John S. Poyen Intern (University of Calgary)
The Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) is a national charitable organization that works towards ensuring the law guarantees substantive equality for all women, girls, trans, and non-binary people. Our National Office is based in downtown Toronto, Ontario.
POSITION OVERVIEW
LEAF is hiring a law student to support the organization’s work from May to August 2025 (16 weeks in total). This student will hold the John S. Poyen Internship, which is open to first- and second-year law students at the University of Calgary.
The position will provide a qualified student with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in feminist legal advocacy, receive valuable on-the-job training, and learn more about advancing substantive gender equality rights through litigation, law reform, and public legal education.
The student will work with LEAF’s legal team on a range of different issue areas.
The student will have the option of either working out of LEAF’s National Office in Toronto or working remotely.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- The student will be involved in LEAF’s litigation, law reform, and public legal education work.
- The student will be actively involved in legal and academic research, case monitoring, preparing legal memos and advocacy statements, and developing and potentially delivering public legal education.
- If opportunity permits, the student may be involved in drafting court documents including facta, and may have the opportunity to attend court with LEAF’s legal team.
- The student will assist with administrative legal tasks, including preparing meeting minutes and communicating LEAF’s legal work to the public.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- The student must be a first- or second-year law student enrolled at the University of Calgary
- Strong legal research and writing skills
- Prior knowledge of constitutional law and feminist legal theory is desirable
- Time-management and organizational skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Self-motivated individual who works well with others
- Good written and oral language skills
- Demonstrated knowledge of LEAF’s mandate and legal activities
- Demonstrated commitment to feminism and social justice
- Proficiency in both English and French is an asset
COMPENSATION
The John S. Poyen Internship is a $15,000 scholarship funded through the University of Calgary Faculty of Law, through a gift from the family of John S. Poyen. The scholarship will be paid in four installments to the student over the course of the internship by the University of Calgary, Faculty of Law.
APPLICATION PROCESS
LEAF encourages applications from candidates who reflect the diversity of our communities. We strongly encourage applications from Black, Indigenous, and racialized people, as well as from newcomers, gender-diverse people, and members of other equity-deserving groups.
LEAF welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities for all available positions. Where possible, accommodations will be made available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
Applications will be accepted by email only. In the subject line of your email application, reference “LEAF Summer Law Student – John S. Poyen Internship”. Send applications to [email protected].
Please submit the following as a single PDF attachment:
- Your cover letter
- Your curriculum vitae
- A list of up to three academic and/or employment references (contact name, phone number, and email address)
- A list of the courses in which you are currently enrolled
- Your law school transcript (or for first year students, your mid-term grades)
In your cover letter, please ensure that you explain why you would like to work at LEAF in particular, and why you are qualified for the position as tied to the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and experience listed above. Please also indicate in your cover letter if you identify as a member of an equity-deserving group.
Please do not submit multiple applications or send additional documents.
Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59 pm MT on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Applicants selected for interviews will be notified on February 5, 2025.
Interviews will be held from February 18-20, 2025, and will take place virtually.
We thank all applicants for their interest, but only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
