Another component of the project(s) will involve updating

Pro Bono Dalhousie at Schulich Law2021 – 2022 Project List

We have provided a list of all Pro Bono Dalhousie projects for the coming year. Please read through themand rank your top 8 choices in order of preference on your application form. You will need this formbeside you as you complete the application.

**The application forms are to be completed online and can be found at**Upper Years (2L and 3L): Pro Bono 2021-2022 Application

Deadline for Upper Year Application: Monday, September 13, 2021 at 12 PM AST.

First Years (1L): Pro Bono 2021-2022 ApplicationDeadline for First Year Application: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 5PM AST.

We will do our best to match you with a project that suits your interests; however, we cannot guaranteethat you will be matched with your first choice. All Pro Bono Dalhousie projects have been carefullyselected to ensure they provide a valuable legal experience to students.

All students must attend our virtual Mandatory Pro Bono Dalhousie Training Sessions:Upper Years: Tuesday, September 21st at 6 PM ASTFirst Years: Tuesday, September 28th at 6 PM AST.

Training will be in person in room W105 in the Schulich Law Building, this is subject to changedepending on COVID-19 regulations.

Email us at [email protected] if you have any questions!

Note: An Upper Year Student is a student in 2L or 3L.

Seventh (7th) Step Society Nova ScotiaGrant Research and Non-Profit Governance

Area of Law: Criminal Law, Prison Law, Administrative Law Type of Project: Legal Research andWriting

# of Students: 1-2 Qualifications:● Developed legal research and writing skills● Excellent communication skills● Work in the non-profit sector or Government

considered an asset

There will be two major projects for the student(s) to complete.

1. The student(s) will assist our organization with creating and updating policies and proceduresfor the organization with a focus on management and Human Resources. This project willenhance the student(s) knowledge on good management practices and leadership skills.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAjWKtGkL81gbGkqHdI4ukGbkL1tZyDk_l00UAelYrLU1CQQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OFXgFiF6vZ89EW68hrUvrAytGRXyT6YPvrukdaJgn0Q/edit

mailto:[email protected]

2. The student will assist our organization with the research and writing of Grant applicationsfrom Government departments and private foundations. This project will develop thestudent’s persuasive writing skills while familiarizing them with the legal requirements ofnon-profit governance. The student will also assist with creating and maintaining systems for

Another component of the project(s) will involve updating the society’s social media feeds and usingsocial media to connect and build relationships with similar organizations in the HRM and Nova Scotia.

Students are expected to volunteer roughly 4 hours per week. Students may work flexibly andremotely, but are encouraged to attend meetings and presentations as their schedule allows.

Access to Justice (A2J) & Law Reform Institute of Nova ScotiaNational Self Represented Litigants Project - East

Area of Law: Access to Justice Type of Project: Client Interaction, Civil Law

# of Students: 6 Qualifications:● Interest in Access to Justice and issues facing

persons representing themselves without alawyer. Interest in issues facing low income andBIPOC persons when they are unrepresented aswell as persons with disabilities.

● Member of an equity-seeking group orsomeone who has experience working withequity-seeking groups may be an asset

The Access to Justice & Law Reform Institute is the provincial representative for Nova Scotia on theNational Action Committee for A2J in Civil and Family Matters. Taking direction from a centralprovincial Access to Justice Committee, the Institute conducts research, engages Nova Scotians,distributes information and promotes education on access to justice issues.

The Access to Justice & Law Reform Institute of NS is expanding the National Self RepresentedLitigants Project at the University of Windsor Law School (representingyourselfcanada.com) intoAtlantic Canada.

Students will be working to research and produce materials for persons when they representthemselves in court. As well, students will be producing case digests that self represented litigants cansearch when they are looking for cases on specific points of procedure or substantive law.

Students will undertake training from the National Office at the University of Windsor Law Schoolon case digesting and will learn about different issues facing persons who must representthemselves at court without the assistance of a lawyer.

While the schedule is flexible, students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours per week. Workspacewill be available at the Institute for students to work, but if this is not possible due to COVID-19concerns or if this is not desirable to the student, work will be conducted online/remotely.

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Access to Justice (A2J) & Law Reform Institute of Nova ScotiaNo Longer on My Own: Centre for Research and Action on Intimate Partner Violence

Area of Law: Access to Justice Type of Project: Research and Writing

# of Students: 6 Qualifications:● Interest in Access to Justice for person

experiencing intimate partner violence● Members of equity seeking groups or those

with experience working with members ofequity seeking groups are encouraged to apply

The Center for Research and Action on Intimate Partner Violence is a collaboration between theAccess to Justice & Law Reform Institute of Nova Scotia, Coverdale Courtwork Society, the TransitionHouse Association of Nova Scotia and Be the Peace Institute and funded by Women and GenderEquality Canada.

The Center provides training and resources on family court support in Nova Scotia and undertakesresearch and collaboration to address the systemic barriers to accessing justice for personsexperiencing intimate partner violence.

Students will be working to research and produce materials for family court supporters in Nova Scotia.Students will also be producing research on barriers to addressing intimate partner violence in thejustice system.

While the schedule is flexible, students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours per week. Workspacewill be available at the Institute for students to work, but if this is not possible due to COVID-19concerns or if this is not desirable to the student, work will be conducted online. Students willundertake training from the Executive Director and Project coordinator on the various issues facingpersons experiencing IPV as well as available legal services, family law, and navigating the family lawsystem.

Allied Access - MacNevin Law and MediationMapping the Access to Justice Gap

Area of Law: Advocacy Type of Project: Legal Research, Drafting, Entrepreneur

# of Students: 2 Qualifications:● Experience working with not-for-profits an asset● Preference for students who identify as Persons

of Colour and/or persons with a disability, butmost importantly, students who are interestedin addressing the gaps in access to justice.

There are two prongs to this project. First, two students will perform research on what the access tojustice gap looks like in Nova Scotia. We are looking to create a not-for-profit that would address someof the existing gaps, so we are seeking data on the best way to do that.

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The second prong is to assist with setting up the not-for-profit by preparing the required documentsfor filing with the Registry of Joint Stocks. This will include drafting by-laws and other documents thatmay be required.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly. Schedule is flexible and hours will becompleted remotely, with weekly supervisory meetings.

