June Callwood Fellowship

Enhance your understanding of and sensitivity to the rights of Indigenous Peoples and how they can be incorporated into law, government and public policy.

Late Canadian journalist, June Callwood, wearing a black top, grey hair.

Community impact

Named in honour of Canadian journalist, author and social activist, June Callwood (photo left), the June Callwood Fellowship allows you to gain practical experience in Indigenous community organizations through community-based internships, while also providing much-needed support to these communities. 

About the fellowship

The June Callwood Program in Aboriginal Law supports two distinct initiatives: 

Indigenous Community Fellowships for JD students 

Provides up to two summer fellowships of up to $12,000 for law students to work with community organizations on Aboriginal Law issues. The fellowships are open to first and second-year Indigenous JD students who wish to work on Aboriginal Law issues full-time during the summer with an Indigenous community organization. 

Students can develop a project with any non-profit organization, First Nation, political-territorial organization, legal clinic or government agency based in Canada. Callwood fellows working with community organizations may: conduct public legal education; research pending legislation, legal issues and current policy questions; draft policies for organizations and manuals for their clients; and help organizations provide legal information and assistance to their clients, among other initiatives.

Graduate Fellowships and SJD Scholarships 

The Graduate Program at the University of Toronto - Jackman Law encourages Indigenous students to apply to the Program. Jackman Law has an excellent support system for Indigenous students, including the Indigenous Law Students' Association (ILSA), a group that is open to students at all study levels, and the Indigenous Law Journal, a student-run publication dedicated to developing dialogue and scholarship in the field of Indigenous legal issues in Canada as well as internationally.

See the Graduate Studies Admissions pages for details about applying to the SJD program.

In combination, the June Callwood Program’s scholarships for Indigenous students and community internships enhance students' understanding of, and sensitivity to, the rights of Indigenous peoples and how they can be incorporated into law, government and public policy. Through the community based internships, the program allows students to gain practical experience in Indigenous community organizations and at the same time provide much needed support to these communities. Through the fellowships and scholarships, Jackman Law is able to recruit some of the best and brightest students from around the world for study in the area of Aboriginal Law in both the graduate and JD programs. 

Administered by the Indigenous Initiatives Office (IIO), the fellowship funding provides a stipend of up to $12,000 per student.

As a Callwood Fellow, you may conduct public legal education, research pending legislation, legal issues or current policy questions, draft materials clients, or help provide legal information or assistance under the supervision of a lawyer.

Previous Callwood Fellows have spent their summers at organizations, including: 

How to apply

You can apply for the Callwood Fellowship as part of the Law School Summer Employment Program (LSSEP). Recruitment takes place during the winter term. 

To apply, you will need to submit the below documentation through the Career Development Office (CDO) online platform, UTLC.

For more information

Contact the Manager of Indigenous Initiatives at Jackman Law: iio.law@utoronto.ca