Articling Student, Innocence Project

Job Category

Job Profile

Job Title

Department

Compensation Range

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Organizational Status

The UBC Innocence Project (the Project) at the Peter A. Allard School of Law engages the talents and enthusiasm of a selected group of law students to review claims of wrongful conviction in British Columbia. This work is completed free of charge but students receive course credit for their work. The goals of the Project are to: investigate claims of wrongful conviction; identify potential miscarriages of justice; assist in securing the release of individuals who have been wrongly convicted; educate law students about the causes of wrongful conviction; educate law students about the proper roles of professionals in the criminal justice system; and provide skills training for law students conducting post-conviction review work.

The Project is recruiting an Articling Student for 2027-28. The position length is 12 months.

Job Summary

The Articling Student reports to the Project Director. The Articling Studentwill work on client matters under the supervision of the Project’s Director and the Project’s supervising lawyers. The Articling Student will also support the work of and interact with up to 15 law students, volunteers and affiliates as required.

Work Performed

LEGAL CLIENT SERVICES

• Explain the function of the Project to people who contact the clinic by telephone or walk in;
• Draft legal memoranda to support the casework;
• Interview potential clients by phone or in person;
• Review client application forms with the Director to assist in determining whether the Project can offer assistance and the scope of work that will be involved;
• Research, review, and organize client information, disclosure documents and other file information;
• Draft correspondence to Project applicants, experts and lawyers working on the file.

LEGAL RESEARCH and WRITING

• Compile legal research on Project files by researching appropriate case law and legislation;
• Prepare draft submissions and research memoranda on cases and issues relating to wrongful conviction;
• Review disclosure from police and crown when provided.

DOCUMENT PREPARATION

• Prepare legal documents including, but not limited to affidavits and 696.1 Applications under the Criminal Code;
• Prepare documents for court including, but not limited to, written submissions, trial books, books of authorities, and books of evidence;
• Prepare and deliver correspondence on client matters.

ADVOCACY and COURT WORK

• Provide legal services for clients on all matters related to their post-conviction review application under the direct supervision of the Project’s director and supervising lawyers.

Applications should be submitted through the UBC Careers Page and must include:

• Cover letter (may be addressed toTamara Levy, KC, Director, UBC Innocence Project)
• Resume
• law school transcripts

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Errors in judgments during the intake process could result in the client being without legal representation. Failure to report errors could result in the client not receiving adequate representation. Failure to be sensitive to Indigenous issues and culture could result in alienation of clients or students and of the Indigenous community, resulting in loss of credibility of program.

Supervision Received

UBC Innocence Project Director and supervising lawyers.

Supervision Given

None.

Minimum Qualifications

The successful candidate must have completed a Canadian J.D. or LL.B. degree or obtained a Certificate of Qualification from the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) and must be eligible to enroll as an articled student with the Law Society of British Columbia.

• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.
• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Superior research and writing skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to communicate and relate to different cultures and their communities.
• Ability to work independently, handling multiple, simultaneous tasks, prioritizing and meeting deadlines effectively.
• Ability to work in a team environment and to take instructions.
• Ability to use own initiative and make independent decisions.
• Ability to draft routine correspondence. Ability to organize workload, identify urgent work items, and set priorities.
• Ability to cope with a heavy workload.
• Ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to deal with distressed, demanding and/or hostile clients.
• Ability to work effectively with people from a wide range of demographics including prisoners, those with low incomes, physical/emotional disabilities, limited literacy, or otherwise disadvantaged.
• Ability to exercise empathy and to assist disadvantaged clients, including those with mental disabilities, those with low income, or those whose first language is not English.
• Ability to exercise a high level of professionalism.