Animal JusticeLegal Research Project

Area of Law: Constitutional, Animal Law Type of Project: Legal Research and writing

# of Students: 2-3 (upper years only) Qualifications:● Interest in animal rights and animal welfare● Completion of Civil Procedure, Administrative

Law, Constitutional Law and/or Animal Lawcourses an asset, but not a requirement

Students on this project will conduct legal research in various areas of animal protection law,constitutional law, and human rights law in support of Animal Justice's litigation files as well as its lawreform campaigns. Students will focus on the following three overarching topics:

1. Agricultural gag ("ag gag") laws - Various jurisdictions across Canada (prominently includingAlberta, Ontario, and Mantioba) have introduced or passed laws designed to stop employeewhistleblowers and investigative journalists from publicly exposing animal abuse on farmsand/or to restrict protest by animal advocates on public property near transport trucks.Animal Justice is in the midst of challenging the constitutionality of Ontario's ag gag law(The Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, 2020, S.O. 2020, c.9) and mayengage in challenges in one or more other jurisdictions. Animal Justice is actively working tostop the spread of ag gag laws provincially and federally;

2. Research on prospective litigation - Students may also be asked to conduct research as partof Animal Justice's other ongoing and planned legal challenges. These involve, among otherthings, protecting the free expression rights of animal advocates, rights to be free fromdiscrimination on the basis of creed for individuals with secular belief systems (i.e. ethicalveganism), and public interest standing in animal law;

3. Assistance on law reform - Animal Justice is involved in several law reform initiatives at thefederal, provincial, and municipal level. These include the development of regulations underOntario's Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019, S.O. 2019, c.13, efforts to enact banson fur farming federally and in several provinces, promoting the development ofalternatives to animal testing under Bill C-28 (the Strengthening Environmental Protectionfor a Healthier Canada Act), and efforts to ban the use of pesticides to kill predators such aswolves, coyotes, and bears.

Students will conduct legal research and draft memos containing their results.

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Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly. The work will be conducted remotely withbi-weekly meetings with the lawyer supervisor. The schedule is flexible with predetermineddeadlines to submit research.

Canadian Centre for Legal Innovation in Sexual Assault Law (CCLISAR)Capacity Building and Legal information Research Related to Sexualized Violence

Area of Law: Sexual Assault Law Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing

# of Students: 2 Qualifications:● Interest sexual assault law

CCLISAR is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that seeks to better understand (so that we canbetter address) the gap between Canada’s seemingly progressive legal regime and measurable impacton the social problem of sexual harm, and the experiences of sexual assault survivors who engage withthe legal response to sexualized violence.

CLISAR’s objectives are educational and are aimed at:● advancing education by conducting research into effective legal responses to sexual assault

and making the results publicly available;● advancing education by conducting research into barriers and perceived barriers to reporting

sexual assault presented by the legal system;● advancing education by conducting research into effective mechanisms and design

frameworks for adjudicating claims of sexual violence;● advancing education by offering capacity building programs for legal professionals engaged in

aspects of sexual assault claims; and● advancing education by providing information for the general public about legal processes

governing claims of sexual assault.

This pro bono project will be focused on disseminating CCLISAR’s work and research collection.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly. The scheduling of meetings (bi-weekly) will bearound students’ schedules and no volunteer hours will be anticipated in the weeks leading up tothe exam periods. Work will be conducted remotely.

Canadian Rights and Freedom Centre and the Provincial Access to Justice Tribunal CommitteeAdministrative Law Reform Project

Area of Law: Administrative Law Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing

# of Students: 1 Qualifications:● French bilingual required● Administrative law an asset● Members of equity seeking groups are

encouraged to apply

The student will assist the Provincial Access to Justice Tribunal Committee (Prof Diana Ginn, Lisa

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Teryl and Ilana Luther) compile a consultation document and undertake a consultation on a newAdministrative Law Act and Associated Rules for Nova Scotia.

The final product of the work will involve a new Administrative Justice Act and its bilingual rules ofprocedure.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly, the schedule will be flexible but there will beconsistent weekly contact with the Committee (by phone or Zoom).

Canadian Rights and Freedoms Centre/Teryl Scott LawyersTeryl Scott Prison Legal Clinic

Area of Law: Prison Law, Negligence, Criminal Justice Type of Project: Drafting, Research, ClientInteraction

# of Students: 5 Qualifications:● Interest in prison/human rights law

This project will give Dalhousie law school students the opportunity to work directly with inmatesinside Springhill institution on pressing legal matters. Currently, many inmates are dealing with dentalnegligence that has left them with salting dental concerns, among many other legal and constitutionalconcerns. We are looking for five law school students to volunteer their time to help these inmatesnavigate the challenging and complex legal system in order to obtain justice. The volunteers will beable to complete this work remotely and will not need to come into the office to conduct normalbusiness. Lisa Teryl will monitor the volunteer’s progress and will assist them as needed to moveforward on their cases.

The student will be asked to volunteer approximately 5 hours per week with times varyingdepending on availability and agreed schedule between themselves and the inmate they are pairedwith. Additionally, there is a 1.5h timeslot on Thursdays from 1pm to 2:30pm which the studentsmay occasionally attend. During this time slot, Lisa Teryl along with the legal team, work throughdocument preparation and file management with inmates who are dealing with a dental negligenceissue. Depending on the inmate they are working with, the volunteers may be able to join in on thiscall from time to time.

Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD)Promoting Foundational Human Rights for Democracy Globally

Area of Law: International Human Rights, Freedom of Expression Type of Project: Legal Research

# of Students: 2 (upper years only) Qualifications:● Interest in human rights, freedom of expression

and government transparency an asset● Languages other than English are not required,

but may be useful

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The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is an international human rights organization led by TobyMendel, one of the world’s foremost experts on freedom of information and freedom of expression.We work to promote human rights around the world, focusing on law and policy protections for rights.We engage with governments, official bodies (such as information commissions), intergovernmentalorganisations and civil society organisations in order to protect human rights and foster democraticinstitutions, with a particular emphasis on promoting transparency in government. This project, whichwill consist mostly of legal writing and research, will allow students to contribute meaningfully to thedevelopment and promotion of better national laws and practices in the fields of freedom ofexpression and the right to information.

This is a unique opportunity for students interested in the field of international human rights law tocontribute meaningfully to improving respect for human rights, good governance and transparency inthe developing world. We offer students a highly substantive workflow which they normally find to bevery satisfying.

Students will contribute research to various ongoing CLD projects and activities on the right toinformation and freedom of expression, which will be allocated according to their interests andabilities.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly and will preferably work in the CLD’s officespace, coming in once a week on a day and a time that will be decided to best suit all their classschedules. Adjustments will be made as required.

Coverdale Courtwork SocietyCourt and Bail Support Program

Area of Law: Rights of Gender Diverse Individuals Type of Project: Drafting, Legal Research, CaseManagement

# of Students: 2 Qualifications:● Interest in access to justice

Coverdale Courtwork Society (“Coverdale”) is a non-profit organization that supports women, girls andtrans persons affected by the criminal justice system. Coverdale works in provincial and federal courtsand in the community to provide comprehensive trauma informed, gender responsive services thatrespond to the needs of marginalized and criminalized persons as they navigate these systems.Coverdale’s combined services support women and trans individuals to cope with mental illness,trauma and addiction and rebuild community connections while striving for healing, change andgrowth.

