PBSC 2004: John Norquay

Refugee Law Office of Legal Aid Ontario

My summer at the Refugee Law Office of Legal Aid Ontario has virtually cemented my intention to work in refugee and immigration law.  My clients had tremendously varying backgrounds -- from those fleeing outright war, to those escaping from situations of domestic violence or state-sponsored homophobia.  This variety really brought to light for me the current realities of refugee protection and the forces that motivate individuals to leave their countries of origin.  This, combined with other factors such as the constitional dimensions and administrative law aspects of immigration law, the critical role played by counsel in a refugee proceeding, and the friendliness of the refugee bar, make this career choice irresistible.

I had the opportunity to get my feet wet in virtually every area of a refugee practice, including representation and refugee hearings and preparing memoranda for judicial reviews in Federal Court.  The four staff lawyers at the clinic all participated in my mentorship, which was great in giving me a diversity of styles to learn from.  On a personal level, I was fortunate to have the benefit of an incredibly friendly and warm group of people to work with, which made my experience that much more rewarding.

In August I was privileged to have the opportunity to call the first client I did an intake for in May to tell him that he had been accepted by the Immigration and Refugee Board as a Convention Refugee after my attendance with him at a hearing.  It was the perfect way to end my summer.