Student Chapter Program – 2012-2013 Year in Review

As the incoming Executive Director of Canadian Lawyers Abroad (CLA), I am thrilled to highlight the achievements and noteworthy activities of our Student Chapters during the 2012-2013 school year.

CLA challenges its students to use their legal training to make a difference. The motto of our Student Chapter Program is "Learn, Think, Do!" We bring together students from law schools across Canada to learn, think and tackle pressing national and international legal issues involving good governance, rule of law and human rights. We now have 15 Chapters with a membership base of close to 1000 students!
 

Student Chapter Presidents with Mrs. Jacobson, Catherine McKenna and Eloge Butera
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Last year our Student Chapters focused on the theme of “Transitional Justice – Mechanisms for Achieving Peace.” In November, our Student Chapter Presidents travelled to Ottawa for leadership training. As this post describes, our students learned about Transitional Justice in the context of both the Rwanda Genocide and residential schools in Canada, with our training ending at an event at the US Ambassador's residence. Our Student Chapter Presidents then returned to their schools to engage students and members of their communities in raising awareness and understanding about this important topic.

Some highlights from our Chapters included:

• A Lecture from Yvon Dandurand, Professor at the University of the Fraser Valley and Researcher at the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform, and Matt Eisenbrandt, Legal Director at the Canadian Centre for International Justice, at the University of British Columbia;

• A documentary screening at Queen’s University on human rights struggles in Asia;

• A Transitional Justice Conference co-organized by the University of New Brunswick’s Student Chapter;

• A Lecture from the Honourable Madame Justice Sheila Greckol and Laura Stevens Q.C. of Dawson Stevens & Shaigec LLP, at the University of Alberta; and

• A Lecture on the “Rise of Extremism in Greece and its Effect on Minorities”, hosted by the University of Ottawa.
   

CLA Student Chapter Executives and Guest Lecturers at the University of Ottawa
 

CLA is very pleased with the engagement and enthusiasm of our Chapters during the 2012-2013 school year! We would like to thank our sponsors, The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company and Barrick Gold Corporation, for their generous support. We also want to recognize Laura Morrison, our former Director of Student Chapters, for doing an excellent job organizing our leadership training (among other things), which is integral to the success of the Student Chapter Program.

CLA is excited to announce our Chapters’ new theme for 2013-2014, “Corporate Social Responsibility and the Extractive Industry.” We look forward to working with our students to raise awareness about this important and thought provoking issue.

Does your law school have a Student Chapter? If not, and you are interested in establishing one at your law school, please contact Jenny Prosser, Director of Student Programs, at jprosser@cla-ace.ca. Please note that members of our Student Chapters have the opportunity to apply to CLA’s esteemed Student Internship Program.  See our website for more details.