Indigenous Law Students Association (ILSA)

Who We Are

Originally, the Indigenous Law Students Association(ILSA)was formed with the hopes of creating a community for the Indigenous students at Lakehead Law. A call for membership was made to Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, and a wonderful group of individuals attended our first meeting.

Meetings began with monthly breakfasts where we would discuss our collective experiences in law school. Support networks developed. Friendships grew. Eventually we came to realize the unique opportunities the ILSA presented, and the group evolved.

First, as a means of furthering the Aboriginal Perspectives component at Lakehead, the ILSA organized the first ILSA Movie Night, where a feature film was shown. The film we chose was Alanis Obomsawin’s “The People of the Kattawapiskak River.” A discussion followed, the goal of which was to create a safe atmosphere to discuss the issues outlined in the film. The first ILSA Movie Night was a success and we look forward to future events.

Following the ILSA Movie Night, we decided to extend into community involvement, and organized the first Lakehead Law Winter Feast which doubled as a fresh fruit and vegetable fundraiser for Beendigen Inc, a Native Women’s crisis home and Family Healing Agency.

Overall, the aim of the ILSA is law student support first, community leadership second. The ILSA hopes to facilitate the opportunity to learn from one another (not ABOUT one another) in a safe and supportive environment. To share stories, triumphs and heartaches. To blend community values and cultures. To be an example for the rest of the community. To show that with dialogue, understanding, and that “Lakehead Law enthusiasm” we can make a difference at our school, in the community, and in the legal profession.

Join us! There is work to be done.

-        Samantha Ramage – Past member of ILSA and BLFL graduate

ILSA’s History

ILSA grew from the creation of a community for Indigenous students, and allied non-Indigenous students, at BLFL. Since then, ILSA has evolved to both support law students and be involved in the greater Indigenous community in Thunder Bay, through community leadership projects and fundraisers.

Our Mission

ILSA aims to support law students while fostering community leadership. Our core goals include:

• Supporting the academic and community obligations of Indigenous law students.
• Promoting accessible legal education for Indigenous peoples within a culturally sensitive learning environment.
• Offering support and information on issues related to Indigenous culture and law for all students.
• Building connections with individuals and groups outside of Bora Laskin Faculty of Law (BLFL).
• Promoting recognition and appreciation of Indigenous cultural values and beliefs.

We aim to create a space where we can learn from each other, not just about each other, in a safe and supportive environment.

What We Do

ILSA supports students interested in Indigenous Law and culture. We also assist first year law students in completing their Indigenous Perspectives (IP) Hours. To accomplish this we host events such as:

• Movie nights
• Speaker series
• Beading tutorials
• Community feasts

We collaborate with other student groups and community organizations and are active at the national level through the National Indigenous Law Students’ Association (NILSA). Additionally, we participate in the Indigenous Bar Association’s annual conferences.

 Our Executive Team

• Ashley Bach: President of ILSA, member of Mishkeegogamang First Nation
• Jabari Barnes: Secretary
• Carter Juskans: Treasurer

We have openings for 1L representatives—stay tuned for a call for applications!

NEW VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

INDIGENOUS HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM 2024-2025

The award-winning Indigenous Human Rights Program is seeking up to four Bora Laskin Faculty of Law student volunteers for placement with the Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre (TBIFC) to support the program’s access to justice work in Thunder Bay. As set out further below, students will work with TBIFC on relaunching its human rights legal clinic and facilitating impactful legal services and public legal education related to discrimination and human rights law.

The Indigenous Human Rights Program is a partnership between PBSC, the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC), and its participating Friendship Centres, including TBIFC. The program’s partners include the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Legal Support Centre, and McCarthy Tétrault. The purpose of the program is to combat anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination by working with Friendship Centres to build knowledge about human rights amongst urban Indigenous communities, and to empower individuals to make decisions about their rights. We do this by developing and operating free human rights legal clinics located directly within Friendship Centres in Ontario and through diverse public legal education initiatives.

The Indigenous Human Rights Program previously piloted a human rights legal clinic with TBIFC, and the clinic is scheduled to relaunch on a permanent basis in fall 2024. The clinic will provide summary legal advice and public legal education on discrimination and human rights law to the Thunder Bay region’s Indigenous communities.