Coverdale Courtwork Society works to prevent and address the criminalization of women, girls, transand non-binary people through early intervention and prevention programs, court support, bailsupport and advocacy.

The Court and Bail Support Program provides system navigation to women and gender diverseindividuals who are navigating the criminal justice system in the Halifax Regional Municipality. As astudent, you will provide direct support to the court support coordinator by drafting support letters,release plans, utilizing case management software and completing court data collection that identifies

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trends pertinent to women and gender diverse individuals. The student will perform legal research asneeded and will provide support to the Executive Director as required. The student will assist withpolicy and research for Caitlan’s Place, a 6-bed bail residence for women in the HRM.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly and show up for regular shifts every week.Office space will be provided to complete their work. The shifts can be arranged around thestudents course schedule, but must be consistent week to week.

Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and SecurityRoster of Trainers Project

Area of Law: International Law, Child Protection Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing

# of Students: 1 Qualifications:● An interest in the work of the Dallaire Institute

The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace, and Security was founded by General Roméo Dallaire in2007. General Dallaire first experienced the issue of child soldiers as the Force Commander of theUnited Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. During this time, GeneralDallaire realized that he and his troops were ill-prepared to face them.

The Dallaire Institute wants to bring the perspective of the security sector to the issue of child soldiery,while equipping them with the training and tools to prevent the recruitment and use of child soldiersworldwide. Through this we hope to build a more holistic, prevention oriented approach to the issueof child soldiers that complements current efforts while providing innovative solutions.

The student will be assisting with the updating and ongoing maintenance of our roster of trainers inthe field of Children, Peace and Security. Moreover, they will assist with initial engagement activitieswith the trainers, such as researching/developing content for an e-mail newsletter to our training.They will help to conduct research on best practices for developing and engaging a network oftrainers, which will be integrated in our roster strategy.

The student should be available 5h/week. The work schedule is flexible, with most work completedremotely. However, some face-to-face meetings with the supervisor will be necessary. Students arealso encouraged to attend monthly meetings with the entire Institute.

Dalhousie Legal Aid Service (DLAS)Tenant’s Rights Project

Area of Law: Tenant’s Rights, Poverty Law Type of Project: Client Intake, Legal Research, Provision ofLegal Information

# of Students: 6 Qualifications:● Interest in public service, tenant’s rights,

poverty law● Front-line experience working with

marginalized communities is an asset

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● Language skills in Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic,or Spanish an asset

● Availability during blackout periods an asset● REQUIREMENT: Interested applicants must

submit a declaration of interest (250 words)with application, which addresses (a) anyrelevant experience and (b) why they want tovolunteer with DLAS. Application form willprovide an opportunity to attach.

● When candidates are equally qualified,preference will be given to equity seekinggroups

The Tenant’s Rights Project is a public interest project by the Dalhousie Legal Aid Service whichprovides legal information to low-income tenants via phone and in-person. The TRP empowers tenantsby informing them of their rights and providing them with options for resolving residential tenancyissues: from leasing disputes to evictions.

The project provides law students with an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives ofindividual members of the community while also developing important skills that they will utilize intheir legal careers. It is a hands-on experience that allows students to interact with clients over thephone and develop interviewing skills while thinking on their feet about the possible legal solutions.Students are encouraged to think creatively and resolve tenancy questions on their own, beforeconfirming their assessments with the supervisor. This way, students rapidly develop theirinterviewing, counselling, and legal research skills.

Students will be on-call one day per week, during which they will be assigned clients who havecontacted the TRP phone line/online form and be expected to phone the clients to conduct an intakeinterview. Typically, each student will receive 1-2 calls per week. During the intake interview, studentspinpoint the legal issues that the client is dealing with and gather information about theircircumstance. Once the intake is complete the student will independently research the legal issueswhich emerge from the interview. Students then research and develop the information and optionswhich should be presented to the client and confirm this research during a consultation with thesupervisor, Mark Culligan. After this consultation they are expected to relay the information to theclient.

Detailed note taking and file keeping is required. Students are expected to take detailed notes in theinitial intake call, hone in on the legal issue, and then be prepared to discuss options/information inthe consultation with the supervisor. They are expected to take additional notes during theconsultation in order to record these options. During follow-up calls with the client, the students areexpected to record what information they relay and how the client reacts. If the students are workingin the office, they will be expected to manage the clients file and upload all notes as well as thecontent of all client calls.

Students may also be assigned to assist in community files and support the development of initiativesthat transition into community files. This will differ on a case-by-case basis however, the bulk of thework will involve legal information provision. There is no final project that students will have tocomplete or hand in, although some may be asked to complete tasks such as researching and updating

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the Annotated Residential Tenancy Act, writing memos on significant tenants’ rights issues or assistingthe TRP in advocating for residential tenancies law reform.

Students will be on call 1 day per week. Students should plan to start taking steps to arrange anintake interview within 24h of receipt of initial contact. The students have the option to work fromthe office or work remotely. Because of the nature of this work, the student will be in contact withtheir supervisor during every shift, during consult appointments and debriefs about client calls.

Dalhousie Youth Legal Education Society (DYLES)Project 1: Murder Mystery/Know Your Rights

Area of Law: Youth Criminal Law, Cyberbullying Type of Project: Legal Research, Public Outreach

# of Students: 3-5 Qualifications:● Experience working with children an asset

DYLES provides free legal education to underprivileged youth across the HRM. Students will beinvolved in the development and presentation of legal information presentations geared at helpingyouth understand their rights and responsibilities under the law. Students will be expected to do someresearch and help develop interactive activities and powerpoint presentations. Depending on currentpublic health guidelines, they will also be expected to be involved in delivering the presentations toyouth at local schools and youth organizations (at least 2-3 presentations per year). Students will beinvolved in the Know Your Rights project focused on cyberbullying, youth and the police, and theYouth Criminal Justice Act (“YCJA”), as well as the Murder Mystery project, an interactive activitywhere youth solve a kidnapping while learning about the legal system.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours per week, with flexible hours. Research to beconducted remotely. Presentations will be in-person, depending on Public Health Guidelines.

Dalhousie Youth Legal Education Society (DYLES)Project 2: Consent Project

Area of Law: Sexual Assault and Consent Law Type of Project: Youth Outreach/Education

# of Students: 5-6 Qualifications:● Experience working with children an asset

The Consent Project’s goal is to address sexual assault rates by providing youth education about sexualassault and consent laws in Canada. Students will be responsible for attending weekly meetings,updating the presentation periodically to ensure currency, and presenting the workshop to highschools in HRM.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours per week. The hours are flexible but requireattendance to a weekly 1hr/meeting, which will be set according to volunteers’ availability. Remoteparticipation can be accommodated for project meetings, but it is yet to be determined whetherschool presentations will be virtual or in person.

