The LAWS program has been featured regularly in the news media. The following is an archive of select news stories about the program that are publicly accessible. (For more information about the LAWS program, see its website, www.lawinaction.ca).
- May 10, 2012: LAWS alumni will be given priority to new Law School Prep Program
- September 21, 2011: InsideToronto - "Teens invited to take law into their own hands"
- September 20, 2011: LAWS Partnership Launch at C. W. Jefferys
- February 22, 2011: The Toronto Star - "At-risk students learn about the law"
- November 24, 2010: LAWS hosts Third Annual Justice Conference for Aboriginal Youth
- May 31, 2010: LAWS program celebrates five years of putting at-risk students at the 'head of the class'
- May 3, 2010: Canadian Lawyer - Program lets articling students `give back’
- February 14, 2010: Nexus - "A two-way street"
- January 2009: LAWS students who received bursaries featured in AJPO newsletter
- December 2, 2008: The Verdict is In: LAWS Program Mock Trial a Success
- May 26, 2008: Law Times (Aurora) - Lawyers mentor 24 inner-city high school students"
- February 18, 2008: U of T Law featured in Globe and Mail "Report on Law Schools"
- July 15, 2007: Toronto District School Board - "Court Experience Program Celebrated"
- December 6, 2006: The Annex Gleaner - "Learning LAWS"
- September 27, 2006: LAWS Court Experience initiative featured on CBC Radio (listen to webcast)
- September 7, 2006: The Toronto Star - "Inner-city students learn legal ropes"
- August 29, 2006: LAWS featured on OMNI TV
- April 28, 2006: Canada's First Law-and-Justice-Themed High School Program Launched
LAWS alumni will be given priority to new Law School Prep Program
An article featured in the May 10, 2012 edition of The Toronto Star described the new University of Toronto Faculty of Law Law School Prep Program. Students from low-income families with aspirations to go to law school will be able to enroll for free. Alumni from the LAWS program will be given priority.
Read the full article (PDF)
InsideToronto - "Teens invited to take law into their own hands"
On September 21, 2011 InsideToronto.com featured an article about the LAWS partnership launch at C.W. Jefferys. LAWS announced a partnership with York University's Osgoode Hall Law School on Tuesday, Sept. 20 allowing the initiative to expand to include high schools in low-income neighbourhoods.
Read the full article (PDF)
LAWS Partnership Launch at C. W. Jefferys
In 2011, LAWS its partnership to include Osgoode Hall Law School at York University, and added two LAWS partner high schools in Osgoode’s neighbourhood, C W Jefferys Collegiate Institute and Westview Centennial Secondary School. On September 20, 2011 announced the partnership launch at C. W. Jefferys.
Link to video (YouTube)
The Toronto Star - "At-risk students learn about the law"
The February 22, 2011 issue of The Toronto Star featured a story that described the exceptional benefits of LAWS. "As it turns out, the teens involved have been more likely to attend classes and be engaged in school, earn higher grades and go on to post-secondary studies," the article stated.
Read the full article (PDF)
LAWS hosts Third Annual Justice Conference for Aboriginal Youth
Stephen Augustine, Curator of Ethnology, Eastern Maritime at The Museum of Civilization with Amanda Carling, 2L, in the Faculty Lounge, holding the replica Wampum belt created by Mr. Augustine following his session on the traditional use of Wampum.
On November 24, 2010, the LAWS Program hosted their Third Annual Justice Conference for Aboriginal Youth, in partnership with First Nations House at the University of Toronto.
The day was filled with informative sessions on the traditional and legal uses of Wampum belts, and featured a rousing and passionate session with U of T Law alumna and current SJD student, Dawnis Kennedy. The high school students also learned about the various justice sector careers available to them through a Career Carousel, featuring lawyers, a case worker and a police officer.
Aboriginal high school students and students from the Faculty of Law heading to lunch at First Nations House at the Justice Conference for Aboriginal Youth
LAWS program celebrates five years of putting at-risk students at the 'head of the class'
(May 31, 2010). Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS), the mentorship program matching University of Toronto law students with marginalized teens in downtown Toronto high schools, is celebrating five years of successfully improving the school attendance, grades, engagement and future outlook of its participants.
Kate MacDonald tutors Matthew Lee during an afterschool LAWS tutoring session at Harbord Collegiate Institute
LAWS is a partnership between the Faculty of Law and the Toronto District School Board, specifically with Central Technical School, Harbord Collegiate Institute, and since 2008, Monarch Park Collegiate. The program uses law-themed education and real-world experiences to provide students with the skills, knowledge and confidence to succeed in school, and meaningfully consider post-secondary education.
