Hands-on experience and direct Interaction with legal problems
U of T Law values experiential learning and provides myriad opportunities for students to roll up their sleeves and help people solve their legal problems. By bridging the abstract learning of the classroom to the practical training of doing legal work, experiential education reinforces learning and increases the availability of legal services in the Toronto area. Students benefit from observation, interaction, and reflection while the entire community benefits from students’ energy and talent.
Clinical experiences
Closely supervised by highly qualified lawyers, students can engage in one of our three in-house clinics for academic credit or as a volunteer.
Become an advocate through hands-on experience while delivering high-quality legal services to low-income individuals and U of T students.
Pursue and promote constitutional justice for all people in Canada, focusing on vulnerable groups and individuals.
Tackle fact-finding, litigation and grass-roots mobilization and join the next generation of human rights advocates.
Externship in the legal community
An externship provides experience in the legal community designed to help students develop their professional understanding. Choose from these current opportunities for academic credit. Past externships have included placements at Aboriginal Legal Services Toronto, the Barbra Schlifer Clinic, the Health Justice Initiative at Neighbourhood Legal Services, and Innocence Canada.
Innovative, experiential courses
We are proud of the breadth of courses we offer, including many that include experiential approaches and evaluation methods. Students can choose skills or problem based learning, simulations, labs and other innovative approaches. Below are some examples of courses with significant experiential components. We add and change course selections every year, so view the current course list.
Current and past example courses include:
- Advanced Advocacy: problems and techniques
- Advanced Torts
- Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Legal Environment
- Art of the Deal
- Constitutional Advocacy
- Corporate Transactions
- Class Actions Law & Practice
- Entertainment Law
- International Commercial and Investor State Arbitration
- Legal Design Lab
- Negotiation
- Tax Dispute and Litigation
- The Supreme Court: The Search for Justice
- Trial Advocacy
- Copyright Policy in the Making
- Wills and Estates Planning
Mooting
Through mooting students practice and improve their oral advocacy skills in a simulated appellate court or arbitration for academic credit.
Volunteer programs
Engage further through one of two volunteer programs, both founded at U of T Law.
PBSC Chapter at U of T places over 120 volunteers with public interest organizations, legal clinics, tribunals, courts and lawyers taking on pro bono projects.
One of the largest justice-themed youth outreach programs in North America, LAWS volunteers help Toronto area high school students facing personal or systemic barriers to success.
Don’t miss out!
Contact Assistant Dean, Academic, Sara Faherty at sara.faherty@utoronto.ca for more information about these remarkable opportunities.