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East Coast Environmental Law Association (ECELAW)Project 1: Environmental Law Information Library

Area of Law: Environmental Law Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing

# of Students: 1 Qualifications:● Interest in environmental law● Previous law courses in administrative law or

courses in the Marine and Environmental LawInstitute (MELAW) program are considered anasset

About ECELAWEast Coast Environmental Law envisions a future in which innovative and effective environmental lawsfoster flourishing ecosystems and healthy environments in Atlantic Canada for generations to comeand enable all of us to access environmental justice equitably, free of barriers caused by colonialism,racism, and poverty.

We take a dynamic approach to environmental advocacy in Atlantic Canada. By engaging with diverseindividuals, groups, and communities in our region, we work to ensure that environmental laws andpolicies throughout Atlantic Canada are founded on responsible, transparent, proactive, and inclusivedecision-making.

Environmental Law Information LibraryThe student volunteer will work independently to update East Coast Environmental Law’senvironmental law information library, which provides summaries and information about keyenvironmental caselaw relevant to the Atlantic provinces. The work will entail conducting legalresearch on new and upcoming environmental cases and drafting concise, easy-to-understandsummaries of the law. The project may also entail drafting information about key legal terms andphrases that are relevant to environmental law.The topics to be researched may include, but not be limited to: Aboriginal and Indigenousrights and laws, aquaculture, coastal and fisheries related issues, species at risk, biodiversity,rights of nature, municipal planning, climate change, provincial and federal environmental orimpact assessment, restorative justice in the environmental context, environmental rights, andenvironmental racism.

Students are expected to volunteer 5 hours per week, with flexible hours. Students may workremotely on these projects. Students will be provided with an orientation and an overview of theorganization’s work. Students will also be provided with template documents (memos, briefs, clientletters, etc.)

East Coast Environmental Law Association (ECELAW)Project 2: Environmental Law Projects & Inquiries Legal Research Support


# of Students: 4 Qualifications:● Interest in environmental law

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● Previous law courses in administrative law orcourses in the Marine and Environmental LawInstitute (MELAW) program are considered anasset

About ECELAWEast Coast Environmental Law envisions a future in which innovative and effective environmental lawsfoster flourishing ecosystems and healthy environments in Atlantic Canada for generations to comeand enable all of us to access environmental justice equitably, free of barriers caused by colonialism,racism, and poverty.

We take a dynamic approach to environmental advocacy in Atlantic Canada. By engaging with diverseindividuals, groups, and communities in our region, we work to ensure that environmental laws andpolicies throughout Atlantic Canada are founded on responsible, transparent, proactive, and inclusivedecision-making.

Environmental Law Projects & Inquiries Legal Research SupportWorking closely with their supervisor, the student volunteer will work independently, or insmall teams, to provide research support for environmental law projects or legal inquiries. Thismay include case law research, analyzing legislation and regulations, and reviewing relatedpolicies. The student may also be expected to help draft public legal education materials(memos, briefs, or client letters) using the research they have conducted.

The topics to be researched may include, but not be limited to: Aboriginal and Indigenousrights and laws, aquaculture, coastal and fisheries related issues, species at risk, biodiversity,rights of nature, municipal planning, climate change, provincial and federal environmental orimpact assessment, restorative justice in the environmental context, environmental rights, andenvironmental racism.

Students are expected to volunteer 5 hours per week, with flexible hours. Students may workremotely on these projects. Students will be provided with an orientation and an overview of theorganization’s work. Students will also be provided with template documents (memos, briefs, clientletters, etc.)

East Coast Prison Justice SocietyProject 1: Mass Casualty Commission Submission Research Assistance

Area of Law: Criminal Law, Prison Law, Administrative Law Type of Project: Legal Research andWriting

# of Students: 2-3 Qualifications:● 3L students preferred● Previous completion of constitutional law,

administrative law considered an asset

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East Coast Prison Justice Society is a hub for prison justice advocacy on the East Coast. We work insolidarity with criminalized and imprisoned individuals across many initiatives, including by providing acentralized platform to access East Coast prison justice resources.

The Mass Casualty Commission (“MCC”) is an independent joint federal and provincial public inquirycreated to examine the April 18-19, 2020 mass casualty in Nova Scotia and to provide meaningfulrecommendations to help protect Canadians in the future.

Together with the BC Civil Liberties Association (“BCCLA”), the oldest and largest civil libertiesadvocacy organization in Canada, ECPJS has been accepted as a participant in the MCC. Specifically,ECPJS and BCCLA will be participating in a series of public roundtable hearings where subject matterexperts examine specific areas of the MCC’s mandate such as gun violence, gun control, intimatepartner violence, domestic violence and police practices. ECPJS and BCCLA have been accepted toprovide written submissions on the topics of police practices and the operation of fatality inquiries.

In support of this project, the student(s) will be responsible for producing research memoranda ontopics relevant to ECPJS and BCCLA’s submissions (e.g., police complaint processes, civilian governanceand oversight of police forces, information sharing and privacy as it relates to communicationsbetween and within law enforcement agencies and other services). The students will also participatein meetings with MCC officials together with representatives from ECPJS and BCCLA where possible.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours per week, with flexible hours and biweekly meetingswith the supervisor. Students may work remotely.

East Coast Prison Justice SocietyProject 2: Visiting Committee / Jail Monitoring Project

Area of Law: Criminal Law, Prison Law Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing

# of Students: 2 Qualifications:● Upper year students● Strong legal research skills● Previously completed administrative law and/

or Prof Iftene’s Penal Policy course (or interestin those areas) considered an asset

● Previous experiencing working with prisoners orsystems of incarceration an asset

East Coast Prison Justice Society is a hub for prison justice advocacy on the East Coast. We work insolidarity with criminalized and imprisoned individuals across many initiatives, including by providing acentralized platform to access East Coast prison justice resources.

To assist the Director of ECPJS Visiting Committee / Jail Monitoring Project. This ECPJS project involvescivil society visiting / monitoring of provincial jails, liaising with jail administration in an effort toredress systemic concerns regarding conditions of confinement, and producing an annual report onfindings and actions taken. It began in 2019 with a first in-person visit / facilitated conversations atCentral NS Correctional Facility (Burnside Jail) in Feb 2020. Following the pandemic state of emergency

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and closure of provincial jails to visitors, the project’s main pivoted to operation through a free JailLine.

Commencing Sept 2021, a new ECPJS Monitoring Project Director will be hired. They will be located atHolly House in Dartmouth (E Fry Mainland NS). Two pro bono student volunteers will assist theDirector in their work on the ECPJS Visiting / Monitoring project through activities that may include:following training, answering the phone line and recording prisoner reports on conditions ofconfinement; offering non-legal advocacy assistance, for instance by assisting with internalcommunications or complaints or with accessing other complaints systems; assisting in organization ofin-person visits once these are restored post-COVID; assisting in the preparation of reporting lettersand annual report.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours per week, with flexible hours and biweekly meetingswith the supervisor. Students may work remotely.

Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova ScotiaProject 1: Client Research

Area of Law: Criminal Law, Prison Law Type of Project: Prison Law, Advocacy Skills

# of Students: 4-6 Qualifications:● Administrative law an asset but is not required● Preference will be given to African Nova Scotian

/ Indigenous applicants, and those withexperience working with people with mentalhealth issues and/or marginalized peoples andcommunities

The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies is a national umbrella organization that providesadvocacy and research relating to women in conflict with the law. Elizabeth Fry Society helps womenwith the process of applying for record suspensions and vital statistic changes (e.g. name or sexdesignation changes). A record suspension will seal the criminal record, increasing employment,school and volunteer opportunities.

The staff lawyer of Elizabeth Fry works with various clients in the federal and provincial prisons and inthe community. Students will carry out research primarily in the fields of criminal law and prison law.Students will be responsible for conducting research, writing memos, and occasionally communicatingwith clients. Research tasks will vary depending on client needs at the time. Additionally, students maycontribute to a provincial parole manual which will be published by the Elizabeth Fry Society.

Students have the option of working remotely, but there is space available at the Elizabeth Fry officeto work if they prefer. They will be expected to attend monthly meetings regarding new business,provide any updates on their research, and ask questions. Meetings will likely happen in-person, withvirtual attendance a possibility.

Students should plan to be available between 2-6 hours per week. Work can be completed remotelyor at the Elizabeth Fry Society in Dartmouth. Monthly meetings will be set around the students’schedule.

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Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova ScotiaProject 2: Record Suspension and Vital Statistics Clinic

Area of Law: Criminal Law, Prison law Type of Project: Client Interaction

# of Students: 3-5 Qualifications:● Must be comfortable interacting with clients● Preference will be given to African Nova Scotian

/ Indigenous applicants, and those withexperience working with people with mentalhealth issues and/or marginalized peoples andcommunities

The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies is a national umbrella organization that providesadvocacy and research relating to women in conflict with the law. Elizabeth Fry Society helps womenwith the process of applying for record suspensions and vital statistic changes (e.g. name or sexdesignation changes). A record suspension will seal the criminal record, increasing employment,school and volunteer opportunities.

The student role will be to assess clients’ eligibility, help the clients navigate the process, collect thenecessary documents, answer any of their questions, and support them in the filing process.Throughout the year students will complete client progress update forms to ensure the status of eachclient is monitored and to facilitate an easy transition come the end of the year.

It is ideal to have an in-person clinic once a week as needed. Generally, the clinic is scheduled for twohours on Fridays. However, last year due to the COVID guidelines, some of the work was doneremotely. Students will be expected to spend additional time outside of the clinic hours preparingand/or researching any information needed for their clients.

Students must be available for the clinic (tentatively scheduled on Fridays from 2PM to 4PM).However, not all students must be available every week. A rotating schedule can be created. Spacewill be provided at the Clinic at the Elizabeth Fry Society main office in Dartmouth. Forsupplemental research, students can choose to work remotely, or they can work in the office.

A one-hour training session will be provided on the record suspension and vital statistics applicationprocess.

Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE)Justice Education: High School Co-Op Program

Area of Law: Justice Education Type of Project: Justice, Public Legal Education

# of Students: 3-5 Qualifications:● Experience working with youth considered an

asset

The Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) was created on April 1, 2018. As an entity, the HRCE

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operates English public schools throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality. Serving more than53,000 children and students in 135 schools, the HRCE is the largest school system in Atlantic Canada.The HRCE's vision is to provide a high quality education to every student every day.

HRCE is continuing to partner with Dalhousie to deliver a law cooperative education program for highschool students. Dalhousie PBSC coordinators will lead this program under the guidance of a locallawyer supervisor. Through this program high school students will accrue 80 hours of communitybased learning in law through a mix of activities such as classroom speaker presentations, courthousetours, a law school tour, independent court observations and work site placements/job shadows.

The law student coordinators will provide a valuable learning experience for up to 12 highschool students with an expressed interest in the field of law. The coordinators will bridgeconnections between employers, post-secondary institutions, the local bar and students.

The 80-hour schedule for high school students is determined prior to the commencement of theprogram, allowing for flexibility to accommodate guest speakers, field trips and job site placements.Pro Bono Students will be expected to attend sessions one day per week in addition to attending 3days of pre-arranged site placements.

Halifax Workers’ Action Centre (HWAC)Assorted Projects

Area of Law: Labour/Employment, Workers’ Rights Type of Project: Public Legal Education, Outreach

# of Students: 1-2 Qualifications:● Interest in workers’ rights and public speaking

Presentations: The Workers’ Action Centre developed a “know-your-rights” presentation that providesan overview of labour standards, human rights, and labour history in Nova Scotia. We have deliveredthe presentation in a number of high school classrooms and to several community organizations. Wewould like the pro bono students to help coordinate the delivery of these presentations, and to assistin delivering the presentations. This job will include doing outreach to high school teachers andcommunity organizations and offering to provide this presentation, scheduling presentations, anddelivering the presentations to community groups and in classrooms. The deliverable expected for theproject is to deliver as many presentations as is reasonable per semester. The work is to be donemostly remotely, but may require in-person delivery of some presentations.

Of course, whether in-person presentations are feasible this fall will depend entirely on what publichealth measures are in effect at that time. If in-person presentations are not possible, we will aim todeliver our presentations remotely.

Assisting with legal information clinics: we hold monthly legal information clinics in which we provideemployment-related legal information to persons in need of assistance. We would like the students toassist by volunteering at these clinics. This work will include attending the legal information clinics,being prepared about the individual’s legal situation, meeting with the individual and providinginformation, and de-briefing the interaction with lawyer supervisors. As with the presentations,whether or not this work will be done in-person will depend on the state of public health orders in

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effect by the fall. Our clinics are currently taking place via phone. They may continue to take place byphone into the academic year, or they may resume taking place at Dalhousie Legal Aid Service by thattime.

Outreach work: We are still a new organization, and require assistance in getting word of our existenceout into the world. We would like assistance from pro-bono students in designing and implementingan outreach campaign. This could include contacting local social service agencies and communityorganizations. This work can be done entirely remotely, and has no specific deliverables.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours per week. Students will be working mostly remotelybut can assist with in-person clinics at the Dalhousie Legal Aid Service if they so desire (andCOVID-19 regulations allow). Training will be provided on what the Workers’ Action Centre is,Labour Standards Law, the Termination of the Employment Relationship, Human Rights Law, andLabour Law and an Introduction to Unions.

Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)Pro Bono Immigration Clinic

Area of Law: Immigration Law Type of Project: Client Interaction

# of Students: 6-8 Qualifications:● Interest in immigration law considered an asset● Ability to consult with other students and Case

Workers● Previous experience with immigration or

cross-cultural related work is considered anasset

The Dalhousie Pro Bono Immigration Clinic is formally recognized by ISANS as a self-standing,volunteer, direct client service managed by law students who are led by a fully accredited lawyer.. TheClinic is integrated within ISANS client referral system and supported by ISANS (ie. office space,booking and scheduling of clients, provision of interpretation, translation and documentation services,computer and phone). Law students meet with clients, often former refugees, to assist them withfilling out the appropriate immigration application forms. Frequently this work is carried out throughan ISANS settlement interpreter. It sometimes entails writing humanitarian and compassionate lettersfor people who find themselves in exceptional circumstances. Law students meet with people whowish to apply to become permanent residents through the Provincial Nominee Program or forcitizenship or renewal of permanent resident cards. Assistance is also offered in completion of traveldocument applications. The work of the Pro Bono law students is coordinated by a team lead that alsorepresents this service to ISANS staff and management.

The Immigration Clinic is ongoing throughout the school year with reduced service during thesummer months depending on student availability. The Pro Bono law students work at the Clinic onFriday afternoons from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Although Friday afternoon is the main timecommitment, sometimes there is follow-up work during the week of 1 to 2 hours or more.

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ISANS will provide orientation training prior to commencement of project and students will beinvited to attend relevant workshops and training sessions as they become available throughoutthe year.

Students will be asked to document key learnings throughout the course of the project to be usedas a resource for future projects.

Judicial Members of the All Courts Virtual Court CommitteeImpact of Virtual Court Proceedings on Access to Justice for Marginalized Communities in Nova Scotia

Area of Law: Access to Justice Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing, Client Interaction

# of Students: 2 (one upper year) Qualifications:● the 2 student volunteers must work well

together● Strong interpersonal skills are essential● Students from the African Nova Scotian and/or

Mi’kmaq communities, as well as students whohave a connection to immigrant communities,might bring relevant perspectives.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Courts of Nova Scotia have had to rely extensively on telephoneand video conferencing platforms to hear many types of matters, particularly during the suspension ofin-person proceedings. The extent of this reliance has varied: some courts have used virtual platformsmore than others to ensure matters can proceed in a timely fashion and to help deal with a growingbacklog of cases in the trial courts.

It is unclear how the move to virtual court has affected access to justice for members of marginalizedcommunities. Participation in virtual court requires users to have access to the internet and acomputer or other mobile device, as well as a quiet, private space to connect from. When lockdownrestrictions were in place and schools and/or day cares were closed, this posed additional challengesfor many court users.

Getting a sense of the issues, barriers and benefits for people who have had to engage remotely withthe courts would be helpful for identifying how the barriers can be reduced or eliminated, and mayinform the extent to which the Courts use virtual court post-pandemic. In addition, there have beenvarious reports written about access to justice during the pandemic and a “literature survey” to gathercomplementary information and/or resource materials will be very useful.

Students will be expected to work 3-5 hours weekly and the schedule is flexible. The supervisingJudges will lead the development of a questionnaire to ensure consistency in the data collectedfrom court users, community members and community leaders. Work will be conducted remotely,but a laptop will be provided. Students will also meet with the supervising Judges to discuss how tocollect the information and talk about the “literature survey”.

Pink LarkinLabour Standards Appeals Project

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Area of Law: Labour and Employment Law Type of Project: Client Interaction

# of Students: 2-5 (upper years only) Qualifications:● 2Ls must be enrolled in Labour and

Employment law courses● Interest in labour and employment law is

preferred● Completion of Labour and/or Employment law

courses

Students help employees navigate the Labour Standards Appeals process.

Under the Labour Standards Code, a party to a decision of a Labour Standards Officer has a right toappeal the decision to the Labour Board. The Labour Board may order mediation or may adjudicatethe appeal.

Students provide information to employees about the Labour Standards appeal process and theirrights and obligations under the Labour Standards Code. The type of help students offer varies. Astudent might simply provide information about the employees’ rights and obligations under theLabour Standards Code. The student might speak on behalf of the employee at case managementconferences, help the employee draft submissions to the Labour Board, or even help the employeepresent their case in front of the Labour Board.

The Labour Board informs employees about the Project. When an employee makes contact with theProject, the assigned student confers with a Supervising Lawyer from Pink Larkin about the case. Asthe case progresses, the Supervising Lawyer oversees all aspects of the student’s activity, includingmonitoring any activity before the Labour Board (observing Case Management Conferences, hearings,etc.)

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly. The schedule is flexible to meet the needs ofthe employees students are helping. Work will mostly be conducted remotely. An introductory (2-3hour) course on employment standards legislation and its relationship to the common law ofemployment and Human Rights law will be provided.

Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia (LISNS)Project 1: Legal Information by Live Chat and Email

Area of Law: Access to Justice Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing

# of Students: 2 Qualifications:● Interest in Access to Justice

The Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia (LISNS) is a charitable organization providing NovaScotians with information and resources about the law since 1982. At Legal Info Nova Scotia, webelieve Nova Scotians have a right and responsibility to learn about the laws that affect them. And todo this, Nova Scotians must have access to these laws and easy to understand information. Essentially,we believe providing easy access to law information is fundamental to a fair justice system.

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Students will work with one of our staff lawyers, public legal educator Nicholas LeBlanc, to learnabout providing legal information directly to the public by live chat and email. Students will take partin live chat by observing real-time legal information chats with members of the public, and thendiscuss the questions and answers given.

In between live chats students will draft answers to email legal information questions we get fromthe public.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly. Work is expected to be done remotely.Students must be available for a two hour time period, Monday-Friday, during live chat (typicallyMonday afternoons), if the student is unavailable, then they will work on emails.

Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia (LISNS)Project 2: Legal Info Podcast: Wills & Estates

Area of Law: Estate Planning, Wills Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing, Public Outreach

# of Students: 2 Qualifications:● Interest and/or courses in wills & estates an

asset● Background in communications, journalism or

writing for the public an asset


Students will develop short legal information podcasts for the public on wills and estates issues.Podcasts will be about 10 to 20 minutes long on discrete subjects. With supervision, studentsmust

● research the topic● develop relevant questions● contact subject matter experts and coordinate interview time(s)● interview subject matter experts● edit and finalize podcast content.

Possible topics include:

● powers of attorney (money & property decisions), financial abuse● personal directives, personal care decisions● Representation orders under the Adult Capacity and Decision-making Act● making a will, including challenges around witnessing wills in the context of COVID-19● what happens if you don’t have a will● estate issues for First Nations persons who usually live on a reserve● estate planning and tax issues● funeral pre-planning, green burials● organ and tissue donation

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Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly and the schedule is flexible. Work is expectedto be done remotely. LISNS will provide a general introduction to the area of law.

Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia (LISNS)Project 3: Navigator for Personal Directives

Area of Law: Family Law Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing, Public Outreach

# of Students: 2 Qualifications:● Interest in health planning is considered an

asset


Students will complete LISNS’ online navigator training and provide assistance over the phone topeople seeking help making a personal directive using LISNS free Personal Directive app.

