How law students and faculty are challenging the status quo

In recent years, there has been a global effort to rethink oppressive, racist systems and find ways to make these systems more fair. The legal system is no exception.

At the Lincoln Alexander School of Law, the aim is to train lawyers who will advocate for reforms and expand the reach of justice for marginalized groups. The school is working on creating a new kind of lawyer - leaders with a passion for social justice and equipped with the technological and entrepreneurial skills to transform the delivery of legal services. 

“For decades we have been hearing stories about how minority groups have been excluded from the legal sector,” says Shaun Shepherd, a first year law student at the law school. “The law school has cracked the code and not only attracted a diverse group of students but also administrators. The fact that the law school is named after Lincoln Alexander, a trailblazer in his own right, is a sign of the direction it wants to go."

Examining the legal system critically

The law school’s focus on diversity and inclusion attracted Shepherd, who notes that the school is tackling systemic problems that have been active in the legal space for decades. 

Shepherd says that having tough conversations and applying a critical lens in the classroom setting has been incredibly important. When he leaves the academic space, he will be armed with the tools to allow him to participate in the law, push the envelope, and help enact change in the system.

Something that stands out for Shepherd is how the professors encourage students to take a critical approach to learning and examine the systemic biases in the Canadian justice system.

Open classroom discussions

One such professor is Joshua Sealy-Harrington who curates a specific kind of space in the classroom that allows for open discussion, encouraging different perspectives to foster an environment where students can have difficult conversations about contentious issues.

“I want students to feel comfortable, but also challenged,” says Sealy-Harrington. “It is important for them to experience a rigorous examination of their thoughts and perspectives and I encourage them to reflect on their preconceived notions of law and legal institutions. I want them to learn about different perspectives so that they are informed about the meaningful choices they will eventually make.”

Diversity challenges permeate every industry 

Léonicka Valcius, also a first-year law student, appreciates that professors challenge the students to interrogate the legal system and learn how it can be oppressive. 

Valcius’s work as a literary agent at Transatlantic Agency, representing books by writers of colour in the commercial and genre fiction space, inspired her to pursue a legal education. She decided to shift her career in a new direction to get a better understanding of her clients’ rights and how she can better serve them. Valcius sees how artists of colour are often exploited in the negotiating process and hopes to help them get the appropriate compensation for their work. 

“I don’t think the legal or publishing sectors are unique in the diversity challenges that they experience. We live in a society that is anti-Indigenous and anti-Black and these factors permeate every industry,” says Valcius. 

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