Law and Social Justice
About Us
‘Social justice’ is a broad and multifaceted area that is affected by many different aspects of law and the legal system. Our common element is attention to the extent to which barriers to social justice are experienced by people who are members of groups that are typically disadvantaged and subjected to systemic discrimination in society, such as: women; members of the LGBTQ2S+ community; children; religious, linguistic and ethnic minorities; Indigenous people; racialized communities; immigrants and refugees; people living on low income; older adults; and persons with disabilities.
Law, the legal system and legal professionals contribute to both maintaining and to dismantling barriers to social justice. Many students, professors and staff at our Faculty are actively engaged in exploring ways to protect and advance social justice, through foundational and specialist courses (including the Social Justice Option), in legal clinics and other experiential learning opportunities, via a diverse array of research projects and as part of a variety of community engagement initiatives. Learn more below.
Meet our professors
The exploration of social justice at our Faculty is informed by a range of concepts and approaches, including equality, feminism, critical race theory, human rights, anti-discrimination, legal history and access to justice. Professors associated with this focus area examine social justice issues in a wide variety of substantive contexts, including health law, technology law, environmental law, immigration and refugee law, labor law, family law, professional responsibility, reconciliation and decolonization, and women and the law.
Option in Social Justice
The University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law (Common Law Section) has Social Justice Option for students enroled in the JD program.
Experiential Learning
Clinical programs and other legal practice placements are a great way to develop and apply legal knowledge and skills in the area of social justice. The Faculty has a wide range of experiential learning opportunities and many of them occur in social justice contexts or can be aimed in that way.
Key Initiatives
The Shirley Greenberg Chair for Women and the Legal Profession