Students will, upon successful completion of the navigator training, have their name entered in LISNS’navigator database through which they may be matched online with people seeking help. The studentwill, via e-mail, confirm a convenient time to speak by phone to provide the requested help.

Students will also assist with promoting the PD App to seniors’ organizations and organizations thatcan help promote the need for this planning to the public. Students will take the initiative toundertake research to identify contact points around the Province and undertake outreach andfollow-up. The goal is to establish a high level of awareness of the PD App, importance of PD planningparticularly as a pandemic planning tool, and encourage seniors organizations to promote PDnavigator roles as a volunteer opportunity for members to get involved with.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly and the schedule is flexible. Work is expectedto be done remotely. LISNS will provide a general online training.

Nova ScotiaArtists’ Legal Information Society (NSALIS)Legal Guide for Independent Filmmakers and Producers

Area of Law: Arts, Filmmaking, IP Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing

# of Students: 1-4 Qualifications:● Interest and/or experience in film production

and Intellectual Property an asset but not arequirement

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The Nova Scotia Artists’ Legal Information Society (NSALIS) has produced a number of legal guides forthe arts sector. These guides are freely available on NSALIS’ website, and provide general informationto artists practicing in specific disciplines. For example, there is a Music Guide, and Writers’ Guide anda Guide to Self-Advocacy.

This project is aimed at putting together an initial framework for a new guide, targeted specifically forindependent filmmakers and producers. The objective of the project is to canvass relevant legal textsand resources and create a draft Table of Contents for this Guide.

Depending on the project’s progress over the course of the PBSC term, there may be an opportunity tocreate drafts of the Guide’s relevant chapters.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly and the schedule is flexible. Progress will bemanaged by the lawyer supervisor.

reachAbility AssociationProject 1: Community Form Filling Clinic – YMCA Employment Centre, Dartmouth

Area of Law: Disability Advocacy, Various Areas of Law Type of Project: Client Interaction

# of Students: 2 Qualifications:● Good communication skills are required● A vehicle is an asset as travel is required● Interest in and/ or experience with working

with vulnerable populations considered anasset

● Interest in social justice issues is desirable

reachAbility’s form filling clinics assist those facing barriers by helping them fill out law- relatedpaperwork, such as leases, health card and passport applications, CPP disability applications, or recordsuspension applications.

The student gains direct experience in working with clients, taking them from the formulation of aproblem, to a concrete solution. Students will also learn about and help clients access other services inthe area, such as mental health support groups or youth programs. This project is designed to fill thegap in legal services for underserved groups, and to empower people facing barriers to develop toolsfor more effective self-advocacy.

Clinics are scheduled for two hours weekly, students can expect to volunteer 3-4 hours weeklyincluding travel time. This Form Filling Clinic in Dartmouth is located at the YMCA on Wyse Road.Students will receive training each semester.

reachAbility AssociationProject 2: Community Form Filling Clinic – Chebucto Connections, Spryfield


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# of Students: 2 (same section) Qualifications:● Good communication skills are required● A vehicle is an asset as travel is required● Interest in and/ or experience with working




Clinics are scheduled for two hours weekly, and a regular schedule is essential. Students can expectto volunteer 3-4 hours weekly including travel time. This Form Filling Clinic in Spryfield is located atChebucto Connections. Students will receive training each semester.

reachAbility AssociationProject 3: Community Form Filling Clinic – Halifax


# of Students: 2 (same section) Qualifications:● Good communication skills are required● A vehicle is an asset as travel is required● Interest in and/ or experience with working




Clinics are scheduled for two hours weekly, and a regular schedule is essential. Students can expectto volunteer 3-4 hours weekly including travel time. Students will receive training each semester.

reachAbility Association

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Project 4: Legal Referral Service


# of Students: 1 Qualifications:● Good communication skills required● Customer service/call centre experience is

considered an asset

The Legal Referral Service is reachAbility’s longest-running program. It connects Nova Scotians with adisability to one of reachAbility’s volunteer lawyers for a one-hour pro bono consultation. Thisprogram facilitates direct access to the law by providing people with disabilities summary legal advice.In many cases, reachAbility’s LRS clients have neither the money, nor the familiarity with legalresources, to seek help anywhere else.Student volunteers will take calls from clients seeking to speak to a lawyer, reach out to lawyers onreachAbility’s roster as appropriate, and organize free and accessible consultations between thelawyers and clients. Even in situations where reachAbility cannot provide a referral to a lawyer, theLegal Referral Service is still instrumental in increasing public access to justice. The LRS staff can referclients to other agencies and resources, or directly provide basic legal information to answer ourclients’ questions.

The student volunteer working with the Legal Referral Service will:• Take calls from clients, who have a disability, with legal questions and complete client intake

(obtain client’s contact information and legal situation);• Contact lawyers to set up a referral for clients;• Follow-up with clients who have had legal referrals;• Recruit new lawyers to volunteer with the LRS.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly and the schedule is flexible but students mustbe available to make calls during regular business hours. Students will receive training eachsemester.

reachAbility AssociationProject 5: Community Outreach Initiative

Area of Law: Disability Law, Various Areas of Law Type of Project: Client Interaction, PublicOutreach

# of Students: 2 Qualifications:• Interest in and/ or experience with working


• Interest in and/ or experience with social justiceissues considered an asset

Student volunteers will organize and facilitate reachAbility Community Outreach Initiatives, matchingcommunity agencies with lawyers and legal scholars across the province.

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Community Outreach Initiatives (COI) are free ninety-minute information sessions about various topicsof law. COI’s are talks given by a volunteer legal expert and are organized for community agenciesacross Nova Scotia. The talk can be about any legal topic that our hosting partner agency thinks will beuseful for their clients or community, but the topic is always related to the law and an issue that ispertinent to individuals facing barriers. These COI sessions are essential to increasing access to justicefor people with disabilities across Nova Scotia. By providing basic legal information to the clients ofreachAbility and our partner agencies, we give people the opportunity to know their rights – and theopportunity to act on those rights. reachAbility’s COI sessions increase public access to justice andprovide people with the knowledge to advocate for themselves.

Pro bono student volunteers will gain experience in professional communication with lawyers and thelegal community and familiarity with a wide array of partners and resources in the legal services,nonprofit, and human services fields. Students working with clients to provide lawyer referrals andform filling assistance will also learn how to communicate legal information in plain language usinginclusive practices.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly and the schedule is flexible but students mustbe available to make calls and attend some meetings during regular business hours. Students willreceive training each semester.

Schulich School of Law - Professor’s Metallic and SimonIndigenous Human Rights Research and Support

Area of Law: Indigenous Law, Human Rights Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing

# of Students: 2 Qualifications:● Interest in Indigenous and Human Rights● Indigenous students who are interested are

encouraged to apply

Profs. Metallic and Simon are interested in supporting Indigenous peoples, communities andorganizations that require support and information regarding human rights complaints (provincial andfederal).

