Windsor Law Externship Program
Windsor Law’s Externship Program places students in law firms, non-profits, non-government organizations, courts, and community collectives under the supervision of a licensed lawyer. Students participate in a preparatory seminar and are provided both on-site and academic supervision throughout the term. The Externship Program incorporates work-integrated and skills-based learning alongside critical reflection, self-directed personal and career planning, focus on ethical and professional practice, and engagement with access to justice in theory and practice.
Windsor Law’s Externship Program consists of two distinct but complementary portions: a seminar course titled “Learning in Place” and the placement itself entitled “Externship Placement”. The seminar will consist of pre-placement training, ongoing support and a final placement showcase. The Externship Program includes a competitive application process, an array of placement sites, and a seminar that integrates the academic and work-based components of the program. Placements will vary from term to term. Students must enrol in both the seminar and work portions simultaneously.
Placements are primarily in-person or hybrid. Remote placements can be considered in some circumstances.
Below are placements typically available through the program. Please confirm the availability of each placement in the term you wish to enroll.
1. Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE)
Number of Placements: 1-2
Description: ACE is a community legal clinic for low-income seniors across the province of Ontario. In addition to working on systemic issues that impact many older adults, ACE also provides direct services to seniors who live in the Greater Toronto Area and meet the clinic’s eligibility criteria. ACE is the first and oldest legal clinic in Canada to specialize in the legal problems of seniors. ACE is staffed by experienced lawyers and legal support workers.
Duties: ACE expects the successful student to assist with client intake and problem analysis. Students seeking to support older adults in seeking access to justice in a variety of legal contexts are preferred. Students will also work on active litigation in Toronto Small Claims Court.
Hours: In-person placement, with a possible hybrid work option (TBD with placement supervisor).
2. Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR)
Number of Placements: 4
Description: CCHR advances the right to housing by serving renters to help them stay housed, providing education and training about housing rights, and advancing rights-based housing policy through research, policy development, advocacy, and litigation. Every year, CCHR provides much-needed support to hundreds of renters facing eviction and human rights issues in their housing. CCHR also provides education on housing law, human rights, and eviction prevention to a variety of audiences, including vulnerable renters, housing providers, and service providers. CCHR is also compiling research and data to ignite public action and encourage decision-makers at municipal, provincial, and national levels to implement the right to housing for all. This work includes engaging in strategic litigation as a means to advance rights-based housing policy where traditional avenues of policy advocacy may not be effective. CCHR partners at municipal, regional, provincial, and national levels, as we work to build and nurture coalitions to advance the right-to-housing movement in Canada and internationally.
Duties: Student externs will each be assigned to one of three teams:
Policy, Communications, and Engagement: Students will work closely with CCHR’s public policy professionals to monitor and analyze policy developments across Canada and support community engagement and education efforts. This work may include preparing briefing notes and reviewing and analyzing legislation and relevant government policies.
Strategic Litigation: Students will support CCHR’s ongoing development and implementation of our litigation strategy and conduct in-depth legal research on a variety of housing and human rights-related topics.
Services and Education: Students will work directly with clients, providing them with legal information on a variety of issues related to their tenancies, doing legal research, conducting intake interviews, and providing guided referrals.
Hours: CCHR is a national organization. Students will generally be able to work during business hours in any Canadian time zone. Meetings will usually be scheduled during our core hours of 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST. This position can occur entirely remotely, with hybrid negotiated with the student.
3. Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA)
Number of Placements: 1
Description: CELA works to protect human health and our environment by seeking justice for those harmed by pollution and by working to change policies to prevent such problems in the first place. For almost 50 years, CELA has used legal tools to increase environmental protection and safeguard communities. As a Legal Aid Clinic, our top priority is to represent low-income individuals and communities and to speak out for those with less influence and who receive less of a say in decision-making. CELA participates in inter-jurisdictional research on local climate policies and vulnerable communities.
Duties: Students will do research on law reform or litigation, as needed. Students will be invited to attend hearings or other presentations as they come up over the course of the term. 2L and 3L students who have taken or are taking administrative law are preferred, along with a strong social justice background.
Hours: Students will primarily complete work during typical office hours (9 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST). This placement can be in-person, remote or hybrid.
4. City of Windsor
Number of Placements: 1
Description: The Legal Services Department of the Corporation of the City of Windsor is comprised of four divisions: Legal Division, Purchasing, Risk Management Division, and Provincial Offences Administration (POA) Division. Students are exposed to a range of these departments, depending upon the issue that arises and the student’s interest.
Duties: The student will conduct research on a variety of legal issues, have exposure to claims investigations, attend Examinations for Discovery and mediation, and assist with contract review.
Hours: Students will primarily complete work during typical office hours (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.). This position is in person.
