto; Lincoln Alexander School of Law 

Partner Organization: Luke’s Place
Project Name: Intimate Partner Violence Legal Support Services and Resource Development
Full Project Description.

Brief Description:
Luke’s Place is a non-profit organization providing legal and support services to self-identified women across Ontario who have been subjected to intimate partner violence as they proceed through the family court system. Luke’s Place also engages in systemic advocacy, research and training on gender-based violence and family law.  

Project Tasks: 

1. Accompaniments to Court and Note-Taking at Lawyer Appointments – Mandatory  

• Students will accompany woman to their lawyer appointments.
• The student’s role will be to provide support and to take detailed notes which will be provided to woman after her lawyer appointment.

2. Courthouse support and Court Accompaniments – Optional  

• Students may (depending on demand and their availability to attend in-person) have the opportunity to attend our courthouse office in Oshawa, Ontario with one of our family court support workers to assist with: 
  • Intake and referrals for woman who drop in to our courthouse office; and 
  • Accompanying woman to their court appearances (depending on demand) to act as a note-taker. Students would then provide their detailed notes to woman after her court appearance. 

3. Legal research and resource creation (only to take place if direct service work with woman is limited) – Optional  

• Students will assist in preparing case law summaries and/or brief legal informational handouts for family court support workers across Ontario to help them better understand a particular family law legal issues. Students may also be asked to prepare brief legal memos on an assigned topic in family law for internal use by the staff team.

Students cannot and will not provide legal advice.

Role of Student Volunteer:
Students will assist with client support under the supervision of a lawyer or family court support worker and may complete some legal research. Students may also assist with the creation of informational resources on a particular family law issue. Depending on the needs of the organization and the nature of the assigned task, the students may work together collaboratively.  

Mode of Delivery: Hybrid
Prerequisites: None; Family law experience preferred
Eligibility: Upper years preferred
Number of Placements: 1-2 (2-3 total)

Area of Law: Family law
Communities Served: Domestic violence survivors; women; self-represented litigants

Partner Organization: Pro Bono Ontario (PBO)
Project Name: CERB/CRB Overpayment Intake Project
Full Project Description.

Brief Description: 

Pro Bono Ontario is a registered charity with a mandate to improve access to justice by creating and facilitating opportunities for the legal profession to provide free legal services low-income Ontarians. Further, Pro Bono Ontario provides short term legal services in civil law matters.

Students will assist primarily with the CERB/CRB Overpayment Pro Bono Program (COPP). COPP assists self-represented individuals residing in Ontario that disagree with a covid overpayment decision and are considering requesting a second review with CRA or applying to the Federal Court for a judicial review. Clients apply to COPP and if eligible, PBO tries to find a volunteer lawyer willing to provide pro bono legal support and/or PBO provides summary legal advice.

Role of Student Volunteer: 

The student’s work will include: 

• Reviewing court or other documentation submitted to PBO and ensuring the PBO applicant has submitted the required documents to confirm eligibility;
• Communicating/interviewing PBO applicants that have applied to COPP to obtain further information as needed; 
• Drafting a brief summary of the PBO’s applicants’ case/issue(s); 
• Providing research support and/or preparing initial drafts of documents, as needed; and 
• Communicating with potential PBO applicants’ information about the COPP, as needed.​​  

Mode of Delivery: Virtual
Prerequisites: None; civil procedure or admin law familiarity is an asset
Eligibility: Upper years only; highly motivated 1L students may be considered (max 1)
Number of Placements: 1-2

Area of Law: Administratice Law/Litigation at Federal Court
Communities Served: Other – General; self-represented litigants

Partner Organization: The 519 Community Centre
Project Name: Refugee Mock Hearing Program 
Full Project Description.

Brief Description:
The 519 is committed to advancing the rights and full participation of the 2SLGBTQ+ communities. They are a city of Toronto agency with an innovative model of service, space, and leadership. The centre strives to make a real difference in people’s lives while working to promote inclusion, understanding and respect. 

The objective of the mock hearing program is to familiarize claimants with the hearing process in an affirming environment and provide an opportunity for the claimant to take a more critical look at their narrative and supporting evidence provided in their claim so that they have the opportunity to make any final changes before their hearing. Individuals who are supported through the mock hearing are claimants who have an upcoming hearing with the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) od the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) to determine whether they can be granted a Convention Refugee Status based on their sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and/or sexual characteristics (SOGIE-SC claims.)

Role of Student Volunteer:
Students will help assist the program by preparing a manual for SOGIE-SC claimants as to provide guided written information for clients as an additional resource to help prepare for their refugee hearing. Students may also be asked to assist with research and written advocacy that are related to SOGIE-SC refugee rights in Canada. 

Students are also expected to review the claimants Basis of Claim (BoC), forms, supporting evidence prior to each mock hearing, and the IRB’s National Documentation Package for the country the claimant is seeking protection from. Afterwards, students will then identify any key issues and draft questions that may be explored during the mock hearing. 

Mode of Delivery: Hybrid
Co/Prerequisites: Preference given to students who have taken or are enrolled in an immigration and refugee law course, administrative law, human rights law, and/or have clinic placement experience; fluency in additional languages are considered an asset but not required. 