Pro Bono students will research human rights decisions involving Indigenous discrimination complaintsfrom across Canada. We would also get the students to research if any human rights commissionshave specific policies, approaches, etc., regarding Indigenous complaints. Students may also researchexisting public law clinics who offer human rights advice, as well as their policies, such as conflicts ofinterest.

There is a possibility that the student(s) could assist, under Profs Metallic’s and Simon’s supervision, indrafting of complaint documents and related materials.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly, from school or at home and the schedule isflexible.

Sipekne'katik Band Governance Initiative

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Project 1: Governance Roundtable

Area of Law: Aboriginal, Indigenous, Environmental Law Type of Project: Outreach, Research

# of Students: 1 Qualifications:● Interest in Indigenous, Aboriginal,

Environmental Law● Strong communication skills

The Pro Bono Student will be responsible for organizing, with assistance from supervisor, a roundtableand then will assist with completing the report afterward. The roundtable will bring experts inIndigenous, Mi’kmaq and Canadian Aboriginal law together with experts in environmental law andenvironmental studies to begin a discussion on consultation for company and Crown projects withIndigenous groups in Nova Scotia.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly, from school or at home and the schedule isflexible.

Sipekne'katik Band Governance InitiativeProject 2: Toolkit Research Project

Area of Law: Aboriginal, Indigenous, Environmental Law Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing

# of Students: 1 Qualifications:● Interest in Indigenous, Aboriginal and

Environmental Law● Students with coursework and practical

experience in these areas are encouraged toapply

This project aims to look at the impact of development projects on aboriginal rights and duty toconsult with a focus on rights and environmental impacts.

The Pro Bono student will be tasked with developing a research-based toolkit for the process andprocedures around consultation. Including, where the law is at, what must be done to lay thegroundwork for future consultations that marries environmental law with Aboriginal and Indigenouslaw in a way that acknowledges rights and title rights as separate processes.

Students will be provided training related to the project background. Students are expected tovolunteer approximately 5 hours weekly. The work will be completed remotely and the schedule isflexible.

Wellness Within: Organization for Health and JusticeUse of Body Worn Camera Technology by Law Enforcement Officers

Area of Law: Criminal Law, Prison Law Type of Project: Legal Research and Writing, Policy Review

# of Students: 1 Qualifications:

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● Experience in research, policy/legislativeanalysis and review considered an asset

We provide individual client services including doula and parent support to people experiencingcriminalization in pregnancy and postpartum. We facilitate workshops for the public, healthprofessionals, students and people inside prison systems. We advocate for prison abolition,reproductive justice and health equity. We partner on research to advance understanding of the socialprocess of criminalization and its impact on reproductive health and parenting. Our members includenurses, lawyers, social workers, midwives, doulas, and others. We work in partnership with theCanadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies CAEFS, the Chebucto Family Centre, the IWK HealthCentre and community organizations

Provide assistance to compile evidence related to the efficacy and legislative considerations of the useof body worn camera technology by Canadian Law Enforcement.

Provide assistance for FOIPOP request for prison and police policies to facilitate gender-based analysisof the processes and protocols impacting criminalized people in Canada.

This work involves research to compile and synthesize peer reviewed evidence and other sources ofinformation (e.g., white papers, government reports), environmental scans of other Canadianjurisdictions, compilation of legal considerations related to this topic, analysis of content and synthesisof key findings and transition of work back to our organization at the end of the student volunteerterm.

The scope and approach to this work will be discussed with the student in conjunction with our legalsupervisor to ensure the approach is both feasible in terms of the student’s skills, workload andaligned with our organizational priorities.

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly. The work will be completed remotely and theschedule is flexible. The student is expected to send regular status updates on the progress of theresearch and analysis of the findings.

Wills ClinicDalhousie Wills Project

Area of Law: Disability Advocacy, Varying areas of Law Type of Project: Drafting, Public Outreach

# of Students: 14-16 (half upper years) Qualifications:● Students with cars or access to transportation

will be given preference● REQUIREMENT: Interested applicants are

required to submit a declaration of interest(250 words). Application form will provide anopportunity to attach.

Students on this project will be paired with one client per semester to go through the process ofcreating a will, under the close supervision of a lawyer. Some opportunities to work on Power ofAttorneys and Personal Directives may arise. To qualify for the services, clients must be senior citizens,

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with an annual income of less $25,000 and whose total assets are not greater than $65,000 in value.Lawyer Supervisors come from various law firms within the HRM community. The meetings betweenstudents, lawyers, and clients take place at the lawyer’s offices, or at the home of the client toaccommodate any difficulties they might encounter with travel. Students should be aware ofCOVID-19 concerns and comfortable entering client homes.

Students are expected to volunteer 4 hours per week, with some work done remotely and theschedule is flexible. Interested applicants should include a statement of interest (250 words).Students will be required to attend a session on drafting estate planning documents in October.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – CanadaAnalyzing opportunities and shortcomings in Canadian legislation for the

protection and management of carbon storage in coastal ecosystems


# of Students: 1 Qualifications:● Prior research experience and knowledge of

environmental and Indigenous issuesconsidered an asset

● Diversity in the workplace is welcomed

WWF-Canada is a national conservation organization working to help nature and peoplethrive. We create solutions to the environmental challenges that matter most for Canadians,and we work in places that are unique and ecologically important, so that nature, wildlife and peoplethrive together.

Canada has the world’s largest coastline and one of the largest ocean territories under itsjurisdiction. In recent years coastal areas have gained international attention for their potential tosequester carbon in habitats such as salt marshes and sea grass beds (referred to as ‘blue carbon’).The protection, improved management and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems can play a role inmitigating climate change while contributing to Canada’s efforts to meet international commitmentson climate change. To maximize the effectiveness of carbon sequestration in coastal habitats, Canadaneeds a strong legal, regulatory and policy landscape that facilitates the management of blue carbonecosystems and the activities that take place within them.

The student will be responsible for completing an inventory of legislation, regulation andpolicies related to the management of coastal environments at the federal, provincial andterritorial levels. The final product will include an analysis which tackles the followingquestions:

● How does Canada’s legislation, regulation and policy landscape facilitate or hinder:o the sustainable management of coastal environments, specifically for carbon storage?o the management of traditional marine territories by Indigenous communities?o participation by local coastal communities in management processes related to

climate change adaptation and mitigation?

Students are expected to volunteer 3-5 hours weekly with a flexible schedule. The student andsupervisor will create a work plan together at the start of the project. Training will be provided.

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Work will be conducted remotely because WWF offices are currently closed due to COVID19, shouldthe offices reopen, a workspace will be provided.

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Documents

Another component of the project(s) will involve updating