Symes Street & Millard Sex-Ed Curriculum Repeal Challenge

Organization: Symes Street & Millard, Barristers & Solicitors

Inactive Project

Project Type: legal research and writing

Fields of Law: human rights law; administrative law; litigation

Positions Available: contact probonostudents.utoronto@gmail.com if you have questions about this project

What is the Symes Street & Millard Sex-Ed Curriculum Repeal Challenge?

Symes Street & Millard is a boutique litigation firm specializing in employment, labour and human rights law. We provide our clients with powerful advocacy and expert advice to deal with the issues they face in the workplace.

Student volunteers will have the opportunity to work with lawyers and staff at Symes Street & Millard on active litigation regarding Ontario’s repeal of the updated sexual education curriculum.  See https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/author/gabrielle-giroday/human-rights-lawyers-to-challenge-shelving-of-ontario-sex-ed-curriculum-16072/ for more details. Student volunteers will assist the team at Symes Street & Millard with legal research and factual analysis in support of this important and timely litigation file.

This project is run in partnership with the “Out in Law” student club at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. 

Due to the rapid pace at which circumstances around this litigation file are changing, we cannot guarantee this project will proceed as planned.  Further, matched students will be expected to begin working virtually immediately after being matched, prior to standard PBSC training sessions.  Matched students will still be expected to attend mandatory PBSC training after they have begun work on this project.  

Deliverables:

The student volunteers will prepare research memos on specific research questions prepared by the lawyer supervisors related to the active litigation file described above. 

Work can be completed remotely and on a flexible schedule, however the student volunteer will be expected to attend meetings in person scheduled on an ad hoc basis.

The student volunteers will be expected to work 3-5 hours weekly throughout October and November, 2018.  The project will likely conclude at the end of November 2018 or in early December 2018.  It is not anticipated that there will be a further role for student volunteers beyond this point. 

Who can apply?

This project is open only to upper year JD students at U of T Law.

The ideal student volunteer will have completed coursework in administrative law, evidence law and civil procedure.

Student volunteers must have familiarity with researching case law using Westlaw or Quicklaw as well as CanLii.  Student volunteers will be expected to begin work on this project immediately upon being matched in mid-September.

The ideal student volunteer will have a demonstrated interest in public interest litigation and lived experience as a member of the LGBTQ2+ community. 

If you are interested in applying for this project, please submit a General PBSC Application Form.