About Legal Clinical Learning
Community Legal Aid Practice Program (General Program)
Community Legal Aid 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 Practice Program awards course credits to 2L and 3L law students who will engage in work as Caseworkers at CLA. As a Practice Program students 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 programs? Email Kristijana Gavrovski, kgavrov@uwindsor.ca.
Please apply by June 27, 2025, by 12:00PM via the following link: CLA/LAW Application Form for 2025-2026.
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 Practice Program
(General Program: Housing Law, Social Benefits Law, and Immigration Program)
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
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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 programs? Email Kristijana Gavrovski, kgavrov@uwindsor.ca.
Please apply by June 27, 2025, by 12:00PM via the following link: CLA/LAW Application Form for 2025-2026.
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 Practice Program
Academic Program - currently not running!
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.
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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.
Community Legal Aid Volunteers for Winter 2026 Term
Community Legal Aid is now accepting applications from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year law students to volunteer for the Fall 2025 term! This is an exciting opportunity for you to work directly with clients who require legal assistance on various matters. Our volunteers assist clients with issues in the following areas of law: landlord/tenant, criminal law, provincial offences, employment law, consumer protection, elder law, family law summary advice and university academic and non-academic matters. Students will also have the opportunity to work in a systemic advocacy group preparing and presenting Public Legal Education workshops and systemic advocacy research and projects.
CLA is a Student Legal Service Organization providing free legal advice and representation for University of Windsor undergraduate students and low-income residents of Windsor and Essex County. We have recently moved back to campus - located in the law school. CLA is a real law firm that provides legal services to real clients. As a volunteer, you will provide legal services to clients under a peer-mentorship model. All of your work will be under the direct supervision of Review Counsel, who are practicing lawyers.
CLA expects and our clients deserve commitment from our volunteers. Part of this commitment means showing up. All volunteers attend a mandatory two (2) hour group meeting once a week. Students shall devote three (3) to ten (10) additional weekly hours, as needed to complete their work. To best serve our clients and facilitate volunteer learning, CLA enforces a strict attendance policy. If a volunteer misses more than one (1) scheduled group meeting, they forfeit their volunteer position.
If you are accepted to volunteer at CLA, you must NOT volunteer at another clinic or PBSC.
Details about the Senior Caseworker (SCW), and Caseworker (CW) Positions:
SCW: Responsible for the tribunal or court advocacy of files in assigned group. Senior caseworkers appear before the Ontario Court of Justice, Provincial Offences Court, Superior Court – Small Claims Court and the Landlord and Tenant Board. SCWs also share remand duty and navigation services/summary advice session in the Ontario Court of Justice and Provincial Offences Court.
CW: Communicate directly with clients, opposing parties, court staff and our community partners. Caseworkers conduct legal research and draft correspondence pertaining to client files.
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Please check out our CLA website for more information about the clinic.
If you are interested in applying, please complete this application form. Students are ONLY allowed to apply for 1 (one) position.
You must be a 2L or 3L to apply for the SCW role. Preference will be given to returning students and those with criminal and tribunal experience. Winter 2026 Volunteer registration will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2026 from 8:30am to 11:30am on a first-come, first-served basis. Orientation will be held following registration from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. YOU MUST BRING A PRINTED COPY OF YOUR WINTER 2026 SCHEDULE TO REGISTRATION! Group times begin the week of January 12, 2026. Court times and appearances are also mandatory for SCWs and may conflict with class times.
In-person volunteer registration will be on a first come first served basis with priority given to returning students who abided by the terms of the clinic’s Commitment Agreement.
Successful candidates will be selected during the in-person registration on a first-come, first-served basis. A waitlist will also be created, and individuals placed on the waitlist will be notified by email if a space becomes available due to participant withdrawal at a later date.
All accepted and on the waitlist MUST attend the orientation.
The Volunteer Commitment
- Attending a weekly group meeting for 2 hours every week in person at the clinic.
- 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.
- If this is the first time you have been accepted as Senior Casewoker or Caseworker, you will be required to attend orientation training.
