Community Legal Aid (CLA) (General Program)

Clinic Practice Program Application Form

Academic Program

Full-time placement: 8 - 11 credits

Part-time placement: 4 - 7 credits

University of Windsor Law students can enroll at CLA for course credit during the fall and winter academic terms. The CLA academic Prctice Program awards course credits to 2L and 3L law students who will engage in work as Caseworkers at CLA. As an Practice Program student in the CLA General Program, students assigned to a group to work weekly with groups of volunteers, but unlike volunteers, Practice Program students perform the role of both a Caseworker and Senior Caseworker on their own case load.

Credits

• Full time in the fall or winter terms: students choose to take on practice hours at CLA for between 8-11 credits in one academic term. Each credit equals 3 hours of work at the clinic. For example, 8 credits = 24 hours of work at the clinic per week.
• Part time in both the fall and winter terms: students choose to take on practice hours at CLA for between 4-7 credits in one or both academic terms. Each credit equals 3 hours of work at the clinic. For example, 4 credits = 12 hours of work at the clinic per week.
• Both full-time and part-time Practice Program students must take the 3-credit Clinic Seminar course concurrently with their clinic practice hours.

Students must complete 3 self-evaluations and review them with the Academic Clinic Professor. 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 supervising lawyers. 

Questions about the program? Email Professor Rogin at roginjl@uwindsor.ca

Interested in applying for a volunteer position at Community Legal Aid? Visit the CLA website.

Clinic Practice Program Student Manual

More about the Clinic

Located in downtown Windsor, CLA is a SLASS legal clinic offering services to university undergraduate students and members of the Windsor-Essex community living on low income. Under the close supervision of Review Counsel, law students provide client services from the initial intake to the resolution of the matter. This includes interviewing, correspondence, and negotiation with opposing parties, drafting applications, analysis of disclosure documentation, preparation of legal arguments, client management, and representation before the Criminal and Provincial Offences Courts, Small Claims Court, and the Landlord and Tenant Board. Our criminal law areas of practice include intimate partner assault and representation of clients in Mental Health Court. We assist in small estates and wills. We also provide summary advice in Family Law. We provide summary advice and public legal education workshops. For more information about CLA, visit their website. 

Legal Assistance of Windsor (LAW)

(General Program: Housing Law, Social Benefits Law, and Immigration Program)

Clinic Practice Program Application Form

Academic Program

Full-time placement: 8 - 11 credits

Part-time placement: 4 - 7 credits

University of Windsor 2L and 3L law students can enroll at LAW for course credit during the fall and/or winter academic terms.

Credits

1. Full time in the fall or winter terms: Students choose to take LAW Practice Program hours for between 8-11 credits in one academic term. Each credit equals 3 hours of work at the clinic. For example, 8 credits = 24 hours of work at the clinic per week.
2. Part time in both the fall and winter terms: Students choose to take LAW Practice Program hours for between 4-7 credits in one or both academic terms. Each credit equals 3 hours of work at the clinic. For example, 4 credits = 12 hours of work at the clinic per week for both the fall and winter academic terms. (Note that part-time positions at LAW are generally not available. Students are only able to enrol on a part-time basis in exceptional circumstances.)
3. Students in both the part-time and the full-time program must also enroll in the 3-credit Clinic Seminar Course.

Students must complete 3 self-evaluations and review them with the Academic Clinic Professor. 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 supervising lawyers. Students are enrolled in the Clinic Seminar Course during the term the student participates at the clinic.

Questions about the program? Email Professor Rogin at roginjl@uwindsor.ca

Clinic Practice Program Student Manual

More about the Clinic

Located in downtown Windsor, LAW is a community legal clinic offering services to members of the Windsor-Essex community living on low income. Students work in a multidisciplinary model with social workers and lawyers. Under the supervision of Staff Lawyers, law students conduct file work from the initial intake to the resolution of the matter. This includes correspondence and negotiation with opposing parties, explaining, and drafting applications with clients, analysis of medical documentation, preparation of legal arguments and representation before the Social Benefits Tribunal or the Landlord and Tenant Board. Students can also be involved in systemic advocacy through community outreach and law reform initiatives in the areas of social assistance reform, income security, human trafficking, and landlord/tenant. For more information about LAW, visit their website.

