Following the announcement earlier this summer of an investment of $100,000 in new practical learning placements for students at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law, the Government of Saskatchewan is pleased to announce that students will begin placements as early as this week in Prince Albert, Melfort, Moose Jaw and North Battleford.
So far, five students have been accepted to spend a semester for credit at Public Prosecutions and Legal Aid offices across the province. Of the five, two students will be placed with Legal Aid offices in Moose Jaw and Prince Albert in the fall semester, and three students will be placed in the North Battleford Legal Aid Office, North Battleford Public Prosecutions office and Melfort Public Prosecutions office in the winter semester.
"Our hope is that by working with the College of Law and expanding the range of practical work placements for credit, we will attract the best and brightest graduates to Public Prosecutions, Legal Aid, and the Ministry of Justice," Justice Minister and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre said. "This new, diverse range of placements will promote legal careers in the public sector, including in rural Saskatchewan, improve access to justice and build important professional capacity for the future."
This learning externship is a new partnership between the Ministry of Justice, Public Prosecutions, Legal Aid Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan's College of Law. The program offers second and third-year law students the chance to gain first-hand experience by applying their legal studies to real-world scenarios in public sector law offices, including the Ministry of Justice, in both rural and urban settings.
During the announced term placements, students will have a mentor in the practices of either family or criminal law. They will live in these respective communities, learn and practice legal advocacy skills, research real world legal issues, review disclosure and prepare legal documents. They will also have the opportunity to participate in meetings with clients and attend court appearances and trials, judicial case conferences and mediation sessions.
"Legal Aid Saskatchewan (LAS) is extremely pleased with the initial response to the Rural and Regional Externship program offering with the College of Law," Legal Aid Saskatchewan CEO Jayne Mallin said. "This opportunity allows us to expand our student programs. We believe that exposure to our organization, the collegial and supportive working environment in our rural offices, along with the experience of practice in rural and remote communities, will create a keen interest in students seeing LAS as an exciting and rewarding place to practice."
"The College of Law is grateful for the support of our partners on this program, which presents our students with the opportunity to learn about key areas of the law from experienced lawyers in practice settings across the province," University of Saskatchewan College of Law Dean Martin Phillipson said. "The program enriches their legal education by exposing them to the work of public sector law offices, the courts, and the needs of clients while also providing valuable insights into the practice of law in smaller cities and rural regions in Saskatchewan."
Applications for next semester's placements are open until November 18, 2024, to second- and third-year law students at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law. Please find more information about the program online at Experiential Education - College of Law | University of Saskatchewan (usask.ca).