LAWS was evaluated annually at CTS and HCI by the Toronto District School Board since its launch in fall 2005, and the outstanding results are in:
- Impact on attendance: Since Year 1, CTS LAWS students have missed approximately 30 per cent fewer days, or 8-9 fewer days of school than other students at CTS in similar grades
- Impact on grades: Students were increasingly more successful in their LAWS courses in each successive year, earning higher proportions of their LAWS credits, and obtaining higher-than-average grades than in the previous year. For each of the courses adapted for LAWS in Grades 10-12, the average marks of LAWS students exceeded those of other students in parallel courses.
- Impact on post-secondary education outlook: The proportion of LAWS students that enrolled in post-secondary institutions in Ontario was 74 per cent, exceeding the total of the CTS student body at 49 per cent, and the total of the TDSB at 58 per cent.
- Impact on attitudes: The majority of LAWS students rated their experiences as good or excellent - 87 per cent at CTS and 86 per cent at HCI. Students indicated LAWS had a great impact on their hope for future success, their analytical skills, ability for teamwork, public speaking and presentation skills.
Volunteer law students and law professors, and members of the justice sector deliver interactive classroom workshops on legal issues. Other activities include tutoring programs, visits to law-related workplaces and post-secondary institutions, job shadowing in courthouses, law firm mentoring programs, paid summer jobs in the justice sector, and networking with a variety of law-related professionals at career fairs.
"U of T Faculty of Law has a proud tradition of working closely with our local community to create positive social change," says Alexis Archbold, LAWS' first program director. "The LAWS program is a wonderful example of the impact of collaborating with high schools to encourage students from traditionally marginalized groups to consider careers in law and to pursue university education."
The third graduation ceremony for CTS students participating in the LAWS program will take place on June 4, 2010 at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.
"This year's graduating LAWS class is made up of talented and engaged students from very diverse backgrounds, many of whom are going on to university and college as the first members of their families to pursue post- secondary education" says Sarah Pole, the current LAWS director.
Canadian Lawyer - Program lets articling students `give back’
The LAWS Law Firm Mentoring Program was featured in Canadian Lawyer on May 3, 2010. The article describes Torys LLP officially becoming part of the program, working specifically with students from Harbord Collegiate Institute.
Link to original article
Nexus - "A two-way street"
An article published in Nexus Magazine on February 14, 2010 describes the on-going mentorship relationship between Harris Quach, a LAWS alumnus, and Eric Spindler, a partner of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP.
Read the full article (PDF)
LAWS students who received bursaries featured in AJPO newsletter
In December 2008, the Toronto Region of the Association of Justices of the Peace awarded bursaries to five LAWS students who participated in the Court Experience Program. The students and the award ceremony were featured in the January 2009 issue of the AJPO newsletter "In Brief" (PDF).
The Verdict is In: LAWS Program Mock Trial a Success
LAWS high school students in the midst of a mock trial at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law
High school participants in the LAWS program had a chance to show off their legal acumen in a mock trial held at the Faculty of Law last week (Nov. 28, 2008). Dressed for courtroom success in their legal robes and collars, and armed with notes and copious research, the students passionately argued their cases in front of presiding Judge (Professor) Simon Stern. The trial concerned a fictional case tailored to focus students on specific legal arguments about intoxication, self defense and the elements of an offense. In the coming weeks, students will be 'viewing the crime scene', and interviewing 'witnesses'.
"I love the CSI elements of the program," says Ally Lee, 15 and a Harbord Collegiate student. "It's been really exciting to learn about the law, and I also enjoy talking about the trials. Getting help from my tutors with homework is also a really important part of the program," she adds.
The LAWS program is a partnership between the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and the Toronto District School Board to deliver a three-year academic and extra-curricular program that teaches young people about the law and supports them to succeed in school. Each year, LAWS serves over 350 grade 10, 11, and 12 students attending inner-city high schools. The 27 students who participated in the mock trial are members of the LAWS Harbord Mock Trial Club, which was created and is run by upper-year law students.
Alexandra Raposo, 15, also from Harbord Collegiate says that she really enjoys the LAWS program and loves the challenge of trying to 'find a hole' in a person's defense. "The program has taught us so many interesting things like about mens rea and how to build a good defense. It was also really great working with our tutors and coaches to build our opening statements and learn how to cross-examine a witness," she says.
LAWS interim acting director Greg Sitch says that the LAWS Harbord Mock Trial Club was a huge success. "The Harbord students developed and argued the kinds of complicated criminal cases that are taught in the first year of law school, and they did it well. The club is yet another excellent example of the kind of student leadership that the LAWS program encourages both for high school students and for the law students who ran the club," he says. The mock trials and debates, he adds, also help students develop public speaking, critical thinking, literacy, and teamwork skills. "These are all important skills to have as they move on to university," he adds.
