We’re Recruiting: Mentees for the Blazing Trails Mentorship Program

About the Program

For 20 years, Level Justice has been working closely with law students nationwide to advance human rights. We have gathered consistent feedback from law students who have communicated feeling disempowered in pursuit of social justice-based careers. In response, Level Justice designed and launched the Blazing Trails Mentorship Program (BTMP). BTMP is a unique program designed to connect law students across the country with lawyers working in the social justice sector, often in positions that are rare to come across. BTMP aims to demystify such positions and make social justice-oriented careers accessible in the legal field.

The program focuses on ten distinct fields of law which are traditionally considered social justice-oriented areas. These include: human rights law, international law, Indigenous law, environmental law, immigration and refugee law, women’s rights advocacy, racial justice, access to justice, law adjacent or policy work, and public legal education.

About Level

Level is a Canadian charitable organization on a mission to level barriers to justice by disrupting prejudice, building empathy, and advancing human rights. We pursue our mission through youth outreach, public legal education initiatives, human rights research and events, and through specialized mentorship programs.

Timeline and Logistics

Once mentees are accepted into the program, Level matches them with a mentor from our network that best suits their needs. Pairings are then connected virtually to introduce themselves and schedule the meetings. Pairings are mandated to meet for a minimum of three times throughout the school year for one-hour sessions, totaling three hours. That being said, the frequency, duration, and format of meetings are up to each pairing to decide.

Program Materials

Level provides each pairing with a toolkit with information and resources to ensure that everyone gets the most out of their partnership. This includes instructions and materials to serve as a reference point for all mentorship pairings. That being said, mentors and mentees are encouraged to take the direction they feel will be the most professionally rewarding.

Mentors

Level strives to diligently partner with mentors from a broad array of backgrounds, and with diverse identities in mind. Past mentors have included lawyers working in private practice, registered charities, and non-governmental organizations, drawing on experience in environmental, Indigenous, constitutional law, women’s rights advocacy, and more. Some organizations represented in our mentors include: CCLA, BCCLA, LEAF, Ecojustice, Barbra Schlifer, Innocence Canada, and more.

Read about some of our mentors here.

Application Process

Applications for mentees are now open. To apply, please fill out the Blazing Trails Mentorship Program Mentee Application. Deadline for applications is Friday, September 27th at midnight (EST).