Community Legal Assistance Sarnia (CLAS)

Clinic Practice Program Application Form

Academic Program

Full time ONLY: 8 – 11 creditsUniversity of Windsor Law students can enroll at CLAS for course credit during the fall or winter academic terms. Students work full-time over one term at Community Legal Assistance Sarnia (CLAS) located in Sarnia, Ontario. Students interested in this program are often from the Sarnia community or hope to work there in future. Students must provide their own transportation

Credits

• Full time in the fall or winter terms – you would choose to take CLAS for between 8-11 credits in one academic term. Each credit equals 3 hours of work at the clinic. For example, 8 credits = 24 hours of work at the clinic per week. Students must complete 3 self-evaluations and review them with the Academic Clinic Professor. 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 supervising lawyers. Students must also enroll in the 3-credit Clinic Seminar Course during the term the student participates at the clinic.

• Students must attend a weekly 3-credit Clinic Seminar class in Windsor.

Questions about the program? Email Professor Rogin at roginjl@uwindsor.ca

Clinic Practice Program Student Manual

More about the Clinic

Located in Sarnia, CLAS is a community legal clinic that provides legal assistance to low income residents of Sarnia and Lambton County. Students work in a variety of areas of law including: housing law for tenants, Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program, Canada Pension Plan, Employment law, Human Rights and Criminal Injury Compensation, access to health and community care. For more information about CLAS, visit their Facebook page.

CLA offers several volunteer placements for law students wishing to gain practical legal skills and serve the community. Students can start volunteering at CLA beginning in 1L. All CLA volunteers undergo an orientation offered at the beginning of each academic term. Review Counsel will introduce students to the practice of law using a collaborative approach.

Positions are for Caseworkers and Senior Caseworkers.

Under the supervision of practicing lawyers and with the assistance of group leaders, volunteers are taught how to navigate the complexities of litigation and advocacy.

Volunteers are assigned to a specific group. Each group is led by a group leader and designated Senior Casework(s). Groups meet once a week at a set group time for a two hour period. Volunteers are expected to conduct their work throughout the week, and beyond their set group time depending on the file requirement. The overall commitment to volunteering at CLA is 7-10 hours/week. The clinic is open throughout the week.

The Volunteer Commitment

• Attending a weekly group meeting for 2 hours every week.
• Attendance is mandatory and you will be expected to return to the clinic at other times during the week to fulfill the 7 to 10 hours that are required for CLA volunteers.
• Ensuring that you are able to attend the weekly group meeting on time, and you have considered the requisite travel time to and from classes in making this choice.
• You will be placed in one group and that group will meet every week at the same time.
• As a Senior Caseworker, you may be required to miss class in order to attend court appearances and hearings.
• If this is the first time you have been accepted as Senior Casewoker or Caseworker, you will be required to attend orientation training.

Apply to Volunteer at CLA

Select Student Opportunities on the CLA website and the LAW website for information.

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Those interested in the Clinic Practice Programs (LAW, CLA, CLAS) can apply here.

In the application form:

• You can express interest one or more placements.
• You will select an interview time.
• You are asked to upload, in one PDF document, the following:
  • A cover letter describing why you would like to be selected for a placement. Provide highlights of your learning, experiences, and goals that would contribute to a placement;
  • Your resume; and
  • Your transcript (an unofficial transcript will suffice).

Please review the Clinic Practice Program Student Manual in preparation for your interview.

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Those interested in the Clinic Volunteer Program (CLA) can apply here.

Students are chosen on a first-come-first-served basis, contingent on availability.

Clinic Practice Program Student Manual

Weekly Submission of Clinic Practice Program Hours

Anti-Requisite Practice Exception Form

Withdrawal Policy