Legal Aid Ontario and Lakehead University launch first-of-its-kind legal aid course for law students

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) and Lakehead University’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law have launched an innovative new course that introduces law students to Ontario’s legal aid system and the important role it plays in the justice system.

Offered during the fall 2026 term, Access to Justice and Legal Aid in Ontario: Equity, Reconciliation, and the Future of Legal Practice is the first course of its kind in Ontario. The course provides students with a deeper understanding of how legal aid services support people facing barriers to accessing legal help and explores the role lawyers play in delivering those services across the province.

The course examines Ontario’s legal aid system, including certificate services, community legal clinics, student legal services organizations and Indigenous legal services organizations. Students explore how these programs help address geographic, socioeconomic, systemic and cultural barriers to justice.

The course is taught by Lisa Bernstein, Director, External Relations, and Fallon Melander, Associate Vice President, Indigenous Services, and is delivered through a combination of in-person and virtual classes.

“Legal aid plays a critical role in helping people access justice, yet many law students have limited exposure to how the system works and the impact it has on communities across Ontario,” says Ms. Bernstein. “Through this course, students will gain a deeper understanding of legal aid service delivery, the importance of public service, and the opportunities legal professionals have to advance access to justice.”

“We are proud to partner with Lakehead University to help prepare future lawyers to serve clients with compassion, cultural awareness and a commitment to equitable outcomes,” says to Ms. Melander.

A key component of the course is LAO’s Indigenous Services division, the first dedicated Indigenous services division within a Canadian legal aid plan. Students learn how legal service delivery can support reconciliation through relationship-based approaches that emphasize respect, reciprocity, cultural safety and collaboration with Indigenous communities.

Through case studies, policy analysis, guest lectures and experiential learning opportunities, students gain practical insights into legal aid service delivery. Guest speakers include Legal Aid Ontario leaders, Indigenous legal professionals, members of the judiciary and other justice sector experts.

“This course dovetails beautifully with the work of our Lakehead University Community Legal Clinic, offering students a unique opportunity to learn about an area of legal practice that directly impacts access to justice and public service,” says Dr. Elizabeth Birmingham, Interim Dean of the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law. “We hope it inspires future lawyers to consider careers that support underserved communities across Ontario.”

The course is designed to help future lawyers understand legal aid as a cornerstone of a fair and accessible justice system, while encouraging them to consider how their future practice can advance access to justice, equity and reconciliation.