Staff Lawyer – Legal Clinic | Housing Law & Student Supervision | Toronto, ON

Help Shape the Future of Clinical Legal Education

A leading Canadian law school is seeking an experienced Staff Lawyer to join its innovative Legal Clinic Programs team. This is a unique opportunity for a lawyer who is passionate about access to justice, housing law, student mentorship, and community-based legal services to help develop the next generation of legal professionals while serving equity-deserving communities.

Working within an interdisciplinary legal clinic, you will combine legal advocacy, teaching, supervision, and community engagement to deliver meaningful legal services and contribute to the continued growth of an innovative clinical education program.

About the Position

The successful candidate will supervise law students engaged in clinical legal work while providing guidance on client representation, legal research, public legal education, and community advocacy initiatives.

The practice will focus primarily on housing law, with opportunities to contribute in additional areas such as social assistance, record suspensions, human rights, immigration, refugee law, or other clinic practice areas based on experience and community needs.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a lawyer who enjoys mentoring emerging legal professionals while advancing equitable access to justice.

Key Responsibilities

In this role you will:

• Supervise law students providing legal advice, client representation, and advocacy services.

• Mentor students through all stages of client files while ensuring high standards of professional responsibility and ethical legal practice.

• Review legal research, pleadings, correspondence, and advocacy materials prepared by students.

• Guide students using trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, client-centred, and culturally responsive approaches to legal service delivery.

• Represent or supervise representation of clients in housing and related legal matters where appropriate.

• Assist in developing and expanding innovative legal clinic programming and operational procedures.

• Contribute to curriculum development, student training, recruitment initiatives, and clinical education seminars.

• Build relationships with community organizations, legal clinics, advocacy groups, and public interest partners.

• Develop and deliver public legal education workshops and community outreach initiatives.

• Participate in law reform projects, policy development, and community-based legal initiatives.

• Support special projects, research initiatives, communications, and other clinic activities that strengthen community engagement and access to justice.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess:

• A Juris Doctor (JD), LL.B., or equivalent law degree.

• Membership in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.

• At least four years of post-call legal experience.

• Practical experience in housing law and legal clinic practice.

• Additional experience in social assistance, criminal law, human rights, immigration, refugee law, or other poverty law areas is considered an asset.

• Demonstrated commitment to access to justice, equity, community lawyering, and social justice.

• Experience mentoring, supervising, teaching, or supporting students or junior legal professionals.

• Excellent advocacy, legal research, drafting, and communication skills.

• Strong organizational abilities with exceptional attention to detail.

• Confidence working with technology and adapting to new legal systems and software.

• The ability to collaborate effectively with students, faculty, community organizations, and interdisciplinary partners.

Work Environment

This position offers the opportunity to work in a collaborative legal education environment where innovation, inclusion, and community engagement are central to the clinic's mission.

The successful candidate will help shape clinic programming while working alongside experienced lawyers, educators, and community partners dedicated to expanding access to justice throughout Toronto.

The role follows a hybrid work model, with an expectation of approximately three to four days per week on campus, subject to operational requirements.

Compensation

• Hiring range: Approximately $96,900 to $102,000 annually

• Salary scale: Up to approximately $125,000

• Comprehensive employee benefits

• Professional development opportunities

• Collaborative academic environment

• Opportunity to influence the future of experiential legal education

Commitment to Equity

The law school is committed to building an inclusive academic and workplace community that reflects the diversity of the communities it serves. Applications are encouraged from individuals with lived experience and those who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, reconciliation, and accessibility.

Accommodation is available throughout every stage of the recruitment process in accordance with applicable accessibility and human rights legislation.

Apply Today

If you are an experienced Housing Lawyer, Clinic Lawyer, Staff Lawyer, Public Interest Lawyer, Legal Aid Lawyer, or Community Justice Lawyer who is passionate about legal education and mentoring future lawyers, we encourage you to apply.

This opportunity offers the chance to combine legal practice, student supervision, public interest advocacy, and community engagement while helping shape one of Canada's most innovative clinical legal education programs.