Since the program's launch four years ago, 60 per cent of the participating students went on to pursue post-secondary education. The remaining students opted to move on to Grade 13, but are expected to continue to university the following year. Currently, six of the students that went through the LAWS program are studying at U of T.
Another added benefit of the program is giving students the confidence to think about attending law school some day. "My uncle is a lawyer, so I'm familiar with the subjects, but the LAWS program has definitely been another reason to consider a career in law," says 15-year-old Aman Soin, who especially enjoyed the intellectual challenge of preparing for a trial including the practice runs. "My parents are excited and proud about me participating in this program."
Law Times (Aurora) - Lawyers mentor 24 inner-city high school students"
The LAWS Law Firm Mentoring Program was featured in the Law Times (Aurora) on May 26, 2008. The article describes Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP's participation in the program.
Read the full article (PDF)
U of T Law featured in Globe and Mail "Report on Law Schools"
LAWS was featured in the February 28, 2008 issue of the Globe and Mail. The article highlights the exceptional work of law student volunteers as well as the immediate and long-term benefits of volunteering for the program. The story quotes LAWS director Alexis Archbold,
"The [law] students' work involves a hugely diverse community that faces a variety of issues," says Alexis Archbold, director of the LAWS program. "As a result of being exposed to a cross-section of the community in Toronto ... they learn how to communicate across cultural differences and they gain an understanding of the issues these communities face. This can only help law students as future lawyers."
Read the full article (PDF)
Toronto District School Board - "Court Experience Program Celebrated"
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) published a story on its website about the reception held on June 5, 2007 at the Old City Hall court house to celebrate the successful first year of the LAWS Court Experience Program.
Link to original article
The Annex Gleaner - "Learning LAWS"
The Annex Gleaner has published a story describing the LAWS program and quoting teachers and students who are participating in the program ("Learning LAWS: U of T and TDSB partner to benefit Annex students," December 6, 2006).
Read the full article (PDF). Reprinted courtesy of the Annex Gleaner.
LAWS Court Experience initiative featured on CBC Radio (listen to webcast)
The Faculty's "LAWS Program" was featured on the CBC Radio Metro Morning Show hosted by Andy Barrie on Wednesday September 27, 2006. High school student Tristan Narro and Justice of the Peace His Worship Mark Conacher discussed their experience with the LAWS Court Experience initiative.
His Worship Mark Conacher worked with LAWS program Director Alexis Archbold to establish this innovative Court program that allows inner city students learn first hand how our justice system works. The program has expanded significantly this year to allow more than 60 students to spend a day job shadowing a Judge, Justice of the Peace, Crown Attorney, or Duty Counsel.
Listen to the interview from the CBC website (MP3 format).
Toronto Star - "Inner-city students learn legal ropes"
The LAWS summer placement program was featured in an article in the Toronto Star, including interviews with several grade 10 students in the program ("Inner-city students learn legal ropes," September 7, 2006).
Read the full article (PDF)
LAWS featured on OMNI TV
The LAWS Summer Job Program for Inner-City Students was featured on Omni Television on August 29, 2006.
The segment includes interviews with LAWS Coordinator Alexis Archbold, student Laxman Gnanendren, and employer and alumnus David Chong (’79).
The feature can be viewed online, in a choice of formats:
Canada's First Law-and-Justice-Themed High School Program Launched
The University of Toronto, Faculty of Law and the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) launched Canada's first law-and-justice-themed high school program on April 28, to be implemented this fall in two downtown high schools - Central Technical School and Harbord Collegiate Institute.
Approximately 1,000 students, teachers, principals, and members of the law school community celebrated the launch of the "LAWS" program (Law in Action Within Schools) at Central Tech.
Prof. Frank Iacobucci, Dean Ron Daniels and alumnus Cornell Wright at the launch of the LAWS program at Central Technical School
Among other initiatives, University of Toronto Faculty of Law students will mentor students at the two high schools as part of the LAWS program.
The LAWS program is expected to increase high school completion rates among students and encourage them to go on to college or university. Many of the high school students participating in the LAWS program are from diverse backgrounds and opportunities, and will be the first in their families to have an opportunity to consider a higher education.
"Our goal is to use the law to engage high school students, to help develop their reasoning and literacy skills and, most important, to transform their sense of what is possible for their futures", says U of T Law Dean, Ron Daniels. Dean Daniels initiated the LAWS project.
The event was covered in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Law Times, The Lawyers Weekly, Ming Pao Daily News, The Annex Guardian and the Annex Gleaner, as well as CBC Radio's Here and Now.
