Arab Community Centre of Toronto (ACCT) Family Law and RTA Research Project

Project Type: 

  • Public Legal Education (presentations, workshops, podcasts,brochures, blogs, etc.)
  • Research (memoranda used for internal purposes only)

Fields of Law: Family Law, Residential Tenancies Act (RTA)

Positions Available: 1

This is a joint project in which University of Toronto students may work with students from Lincoln Alexander Law School (TMU) and Osgoode Hall Law School (York University).

 

About the Arab Community Centre of Toronto (ACCT)

The ACCT envisions a healthy, equitable, inclusive and welcoming society that works together to engage with and integrate newcomers and other community members into the Canadian lifestyle. The ACCT is committed to working within a Social Justice, Anti-Oppression framework that demonstrates our respect for newcomers and the broader community of individuals who seek our services.

 

Project Details:

In order to assist the ACCT with the diverse issues their clients face, students will be tasked with creating pamphlets that summarize the general state of the law. The different topics include:

  • Divorce and child custody
  • Tenants and landlord rights and responsibilities
  • Spousal abuse and legal proceedings
  • Employment (health and safety, discrimination in the workplace)
  • If the students have an interest in a specific topic, they are able to suggest ideas to the organization (topic must be approved by the organization)

Following their completion, these pamphlets will be distributed to ACCT's clients. Each student will select one topic and complete the research and pamphlet for it. If the organization finds that this is too much work for the student, students may pair up and the number of topics can be cut down. If the students have time and are able to, they may present their research on one of these topics. However, this is optional. 

 

Will the student(s) be expected to show up for regular shifts each week, or is the schedule flexible?

The schedule will be flexible and students are to complete their work remotely or in-person if needed. 

  

Requirements and Expectations:

This project is not open to first-year students.

Since 85% of the ACCT's clients speak Arabic, fluency in Arabic is an asset.

Previous or concurrent coursework regarding Family Law, the Residential Tenancies Act, and Employment Law is an asset.

The student is expected to work professionally and punctually with good time-management skills. As they will be working remotely, they should maintain good remote communication.