5. HIV Legal Network
Number of Placements: 1
Description: The HIV Legal Network (formerly the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network) promotes the human rights of people living with, at risk of, or affected by HIV or AIDS, in Canada and internationally, through research and analysis, litigation, and other advocacy, public education and community mobilization. The HIV Legal Network produces research and resources used to support the work of front-line AIDS service organizations, researchers, and community activists from across Canada and around the world. The HIV Legal Network engages decision-makers, from parliamentarians and judges to United Nations delegates on the importance of human rights in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The clinic
defends and advances human rights through strategic litigation in the courts, in Canada, and internationally.
Duties: The student will do regional comparative legal research about LGBTQ rights, constitutional law research in support of sex workers' rights, and legal research on case law relevant to cases of HIV non-disclosure. In addition, the student will do legal research in support of the Legal Network's court interventions, assist with drafting legal submissions, and observe court hearings and deputations.
Hours: The student is expected to work during office hours M-F 9 am-5 pm. Flexible hours are possible. In-person is preferred.
6. Industrial Accident Victims' Group of Ontario (IAVGO) Community Legal Clinic
Number of Placements: 1
Description: IAVGO is a not-for-profit community legal clinic providing free legal services to injured workers in Ontario since 1975. IAVGO is funded by Legal Aid Ontario. IAVGO also operates “Advocates for Injured Workers” which is a student legal aid clinic. IAVGO provides individual legal representation and summary legal advice as well as public legal education, community development, and law reform. More information about IAVGO can be found here: http://iavgo.org/about/. Information about IAVGO's many campaigns and law reform work can be found at iavgo.org/whats-new.
Duties: IAVGO is willing to adapt students' assignments to their interests. Students are asked to describe their areas of interest in their cover letter.
Hours: Students will primarily complete work during typical office hours (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.). This position is primarily remote.
7. Muslim Legal Support Centre (MLSC)
Number of Placements: 1
Description: The Muslim Legal Support Centre (MLSC) is an innovative new organization that aims to ensure Muslims have equitable access to legal services and fair treatment within the legal system. The MLSC works to increase access to justice for Muslims in Ontario by providing legal information and education, referrals and summary legal advice, and addressing systemic injustice.
Discrimination against Muslims in Ontario is on the rise and the intersecting impacts of poverty, racialization, discrimination, and Islamophobia make this diverse population distinctly vulnerable.
The MLSC was created to cater to the day-to-day needs of low to middle-income Muslims and increase their access to justice. Since its inception, the MLSC has served hundreds of Muslims through its legal education sessions, pop-up clinics, and legal services.
The MLSC is responsive, community-based, and collaborative. We embrace Muslim communities as a group of diverse people with many common interests. We focus our work on the legal needs of Ontarians who self-identify as Muslim or are perceived as Muslim.
Duties: Students will be exposed to multiple areas of law that disproportionately impact Muslims with limited means including immigration, social benefits, and family. The student’s primary competencies and responsibilities include: understanding of access to justice needs of racialized communities, the ability to locate local legal and social services and supports available for racialized communities, and updating case status and client data. Under the supervision of lawyers, the law student may provide: client intake, contribute to the development and management of MLSC interventions and case work, clerical and research support for our staff lawyer, solicit feedback from clients, provide referrals to relevant service providers, speaking with clients and managing phone line, attending check-in meetings with staff, exploring areas for improvement for intake process, other duties assigned from time to time.
Hours: The student is expected to work regular business hours. The MLSC has no permanent office space. Some student work is conducted remotely, and other work occurs in person.
8. Unison Health and Community Services
Number of Placements: 1 In-person placement
Description: While we are a general service legal clinic like others throughout the province, we are one of the very few that is integrated within a larger organization. Unison is a community health center, with numerous other services, of which legal is only one. As such, we work closely with a number of other staff.
Duties: It is anticipated that there will be elements of client interviewing and notetaking, some legal research, and assistance in community development and public legal education.
Hours: Students will primarily complete work during typical office hours (9:00 am – 5:00 pm.) There is some flexibility in the hours above and there may be some requirement to work outside of the hours above as needed.
9. Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH)
Number of Placements: 1
Description: WRH is one of the largest community hospitals in the Province of Ontario. It is the regional provider of advanced care in areas that include complex trauma, renal dialysis, cardiac care, stroke and neurosurgery, intensive care, acute mental health, family birthing center, neonatal intensive care, pediatric services, regional cancer services, and a broad range of medical and surgical services required to support these specialized areas for more than 400,000 people in Windsor and Essex County. The student will exposed to a wide range of legal areas, and others related to the provision of services in a hospital setting.
Hours: Students will primarily complete work during typical office hours (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.). May be required to attend meetings outside these hours (eg 7 am or 5 pm). This is an in-person placement.
10. Windsor-Essex Bilingual Legal Clinic
Number of Placements: 2
Description: Windsor-Essex Bilingual Legal Clinic provides bilingual legal services to members of the Windsor-Essex Community. Services are provided in the following areas of law: social benefits, housing, employment, CPP, human rights, Small Claims, and Criminal Injuries Compensation. The clinic also
engages in law reform and public legal education. Services are provided at no cost to persons with low income.
