Willowdale Community Legal Services: Immigration Law Placement

Project Type: 

  • Public Legal Education (presentations, workshops, podcasts, brochures, blogs, etc.)
  • Research (memoranda used for internal purposes only)
  • Client services (court forms, shadowing, mock hearings, intake, legal clinic, etc.)

Fields of Law: Poverty, Immigration & Refugee, Constitutional.

Positions Available: 2 returning student volunteers and 2 new volunteers.

 

About:

Willowdale is a not-for-profit community-based organization which provides legal services for low income populations in a geographic area that includes parts of North York. Our services include legal representation, advice, legal education and outreach in areas of law such as housing, immigration/refugee, ODSP/Ontario Works, and others.

 

Project Details:

Students are requested to make a two-year commitment to this project, which aims to increase the clinic’s outreach and PLE activities and student involvement in the clinic. (In recognition of the volunteer nature of the commitment we acknowledge that this is a request and not a requirement).

First Year: Two students (subject to notes below regarding COVID-19 capacity) will work as a pair and perform supervised outreach and Public Legal Education (PLE) seminars on topics related to Immigration. Students may also be asked to provide research for case-files or participate in client intake meetings.

Second Year: Up to two students (continuing from first year) will provide research support and/or other file work (i.e. helping to fill out forms/documents) under the close supervision of lawyers. If a student is acting as a conduit for the lawyer, by meeting with a client to provide information specific to the client’s case, all answers will be scripted by the lawyer who will be on-site. Should any questions arise necessitating follow-up, they will be referred to the supervising lawyer. Students may also have the opportunity to shadow a lawyer representing a client before an administrative tribunal.

 

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

This will be a flexible work schedule based on physical distancing measures that are in place, and the university/faculty directives.

 

Requirements and Expectations:

While not a requirement, ability to speak Farsi and/or Mandarin is an asset. It is requested that prospective volunteers make a two-year commitment to this project. As such, priority will be given to 1Ls and 2Ls.