- Mandatory attendance is required for the SCW Orientation which may require students to miss their group time.
- Students will be removed from clinic if they miss more than two (2) group times. If removed, their time at CLA will not qualify as completed clinic experience.
Community Legal Aid
Articling Recruitment for 2025- 2026
CLA is looking for a confident, self-starter who is excited to learn our various areas of law and to work within our community. We are looking for individuals eager to serve live clients with an access to justice focus. A demonstrated interest in working with low– income individuals and communities is an asset. You will gain valuable legal experience in a variety of practice areas.
What We Practice
- Landlord and Tenant Disputes and Tenant Rights
- Criminal Offences - Summary conviction where there is no possibility of imprisonment including Domestic Violence offences
- Provincial Offences
- Highway Traffic offences
- Small Claims - Wrongful dismissal and consumer protection
- Employment Standards Claims
- Family Law - Summary Advice and limited matters
- Academic and Non-Academic appeals at the University of Windsor
- Elder Law including some Wills and Estate Trustee support work
- Public Legal Education
- Community Outreach Who We Help:
Our clients are low-income community residents of Windsor and Essex County who meet Legal Aid Ontario’s financial eligibility guidelines and full-time University of Windsor undergraduate students or graduate students who qualify financially, who require assistance with matters within our practice areas.
Job Description
Reporting to your articling principal and working with the Acting Clinic Director, Review Counsel, CLA staff and students; the articling student is tasked with carrying their own file load while being called upon to also assist with other clinic needs as they arise. As a CLA Articling student you should be prepared to:
- Conduct intakes and client meetings
- Draft and prepare various correspondence and communications to clients, opposing parties, and third parties
- Draft and prepare various court and tribunal documents such as pleadings, claims, defences, applications, settlement documents, and draft orders
- Develop case strategy
- Gather and assess evidence, and prepare disclosure of evidence
- Negotiate settlements
- Maintain ongoing client communications and professionalism
- Prepare for and attend various court and tribunal appearances remotely and in person before the Ontario Court of Justice, Provincial Offences, Landlord and Tenant Board, Small Claims. This includes remands, case conferences, hearings, crown resolution discussions, guilty pleas and trials
- Prepare and conduct Public Legal Education SessionsDuring clinic transition periods expect to take carriage of files and attend any court or tribunal appearances, and address emergencies
- Adhere to Professional Rules of Conduct
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and balance a high-volume workload
- Work independently and in a team environment
- Mentor volunteer law students
- Exhibit strong time management and organizational skills
- Exhibit strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Perform such other duties as assigned
Remuneration
- Annual salary of $45,000.00
- Group benefits enrolment after 3 months of employment
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Application Inquiries |
Harpreet Burmy, Clinic Director University of Windsor, Faculty of Law 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4 519-253-7150 ext. 7152 |
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Number of Positions |
1-2 |
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Application Package |
Cover Letter Resume Transcript Letters of Reference |
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Applications Accepted |
By email to: Jonquil Belanger jonquil.belanger@uwindsor.ca by March 10, 2025 |
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Employer Information |
We thank all applicants, but only those chosen for an interview will be contacted. Applicants are asked not to contact the employer unless absolutely necessary or to arrange accommodations during the hiring process.
Select Student Opportunities on the CLA website and the LAW website for information.
Real legal experience. Direct client work. Community impact.
Apply for one of 10-12 in-person summer employment positions and the subsequent Fall and Winter Group Leader role at Community Legal Aid (CLA).
About Community Legal Aid
For over 50 years, CLA has been dedicated to serving low-income residents and UWindsor undergraduate students by providing legal advice and representation. Our areas of practice include criminal law – summary conviction, highway traffic, provincial offences, mental health court, small claims, landlord and tenant matters, consumer protection, employment standards, wrongful dismissal, academic integrity, wills, powers of attorney, estates, elder law and limited family law summary advice matters. We also provide Public Legal Education workshops within the community and collaborate with community partners.
