Our
Projects
The PBSC Queen's Law Chapter is proud to partner with organizations in the Greater Kingston Area, Sudbury and North Bay, providing rewarding opportunities for Queen's Law students in the 2023-2024 academic year. Student volunteers are placed on projects based on skills, experience, interest, and dedication to promoting access to justice.
2023-2024
PROJECTS
Public Legal Education
Projects
CONTRACTS & EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS
Students will prepare and present a seminar that will focus on an overview of contract and employment agreements for small businesses, as well as the corresponding legal rights/implications for employees and employers.
The seminar will provide information on the following questions:
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What are the key elements that are required in an employment contract? What are an employee’s rights as a worker under the Employment Standards Act?
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How can businesses review and prepare contracts and agreements adequately and efficiently?
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What are the key differences between seasonal and temp contracts?
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What are the legal requirements in Ontario surrounding hours of work, payment of wages, paid sick days/vacations/holiday pay/leave?
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When do businesses require Non-Disclosure Agreements?
Students will research legislation including the Employment Standards Act, as well as case law and any other applicable legislation/policy to develop their seminar and answer the above noted questions.
Number of Students: 3 - 4
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in corporate law
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Strong research, writing, and presentation skills
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Exceptional communication skills
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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Business knowledge/experience will be considered an asset
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
GREATER KINGSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce is an organization comprised of over 650 businesses representing over 18,000 employees in the Kingston area. The three pillars of our mission statement are influence, support and connect. We are committed to stimulating the growth and prosperity of the local business community. We will influence public policy, be the catalyst for connectivity, and provide unique competitive advantages for our members.
DUTY TO ACCOMODATE
Students will prepare and present a seminar that will focus on an overview of human rights in the workplace, specifically delving into the topic of the duty to accommodate and the legal implications for employees/employers.
The seminar will provide information on the following questions:
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What is the duty to accommodate? What are examples (i.e., religious beliefs, gender identity, physical/mental disabilities, age etc.)?
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What is an employee entitled to under the duty to accommodate?
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What legal actions are available if an employer fails to comply?
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How can employers (i.e., small businesses/entrepreneurs) comply with legislation adequately, while still sufficiently operating their business? How can the presence of unions effect an employer’s ability to comply?
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What are additional considerations, if any, if the work environment is in a hybrid format?
Number of Students: 3 - 4
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in employment law
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Strong research, writing, and presentation skills
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Exceptional communication skills
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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Business knowledge/experience will be considered an asset
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
GREATER KINGSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce is an organization comprised of over 650 businesses representing over 18,000 employees in the Kingston area. The three pillars of our mission statement are influence, support and connect. We are committed to stimulating the growth and prosperity of the local business community. We will influence public policy, be the catalyst for connectivity, and provide unique competitive advantages for our members.
HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE WORKPLACE
Students will prepare and present a seminar that will focus on an overview of human rights in the workplace, specifically delving into topics of workplace harassment/violence and the legal implications for employees/employers.
The seminar will provide information on the following questions:
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What are employee's legal rights in terms of harassment/human rights claims?
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What are an employer's legal responsibilities surrounding harassment/human rights regulations in the workplace and the implications?
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What are additional considerations if the work environment is in a hybrid format?
Number of Students: 3-4
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in employment law
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Strong research, writing, and presentation skills
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Exceptional communication skills
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
-
Business knowledge/experience will be considered an asset
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
GREATER KINGSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce is an organization comprised of over 650 businesses representing over 18,000 employees in the Kingston area. The three pillars of our mission statement are influence, support and connect. We are committed to stimulating the growth and prosperity of the local business community. We will influence public policy, be the catalyst for connectivity, and provide unique competitive advantages for our members.
Client Intake and document
assistance
ID CLINIC:
LEGAL SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS & MARGINALLY HOUSED
Students are paired with volunteer lawyers to interview clients, provide information and fill out the appropriate paperwork to obtain government issued identification.