Volunteer Position Description

The volunteer law students will be supervised by an Indigenous Human Rights Coordinator from TBIFC, lawyers from Beamish Law, and a roster of volunteer lawyers. After completing custom training for this role, volunteer law students will participate in the relaunch of the clinic and facilitate the delivery of legal services for clients and public legal education for the community.

More specifically, law students’ responsibilities as expected to include:

●      Supporting the relaunch of the human rights legal clinic at TBIFC. This may include community outreach and other promotion of the clinic’s services.

●      Providing legal services at the human rights clinic under lawyer supervision. This may include conducting client intake, legal research, making referrals, sharing legal information, facilitating lawyer-client consultations, etc.

●      Developing public legal education materials and projects regarding human rights and discrimination for urban Indigenous communities. This may include researching, drafting, preparing, or delivering presentations on human rights law.

●      Acting as an ambassador of the Indigenous Human Rights Program.

●      Supporting the Indigenous Human Rights Program’s cultural programming, including work with Elders.

●      Other responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor.

The human rights legal clinic will operate in a hybrid in-person and virtual model during 2024-25, and law students may be required to attend TBIFC for clinic shifts and presentations about human rights.

Benefits of Volunteering with the Program

This is a unique opportunity to obtain clinical, public legal education, and program development experience, along with training on human rights law and Indigenous Cultural Competency (provided by the OFIFC, the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the Ontario Human Rights Commission, and the Human Rights Legal Support Centre), all while facilitating access to justice for Thunder Bay’s urban Indigenous community. To learn more about PBSC’s Indigenous Human Rights Program, please see: https://www.probonostudents.ca/indigenous-peoples.

PBSC Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement

PBSC is strongly committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion. We especially welcome applications from Indigenous, Black, and racialized people / persons of colour, women, people living with disabilities, LGBTQ2S + people, and members of other equity-seeking groups protected by human rights law in Canada. PBSC offers accommodation in accordance with the applicable provincial human rights law. Since all or substantially all of our legal services are delivered in English, English language proficiency is required.

Number of Positions:4

Hours per week: Up to 5 hours per week.

Posting Closing Date: September 24, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.

Position Title: Law Student Volunteer, Indigenous Human Rights Program

Open To: 1L, 2L, and 3L students at Bora Laskin Faculty of Law.

For clarity, the volunteer positions are open to students who are already participating in another PBSC placement.

Start and end date

October 2024 to March 2025. The exact start date of the volunteer role is to be determined in consultation with the supervisor from TBIFC. The volunteer position will end no later than March 28, 2025. The position will be paused for the month of December 2024 for student exams.

It is possible that volunteers may be offered the opportunity to continue in a volunteer or paid capacity during summer 2025. This is not a requirement of the position nor is the opportunity confirmed at this time. If and when this opportunity is confirmed, it will be discussed with the volunteers.

How to apply

Send a Statement of Interest (maximum 1 page) to jason.goodman@probonostudents.ca on or before the deadline (we do not require a cover letter, résumé or references).

In your statement of interest, please include your name, whether you are in 1L, 2L or 3L, and address the following:

1. Why you wish to be part of the Indigenous Human Rights Program;
2. Your interest or past experience in human rights, access to justice, Indigenous legal issues, and/or working with or for Indigenous communities (we welcome you to share all forms of experience, including lived, professional, volunteer, academic, etc.); and
3. What PBSC's values of dignity, equity, and humility mean to you, and what they should mean for students volunteering with the Indigenous Human Rights Program.

In your covering email or a separate attachment, please also provide your weekday availabilities for the fall term.

ILSA'S NEWSLETTER

Stay updated on ILSA activities by subscribing to our newsletter! Benefits include:

• Up-to-date information on ILSA events
• Notifications on upcoming meetings
• News on Indigenous legal issues, evolving case law, and scholarship opportunities

Sign up here to join our newsletter!

 JOIN ILSA

If you want to become a member of the Indigenous Law Student Association, please complete our short application form here. If you have any questions, please contact ILSA@lakeheadu.ca.