Eligibility: Upper Years Only
Number of Placements: 1 (3 total)

Area of Law: Immigration & Refugee Law
Communities Served: Immigrants; refugees and newcomers; LGBTQ+; Trans and Gender Diverse Individuals

This is a special project led by PBSC National.

Partner Organization: Pro Bono Ontario (PBO)
Project Name: Small Claims Court Project
Full Project Description.

Brief Description:
Pro Bono Ontario (PBO) helps Ontarians who cannot afford a lawyer access legal information, brief services, and practical assistance for civil legal problems. Through court-based and related services, PBO supports self-represented litigants and improves access to justice. 

PBO is seeking volunteers to attend PBO’s Small Claims Court service for scheduled shifts during the academic year. This project will gives students exposure to civil litigation and access-to-justice work while helping clients who may otherwise be unable to obtain legal support. 

Role of Student Volunteer:
Students support self-represented civil litigants by helping with intake, triage, issue identification, procedural information, referrals, and practical client assistance under supervision. 

Student volunteers may assist several clients during each shift. Their tasks may include conducting triage and client interviews, helping clients identify legal issues, attending client meetings with lawyers where available, answering procedural questions, directing clients to appropriate legal and community resources, and assisting with client-facing materials or court-related information as directed by supervisors. Students will not carry their own client files. 

Mode of Delivery: in-person, scheduled shifts
Prerequisites: None; students should be punctual and reliable, sensitive when working with diverse clients, attentive to detail, able to identify legal issues, and comfortable interacting professionally with clients, court users, staff, and volunteer duty counsel. 
Eligibility: Upper Years Only 
Number of Placements: 2

Area of Law: Litigation (Small Claims Court Rules)
Communities Served: self-represented litigants; seniors; low-income

Partner Organization: HAVEN Toronto
Project Name: Wills Clinic
Full Project Description.

Brief Description:
HAVEN Toronto is a drop-in centre where elder homeless, marginally housed and socially isolated men can feel safe, where they can form and cultivate friendships and become part of a community.

The Wills Clinic will provide simple wills drafting services for low-income community members who meet the selection criteria. Students may draft wills, powers of attorney for personal care, and powers of attorney for property for eligible clients. Throughout the year, students will work in groups of two or three, with each group supported by a lawyer supervisor. Each group will include students with at least one upper-year project lead. 

The Fall term (October-November 2026) will be used to develop the materials required for the student clinic, including applicant screening forms and client questionaries. This term will also be dedicated to recruiting eligible participants for the Wills Clinic, which will operate during the Winter term. Student volunteers will meet with interested participants at onsite drop-in sessions and will and assist interested individuals with completing applicant screening forms to determine their eligibility. All completed screening forms will be reviewed by the supervising lawyer.

The goal is to conduct drafting and signing appointments during the Winter Term (January-March 2027). If there are any changes to timelines and/or the program, a revised Project Description form will be shared with the PBSC team to reflect the changes. 

Please see Full Project Description for more details on the project and the clinic process.

Role of Student Volunteer: 

Fall Term (October – November 2026)

Support the development of templates and tools to be used in the clinic 

Meeting 1: Applicant Screening – Conduct applicant screening with interested clients and receive feedback from supervising lawyer 

Winter Term (January – March 2027)                 

As outlined in the full project description above. 

Meeting 2: Drafting Appointment: Conduct drafting appointment with oversight provided by supervising lawyer (either virtually or in-person).  

Drafting (2 weeks): Use client instructions to draft will and/or Power of Attorney and send to Lawyer for review within five (5) business days.  

Meeting 3: Signing Appointment: Attend signing appointment in-person, act as witness, and give documents to the community member. Obtain feedback from client, conduct client management and appropriate file management and client communications. 

A Project Lead will have the same role as a student volunteer, but with additional responsibilities: 

• Working closely with the PBSC Program Coordinator, HAVEN Coordinator, and Lawyer Supervisors to manage the project and to ensure timely completion of deliverables;
• Coordinating and scheduling meetings, and;
• Taking initiative where needed

A Project Lead will also serve as the main point of contact for student volunteers. 

Mode of Delivery: Hybrid; remote work in Fall, in-person in the Winter for drafting and signing dates (additional drafting and research will be conducted remotely) 
Prerequisites: None; prior or current enrollment in Wills and Estate Planning is highly desirable but not required
Eligibility: Upper Years Only
Number of Placements: 1 (2 total)

Area of Law: Wills and Estates
Communities Served: homeless & marginally housed; seniors; people living in poverty

Partner Organization: Kensington Health
Project Name: Wills Clinic
Full Project Description.

Brief Description:
Kensington Health’s Wills Clinic provides simple wills drafting services for low-income community members who meet the selection criteria outlined in the project description form attached above. Please also see the project description form for a detailed description of the project.

Role of Student Volunteer:
Please see Full Project Description above for a detailed list of the roles and responsibilities for student volunteers. 

Mode of Delivery: Hybrid; In-Person clinic and remote research
Co/Prerequisites: Successful completion of first-year contract law is required to apply; prior or current enrollment in Wills & Estates Planning is highly desirable but not required. 
Number of Placements: 3-4 total

Area of Law: Wills & Estates; Contracts
Communities Served: seniors; people living with disabilities & chronic illnesses; people living with mental health challenges