Number of Students: 8 - 10
Apply for this project if you have...
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Strong communication skills
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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An interest in and/or experience with supporting the homeless and marginally housed
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
MARTHA'S TABLE
Martha's Table is a community centre within the social welfare network of the City of Kingston. Martha's Table provides a unique home where respect, compassion, caring and social interaction can occur in an atmosphere of mutual support, with nutritious meals and snacks in comfortable dining and lounge facilities.
Legal research Projects
PRO BONO RADIO
Pro Bono Radio is a biweekly pre-recorded radio program, prepared and presented by law students. Pro Bono Radio discusses interesting and emerging legal topics that stimulate interest and provide information while being entertaining.
Students are divided into teams to create shows on an alternating basis. The shows will be made into podcasts and posted online. Once a set of shows are assembled, they will be broadcasted on the campus radio station. (CFRC 101.9FM)
Number of Students: 8-12
Apply for this project if you have...
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Strong oral and communication skills
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Exceptional collaborative and teamwork skills
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A positive and engaging attitude
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Editing/technical skills will be considered an asset
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Broadcasting experience will be considered an asset
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
QUEEN'S FACULTY OF LAW
Established in 1957, Queen's Faculty of Law has long been a school of choice for law students in Canada. With a strong tradition of community engagement and collegiality underpinning the pursuit of academic excellence, Queen's Faculty of Law attracts a bright, diverse student population from across Canada every year.
YOUTH IMMIGRANTS & REFUGEES ACCESS TO RESOURCES
Canada is a global leader in refugee settlement and has built a reputation over the last 50 years for welcoming immigrants and valuing multiculturalism. This project will be used to inform the organization broadly on how to better assist and support youth immigrants and refugees. Students will prepare a plain language memorandum for the Kingston Youth Shelter on the legal implications that youth immigrants and refugees in Canada currently face.
Number of Students: 3 - 4
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in youth, and immigration law
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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Strong research, writing, and presentation skills
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
KINGSTON YOUTH SHELTER
The Kingston Youth Shelter operates an emergency shelter for youth ages 16-24 in Kingston. Staff provide support with meeting basic needs, crisis management, and life skill development, as well as support with looking for more stable housing or family mediation. We also operate 2 transitional homes.
YOUTH
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
The youth criminal justice system is intended to protect the public by holding youth accountable, promoting rehabilitation, and supporting the prevention of crime. However, when youth are faced with a sentence for their offence, many are unaware of their rights and responsibilities. Thus, many youths in Kingston are ill-informed and there is an opportunity to fulfill this knowledge gap.
Students will prepare a plain language memorandum, information pamphlet and poster for the Kingston Youth Shelter on the legal implications that youth offenders face before, during, and after their criminal sentence. Students will research federal and provincial statutes, including the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), as well as case law to determine the legal rights youth offenders possess when in custody, on probation, and are fulfilling a community-based sentence. In addition, students will research restorative justice programs available in Kingston/Ontario which focus on repairing the harm done to victims and the community.
Number of Students: 3 - 4
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in youth, human rights and/or criminal law
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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Strong research, and writing skills
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Graphic design skills will be considered an asset
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
KINGSTON YOUTH SHELTER
The Kingston Youth Shelter operates an emergency shelter for youth ages 16-24 in Kingston. Staff provide support with meeting basic needs, crisis management, and life skill development, as well as support with looking for more stable housing or family mediation. We also operate 2 transitional homes.
DISABILITIES & WORKPLACE ACCOMODATION
Students transitioning from secondary school to post-secondary education or employment need to possess the ability to advocate for their own accommodations. Unfortunately, many students leave high school without the essential knowledge and skills to understand what they require for success in the next phase of their lives and the legal entitlements they have. Students will investigate the legal rights employees with learning disabilities have in the workplace, and how students can better advocate for their rights in the workplace.