Duties: Students will engage in a range of duties including research, interviewing clients, writing submissions, observing, and/or conducting hearings under close supervision, as appropriate. French-speaking students are preferred. English-speaking students may also apply. Please indicate if you speak languages other than English and French.
Hours: Work hours M-F 9 AM – 4:30 PM. This is an in-person placement.
11. Walpole Island First Nation
Windsor Law's Externship Program has a new placement working with Indigenous laws and communities. One or more students will be placed directly under the supervision of an experienced lawyer working on a variety of legal issues impacting Aamjwinaang or Bkejwanong (Walpole Island First Nation). The specific project can be negotiated directly with the supervisor. Work will be in person, remote or hybrid, depending on student interest, access to a vehicle, and schedule. Students should apply by November 13, 2023 by 4:00 PM to externship@uwindsor.ca.
12. Legal Aid Ontario (Chatham)
Number of Placements: 1
Description: Legal Aid Ontario provides legal services to people with low income in Ontario. LAO provides many different types of legal services in areas of law that disproportionately impact people with low income including criminal, residential tenancies, immigration and refugee, family and other related areas. There are LAO offices across the province. The Chatham Family Law Service Centre will be hosting one externship placements for students in the areas of Family Law.
Prerequisite: The student should be taking or have taken family law.
Duties: Students will be exposed to Family Law Legal research, legal drafting, shadowing of lawyer, triage of client matters, referrals, docketing, organising files, court filing, client interviewing (with increasing responsibility over time).
Hours: Students will primarily complete work during typical office hours (8:30am – 4:30pm.)
SUBJECT: CALL FOR APPLICATIONS – Windsor Law Externship Program, Winter 2024
Applications are now open for placements in Windsor Law's Externship Program.
The Externship Program places students for credit in clinics, firms, NGOs, and other law-related placements. Students get hands-on experience in a supportive environment (4 credits), alongside an integration seminar (2 credits). The course and placement take place simultaneously. Placement hours are negotiated directly with the supervising lawyer. Each placement is a unique experience; as such, please read placement profiles carefully. Please see the placement profiles attached.
Applications will be reviewed by the Externship Director in consultation with the Placement Supervisor. Successful applicants will be asked to complete an interview before they are selected for a position. All applicants will be notified whether they are selected. Contact Professor Gemma Smyth or Experiential Learning Program Coordinator Kristijana Gavrovski with questions about this experience: gemma.smyth@uwindsor.ca or kristijana.gavrovski@uwindsor.ca.
Apply via Qualtrics: https://uwindsor.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5cj40sa05zbcCqO
Please combine your documents into a single PDF file when submitting. Cover letters can be addressed to Professor Gemma Smyth.
The deadline for application is November 3, 2023, at 4:00 p.m.
General Information
Applications are collected in the summer for the Fall term, and again in early Fall for the Winter term. Recruitment for any outstanding placements may take place closer to the start of the term. Students will be notified of the application details.
2L and 3L students may apply by submitting an online form via Qualtrics. Required documents for an application include a cover letter, resume, transcript (an unofficial transcript will suffice), and writing sample. Students are not guaranteed any particular placement but can rank placements in order of preference during the application process. Applications will be assessed in consultation with the Placement Supervisors.
Students might be required to enroll in other Law courses before confirming an Externship placement. Students are therefore encouraged to enroll in all courses besides the Externship placement. If students secure an Externship placement, they will be given permission and instructions to enroll in both the Externship Placement (LAWG 5933-01) and the Learning in Place Seminar (LAWG 5932-01). Students can work with the Academic Coordinator’s Office to ensure the proper number of credits for a term. Students may also wish to request a credit overload form, available through the Academic Coordinator’s Office.
Students must simultaneously enrol in both the seminar (5932-01) and placement (5933-01) portions of the program for a total of 6 credits (2 for the seminar, 4 for the placement).
In order to be prepared for success, please take a moment to review the documents on this page.
Advice from Former Externs (video)
Anti-Requisite Practice Exception Form
Insurance Form
- Student Declaration of Understanding (complete and return to the Clinical & Experiential Learning Coordinator at Windsor Law)
Mental Health & Wellness at Windsor Law
A special thank you for your generous support
Thank you for hosting a student extern from Windsor Law. In order to be prepared for success, please take a moment to review the documents on this page.
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Externship Agreement (MOU)
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Externship Supervisor Manual (includes program background, policies, and best practices)
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Workplace Injury Insurance
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Pre-placement Due Diligence Checklist (complete and return to the Clinical & Experiential Learning Coordinator at Windsor Law)
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Safety Orientation Checklist (complete and return to the Clinical & Experiential Learning Coordinator at Windsor Law)
- Withdrawal Policy
Professor Gemma Smyth is the Externship Director.
You can contact the Clinical and Experiential Learning Coordinator at externship@uwindsor.ca
Please fee free to reach out with any questions!