What You’ll Do
You will have the unique and rewarding opportunity to handle the day-to-day aspects of legal cases. This includes direct interaction with clients, conducting research, and communicating with opposing counsel and parties. You will gain invaluable experience, in oral and written advocacy, representing clients in court proceedings at the Ontario Court of Justice, Landlord and Tenant Board hearings and Small Claims Court trials. Moreover, you will develop negotiation skills through engagement in resolution and settlement discussions.
Following the summer term, you will transition to the role of Group Leader for the fall and winter academic terms. As a Group Leader, you will lead a group of law students, further refining your professional identity in a critical leadership role at CLA. You will develop highly sought-after skills in management, mentorship, organization, team building, conflict resolution, and time management under the guidance of experienced Review Counsel.
Qualifications
- Effective oral and written communication skills
- Ability to supervise and lead peers
- Strong organization and time management skills
- Ability to conduct research, analyze legal issues, and exercise good judgment
- Demonstrates dedication, honesty, integrity, and strong personal ethos
- Interest in social justice, criminal law, litigation practice, and administrative law
- Effective interpersonal and leadership skills
- Ability to take initiative and work effectively under Review Counsel supervision
- Demonstrates a strong willingness and ability to learn new skills, adapts to evolving responsibilities, and applies feedback effectively
- Experience working with client files and office procedure in a legal office setting
- Strong public speaking and presentation skills
- Professional demeanor and effective communication in diverse settings
Responsibilities
- Provide ongoing support and supervision to Caseworkers and Senior Caseworkers
- Attend all court appearances assigned during the summer. Shall attend court appearances through the academic year as required
- Must carry out remand duties during the summer and throughout the academic year with regularity
- Conduct ongoing reviews and bring forward reports for the group files
- Advise Review Counsel of any concerns regarding Caseworkers’ and Senior Caseworkers’ participation and performance of assigned files and responsibilities
- Facilitate weekly case conferencing sessions with the group and identify gaps in knowledge
- Perform Caseworker and Senior Caseworker responsibilities as required
- Perform assigned tasks within the Group Leader position
- Responsible for file management and court appearances between the end and start of each academic term including, transition periods and reading week
- Organizing satellite offices and coordinating workshops, government consultations, systemic advocacy work, etc. as required
- Attend monthly Group Leader meetings
Position Details
| Rate of Pay | $700.00/week |
| Vacation | 1 week paid vacation |
| Term of Employment | May 5 to August 22, 2025 with a commitment to a CLA Group Leader position in the subsequent Fall and Winter terms |
Apply via Symplicity
If you are ready to develop your legal skills in a practical, hands-on clinic and make a meaningful impact on the Windsor-Essex community, we encourage you to apply. Do not miss this opportunity to gain valuable experience and set yourself apart in your legal career.
You will need to upload a single PDF file that includes your cover letter, resume, and unofficial transcript.
Applications for Summer 2025 are due at 8am on February 24.
Visit the the Summer Employment Opportunities section of the CLA website for more information.
Contact CLA with questions.
Gain litigation and advocacy experience in a social justice clinic while contributing to our community.
Legal Assistance of Windsor (LAW) is a community legal clinic whose mission is to enhance access to justice by providing integrated legal and social work services to marginalized and low-income people in Windsor-Essex. This includes, but is not limited to, individual and systematic advocacy. Law Students from the University of Windsor entering 2L or 3L the following September will have the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary and trauma-informed setting. Under the supervision of lawyers, students typically work in Housing Law, Public Benefits Law, or Immigration Law. Students will conduct client intakes and interviews, conduct legal research, assist with written or oral legal submissions, advocate for individual clients and systemic issues, and prepare clients for hearings or litigation, etc.
Position Details
| No. of Positions | 12 law students, 2 social work students |
| Rate of Pay | $750.00 per week, plus statutory benefits |
| Vacation | 1 week paid vacation |
| Term of Employment | May 5 to August 22, 2025 |
Apply via Symplicity
You will need to upload a single PDF file that includes your cover letter, resume, and unofficial transcript.
Applications for Summer 2025 are due at 8am on March 3.
Visit the Employment Opportunities section of the Legal Assistance of Windsor website for more information.
Contact LAW with questions.
