Name of Organization: Legal Centre for Palestine
Website of Organization: https://www.lcpal.ca
Organization's Mandate: The Legal Centre for Palestine (LCP) is dedicated to advocating for the legal rights and dignity of Palestinians and their allies in Canada and beyond. Our mission is to advance the cause of Palestinian rights and liberation through legal advocacy, policy influence, and strategic litigation.
Project Name: Research & PLE Project
Project Type: Research (memoranda used for internal purposes only)
Project Delivery: Remote
Description of Project: The Centre aims to enhance its litigation efforts, public legal education materials, and empirical investigations related to Palestinian issues both within Canada and internationally. The Centre is committed to addressing critical issues involving Palestinian human rights and advocating for equitable treatment and access to justice.
Integral to the Centre‘s approach is the incorporation of its research into pro bono and discounted litigation efforts, establishing a vital support network within a challenging legal environment. Beyond providing immediate legal assistance, the Centre’s research initiatives aim to drive broader systemic reforms, including critical changes to Canada’s foreign and immigration policies as they relate to Palestine. Through these efforts, the Centre seeks to create lasting impacts and foster a more just and equitable framework for Palestinian human rights.
Role of Student Volunteers: Volunteers will work on the following tasks throughout the school year with flexibility according to their interest and the Centre's needs at the time:
1. Legal Research
a) Option 1 - Supporting Litigation Efforts: Volunteers will be tasked with gathering and analyzing case law, statutes, and legal frameworks relevant to Palestinian rights and the cases that the Centre deals with on an ad-hoc basis. This would culminate in the production of a research memo or report summarizing legal precedents and the applicability of laws to cases of the Centre as they come. Specific topics as they relate to the above outlined areas will be determined by the Centre and student at the outset of the placement.
b) Option 2 - Supporting Policy Reform: Volunteers will contribute to the Centre’s research into the treatment of Palestinian issues within Canadian foreign policy, immigration, and human rights law. This includes analyzing Canada’s adherence to international treaties (e.g., Geneva Conventions), evaluating refugee policies, and proposing potential legal reforms to address inequities in how Palestinian asylum seekers are treated. This would cumulate in the output of a legal research memo with a focused research question/area to be developed collaboratively by the Centre and student based on the Centre's needs and student interest.
2. Public Legal Education Materials
Volunteers will also be responsible for creating public legal education tools such as informational brochures, FAQ sheets, workshops and online content that explain Palestinian rights under Canadian and international law. They will tailor these materials to diverse audiences, ensuring clarity and accessibility for the general public. These materials will target assisting Palestinian Canadians, with the goal of increasing awareness of Palestinian legal challenges and rights under Canadian law. The PLE resources' main goal is to guide individuals and communities on legal recourses available to them specifically in relation to labor rights, privacy protections, and pathways to legal recourse for discrimination. Other PLE topics as identified by the Centre and the student can be explored as well. The final output of the PLE (whether a brochure, FAQ sheet, workshop or otherwise identified online content) will be determined by the student volunteer and Centre as they identify the substance of the PLE and determine which output would be best suited for the PLE tool(s).
By the end of the project, volunteers are expected to complete one or two of the major deliverables as outlined above depending on the depth and parameters of the work identified for the year. The final outputs will be incorporated into the Centre’s broader litigation strategy and public education outreach. Students and the Centre will identify a mutually agreeable workplan at the beginning of the semester that outlines what specific deliverables are to be completed for the year.
Role of Supervising Lawyer(s): The supervising lawyer outlines specific research tasks relating not only to international, but domestic and local legal efforts to support Palestinians that align with the Centre's goals and ensures they meet legal standards. They guide the student volunteers through the research process, helping resolve issues and clarifying complex legal concepts. Upon completion, the lawyer reviews all outputs, such as research memos and reports, providing detailed feedback to enhance the quality and accuracy of the work, while also fostering the professional development of the volunteers. The lawyer supervisor will review and approve all documents that are used by the Organization.
Type of Law: Various, including, constitutional law, international law and a diverse range of domestic law across different provinces.
Main Project Deliverable: Creating produced content (e.g. research memos, brochures, podcasts, etc.)
Number of Student Placements: 3 students
Hours per week the student volunteer(s) will be expected to work: 3-5 hours/week
Regular shifts or a flexible schedule: Flexible
Is there a workspace provided for the student at the Organization: No
Devices and technologies the students will be required to have: Computer with internet access; Zoom; Common applications such as Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF, etc.
Is there an expectation for the student(s) to be bilingual: No
Law School Pre-Requisites: N/A
Other Requirements or Expectations: N/A