Community Legal Aid provides an opportunity for law students to gain practical experience while serving the local community in matters of landlord/tenant disputes, highway traffic matters, small claims, criminal and provincial offences and student discipline.
Community Legal Aid works with our client communities, in all their diversity, to:
- Build and mobilize an ever increasing community movement for social change,
- Create the social and economic conditions to eradicate poverty and oppression.
- Restore and revitalize the quality of life and enhance self-reliance of the citizens of the City of Windsor and County of Essex.
- Educate students to build skills, values and knowledge to ethically and competently represent and work with individuals and communities.
Community Legal Aid (CLA) offers legal services to low income and vulnerable people to avoid, prepare for and overcome poverty law problems, achieved through a combination of community development and action. CLA provides competent and professional legal services including summary legal advice, full legal representation, and community legal education.
Selection Process
Applications for the fall and winter terms will be posted on the Community Legal Aid website.
Only selected candidates will be invited to an interview.
Successful applicants will be required to attend the mandatory orientation sessions.
- You may choose to enroll in one term or spread your credit commitment across two academic terms. Each credit requires students to be at the clinic for 3 hours. Part time is a minimum for 4 credits to a maximum of 7 credits (i.e., a 4 credit placement equals 12 in-clinic hours). A full time placement can be between 8 and 11 credits (i.e., an 8 credit placement equals 24 in-clinic hours). Students must complete 3 self-evaluations and review them with their supervisors, the Academic Clinic Advisor and the Executive Director. The evaluations allow students to reflect on their performance as advocates, development of professional skills and knowledge and application of the Rules of Professional Conduct. The evaluations are meant to supplement the ongoing mentorship and supervisory relationship with the Review Counsel.
- Students applying for an Academic Practice position must have volunteered for one term at CLA and completed or are in the process of completing Evidence and Criminal Procedure. Candidates must take the Clinic Seminar course simultaneously. This is a 3 credit course.
- The CLA Family Law Practice Program (FLP) is a limited enrollment program in which students are placed at CLA for either one full term or two terms, part time. Students may take 8, 9 or 11 credits divided between two terms or complete all credits in a single, full-time term. Students may not enroll for fewer than 4 credits per term.
Group Leader
- Provide ongoing support and supervision to caseworker and litigators, intake support workers.
- Ensure attendance at all court appearances assigned to the group.
- Conduct ongoing reviews of the bring forwards for the group files.
- Advise Review Counsel of any concerns regarding caseworkers, intake support workers and litigators’ participation and performance of assigned files and responsibilities.
- Present weekly case conferencing sessions, identify gaps in knowledge.
- Perform caseworker and litigator responsibilities as required.
- Perform assigned tasks within the group leader.
- Attend monthly group leader meetings.
Litigator
- Provide assistance to caseworkers in their responsibilities.
- Assumes primary responsibility for the litigation work for the file including: meeting with clients where litigation is anticipated, developing the theory of the case, reviewing research and meeting with caseworkers to ensure there is complete case preparation and analysis, preparing clients and case for the hearing, submitting trial briefs to Review Counsel one week prior to hearing, meeting with Review Counsel to review trial preparation prior to each hearing.
- Facilitate communication with clients, Review Counsel, litigators, court staff, and other community agencies.
- Maintain a complete client file, including all correspondence and dockets of time worked.
- Maintain strict client confidentiality. Attend mandatory weekly group meetings.
- Attend courts and tribunals for adjournments, trials, hearings, and settlement conferences.
- Ensure that an alternate litigator is assigned to assume responsibility when the litigator is not available for a court appearance.
- Will be required to attend court and hearings outside of the group time. Litigators will be required to miss class when there is a court appearance required.
- Attends group meetings every week. Commits to volunteering for 7 to 10 hours each week.
Intake Support Worker
- Assist caseworkers and litigators in client support.
- Facilitate client intake and scheduling – complete intake forms, return client messages, provide support to reception, follow up on scheduled appointments, respond to inquiries for service, make appointment reminder calls.
- Assist caseworkers with research requests and the preparation of memorandum as directed by the group leader.
- Maintain strict client confidentiality.
- Attend mandatory weekly group meetings and at other times as required to complete casework requirements and to meet with the litigators assigned to the files.
- Attends group meetings every week. Commits to volunteering for 7 to 10 hours each week.
We are grateful for the support of:
