Community legal clinic building

Information for Law Students

By joining the Clinic as caseworkers, students interested in both advocacy and social justice can gain practical experience and make a meaningful contribution to the community.

Becoming a Student Caseworker

Upper year law students have the opportunity to work as caseworkers at the University of Ottawa Community Legal Clinic (the "Clinic") either during the summer, during the school year in the Introductory or Advanced Legal Aid Clinic courses (where they earn six credits working on client files and gain practical legal skills) or through our joint placement course. The Clinic course and joint placement course satisfy the oral advocacy "moot court" requirement of the Common Law Section of the Faculty of Law.

Under the supervision of Review Counsel, caseworkers learn how to manage a file from the first client interview to the last court or tribunal appearance on that client's behalf.

Please note that the students hired as employees during the summer must continue working at the Clinic during the following academic year as Division Leaders by being enrolled in the Advanced Legal Aid Clinic Course (6 credit course). These students are not required to attend the weekly seminar class.

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Why Join the Clinic?

By joining the Clinic as caseworkers, students interested in both advocacy and social justice can gain practical experience and make a meaningful contribution to the community. Many law students do not get practical legal experience before graduating and articling - some have never seen the inside of a court room or tribunal!

Working at the Clinic provides law students with hands-on experience as they manage client files, make court or tribunal appearances, or provide legal information to community organizations. The Clinic introduces students to issues and skills relevant to the practice of law.

Under the supervision of lawyers, caseworkers at the Clinic learn and perform a variety of skills, such as:

  • Conducting interviews of clients seeking legal advice and information;
  • Conducting legal research on client files;
  • Drafting letters, pleadings, memoranda, and other legal documents;
  • Negotiating with Crown Attorneys or opposing parties;
  • Advocacy at pre-trials, trials, and hearings before courts and tribunals;
  • Examining and cross-examining witnesses;
  • Preparing and making submissions to a court or tribunal;
  • File and practice management;
  • Professional responsibility;
  • Drafting and delivering presentations on various legal topics to the public;
  • Providing tenant duty counsel services at the Landlord and Tenant Board.
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How You Can Participate

Every year, the Clinic holds information sessions for first-year students. Students who want to receive general information about the Clinic may attend one of these sessions.

Attendance at one of the information sessions is required in order to be considered for the First Year Orientation Program. The Program allows the First year student to get familiar with the Clinic's practices as they can shadow various Clinic tasks, such as a file review with a supervision lawyer. This Program does not require a set number of hours and is not a volunteer position.

Participation in this Program is not a pre-requisite to apply for summer employment or the introductory course.

The application deadline for this program has passed.

A note on January Term: 
Clinic duties continue as usual during the January Term each year, although the Clinic does not hold drop-in hours for new clients during the last week of January to accommodate January Term examinations and break. Students cannot register for internships or international courses during the January term as these courses do not allow students to do their Clinic work during the January term. Students must register for a regular course during the January term.