Students will prepare a plain language memorandum for the Learning Disabilities Association of Kingston on the legal rights of people living with disabilities in the workplace under the Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessible Canada Act, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
Number of Students: 3 - 4
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in employment law
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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Strong research and writing skills
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
LEARNING DISABILITIES ASSOCIATION OF KINGSTON
Learning Disabilities Association of Kingston provides leadership in learning disabilities services, research, education and advocacy, and to advance the full participation of children, youth and adults with learning disabilities in today’s society. They value promoting positive change through innovation, strategic partnerships and participating in informing public policy.
DEMYSTIFYING MYTHS IN SEXUAL VIOLENCE CRIMES
The effectiveness of criminal laws hinges on their correct execution, which entails educating the public about their rights and adequately training the individuals responsible for enforcing them. Students will research the Canadian Criminal Code, as well as other applicable legislation to determine the legal rights of claimants, as well as ways the Code has rejected common sexual assault myths.
Students will prepare a plain language memorandum for Amelia Rising on the legal implications victims face when bringing a claim forward as well as demystifying common legal myths in sexual violence crimes.
Disclaimer: The content of this research project may include highly sensitive subject matter that may be triggering for some individuals.
Number of Students: 3 - 4
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in criminal law
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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Strong research and writing skills
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
AMELIA RISING SEXUAL VIOLENCE SUPPORT CENTRE
Amelia Rising Sexual Violence Support Centre provides free, completely confidential support for people 12 years of age and older who have experienced sexual or gender-based violence. We work from feminist, intersectional, anti-racist and anti-oppressive frameworks. A consent culture based on equity, is essential to ending sexual and gender-based violence. Amelia Rising believes that by working together, honouring differences, leaning into our discomfort, and challenging ourselves that we will achieve our vision of a just social world.
OPENJUSTICE RESEARCH PROJECT
This project is called OpenJustice, an open-access generative AI designed to help self-represented litigants to navigate the legal system. This generative AI has the potential to revolutionize access to justice for marginalized communities.
Generative AI is becoming increasingly popular in various industries, including legal tech. However, the current generative AIs introduce several issues, which we believe OpenJustice can overcome. This system addresses shortcomings, such as producing accurate information, detecting nuances in legal terminology, performing contextual reasoning, and providing citations/sources to support the generated content.
A beta version of OpenJustice has already been created, which is operational, but the Conflict Analytics Lab needs further assistance in refining their system through a process called Reinforcement Learning through Human Feedback (RLHF).
Number of Students: 8 - 10
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in artificial intelligence and emerging legal topics
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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Strong legal research and writing skills
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
CONFLICT ANALYTICS LAB
The Conflict Analytics Lab is a consortium for AI research on law, compliance and conflict resolution-based at Queen's Law and Smith Business. Conflict analytics is the process of extracting actionable knowledge from negotiation, mediation and settlement agreements. It comprises a global network of experts from across industry and academia (including Queen’s and McGill in Canada, Columbia Business Analytics in the United States, HEC Paris in France).
LANDLORD & TENANT RIGHTS
Knowing their rights allows tenants to protect themselves, assert their entitlements, and maintain a positive relationship with their landlords. It ensures that tenants are aware of the legal framework governing their tenancy and empowers them to take appropriate action when their rights are violated. The community that Endaayaan Awejaa serves faces a barrier to justice regarding their rights as tenants.
Students will prepare a research memorandum for Endaayaan Awejaa that outlines information on tenant and landlord rights according to the Residential Tenancies Act (Ontario).
In addition, students will prepare a plain language pamphlet/poster for Endaayaan Awejaa to disseminate to their community members, that will be based on the research summarized in the memorandum.
Number of Students: 3 - 4
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in advocacy and litigation
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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Strong research and writing skills
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Graphic design skills will be considered an asset
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
ENDAAYAAN AWEJAA
Endaayaan Awejaa is a start-up non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing all youth and families with safe places to heal and build solid foundations for their future. Our mission statement is Maamwi Bmosedaa which means Walking in Unity. We strive to Walk in Unity together with our youth, their families, and our local community. The pillars in which we incorporate into our work are arts & culture, reconciliation, education, and harm reduction.
SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGATION
The research and project will focus on the legal aspects related to self-represented litigants in family law matters, with a special concentration on women. Since there is a gap between individuals who qualify for Legal Aid and those who can afford a lawyer, it is helpful to provide information on legal resources and the best way to approach family law matters as a self-represented litigant.
Students will prepare a research memorandum for the Sudbury Women’s Centre that outlines Information on Self-Represented Litigation in Family Law Courts according to the Family Law Act (Ontario).
In addition, students will prepare a plain language pamphlet and poster for the Sudbury Women’s Centre to disseminate to their community members, that will be based on the research summarized in the memorandum.
Number of Students: 3 - 4
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in family law
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Strong research and writing skills
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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Graphic design skills will be considered an asset
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
SUDBURY WOMEN'S CENTRE
The Sudbury Women's Centre (SWC) is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to supporting women, girls, trans, and non-binary individuals experiencing violence and other challenging life situations.
CCLA RESEARCH PROJECT
Students will be asked to conduct legal research and prepare memoranda on various topics by the CCLA’s Program Directors. This may include case briefs, reviews of draft or proposed legislation, policy reviews and research memoranda on fundamental freedoms, police powers, national security, privacy, criminal law reform, and equality. Students may periodically be asked to conduct social science research as well, used to inform CCLA’s advocacy and education work.
Number of Students: 1 (In conjunction with other PBSC Chapters)
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in constitutional law
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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Strong research and writing skills
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Upper year students who have complete a course in constitutional/public law, and who have expressed an interest in CCLA and/or civil liberties/human rights work will be considered an asset
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
CANADIAN CIVIL LIBERTIES ASSOCIATION
CCLA fights for the civil liberties, human rights, and democratic freedoms of all people across Canada. We are an independent, national, nongovernmental organization, working in the courts, before legislative committees, in classrooms and in the streets, protecting the rights and freedoms cherished by Canadians and entrenched in our Constitution.
CCLA RESEARCH PROJECT
Students will be asked to conduct legal research and prepare memoranda on various topics by the CCLA’s Program Directors. This may include case briefs, reviews of draft or proposed legislation, policy reviews and research memoranda on fundamental freedoms, police powers, national security, privacy, criminal law reform, and equality. Students may periodically be asked to conduct social science research as well, used to inform CCLA’s advocacy and education work.
Number of Students: 1 (In conjunction with other PBSC Chapters)
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in constitutional law
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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Strong research and writing skills
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Upper year students who have complete a course in constitutional/public law, and who have expressed an interest in CCLA and/or civil liberties/human rights work will be considered an asset
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
CANADIAN CIVIL LIBERTIES ASSOCIATION
CCLA fights for the civil liberties, human rights, and democratic freedoms of all people across Canada. We are an independent, national, nongovernmental organization, working in the courts, before legislative committees, in classrooms and in the streets, protecting the rights and freedoms cherished by Canadians and entrenched in our Constitution.
LOCAL FOOD STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT
A local food strategy refers to a coordinated plan of action that aims to support and promote local food systems within a particular region or community. A food strategy is important because it enhances food security, supports economic development, promotes environmental sustainability, improves health and nutrition, and strengthens community resilience. By prioritizing local food systems, communities can create a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food future.
This PBSC project aims to develop a report that will provide Loving Spoonful with a good understanding of strong local food strategies to assist in their long-term plan of influencing change within Kingston’s local food strategy planning and implementation.
Students will prepare a comparative report for Loving Spoonful by researching policies, bylaws and food strategies locally and in other cities nationally and internationally.
Number of Students: 1 - 2
Apply for this project if you have...
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An interest in food law/municipal law
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Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
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Strong research and writing skills
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
LOVING SPOONFUL
Loving Spoonful envisions a resilient community and local food system, that nourishes all people and supports dignified access to good food.
