Click here to download the SJAN Careers Guide
SJAN’s Unofficial Guide to Social Justice in Private Practice
This list was completed by the UBC Law Social Justice Action Network Careers Sub-Committee, November, 2013
Welcome to the first SJAN Careers Guide!
This is a list of law firms that SJAN members have identified as firms with a social justice oriented practice, or law firms that incorporate social justice values into their practice.
This is an unofficial guide! It is not made by UBC, nor is it part of any publicity project of the law firms involved. It is the product of a few SJAN members lengthy career search. As we all went through the process of snooping through websites, making phone calls and going for coffee dates in an attempt to find the perfect social justice job, we realized that it was time to put our heads together. Eventually, a group of SJAN members divided up the UBC Law Small Firm guide and investigated every firm to see if they had the kind of practice that a social justice oriented student would be interested in.
The following is a list of firms that we chose. We realize this is subjective and may have missed a few good law firms. Nonetheless, we hope it provides a good launching off point for your career search.
Comments or Questions?
Contact SJAN at sjan.ubclaw@gmail.com
Aboriginal Law
This list only includes law firms that practice on the Aboriginal side. Many also practice environmental law.
Firm: McDonald & Co
Website: www.mcdonaldandco.com
Contact: 604-267-7990
City: Vancouver
Firm: Ratcliffe & Co
Website: www.ratcliffe.com
Contact: admin@ratcliffe.com
City: North Vancouver
Hires students: Sometimes – http://www.ratcliff.com/employment.htm
Firm: Mandell Pinder
Website: www.mandellpinder.com
Contact: info@mandellpinder.com
City: Vancover
Hires students: Sometimes
Firm: Olthuis Kleer Townshend
Website: http://www.oktlaw.com
Contact: tmckenna@oktlaw.com
City: Toronto
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: JFK Law Corporation
Website: www.jfklaw.ca
Contact: 604 687.0549
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Sometimes – http://www.jfklaw.ca/employment.php
Firm: Peter Grant & Associates
Website: www.grantnativelaw.com
Contact: admin@grantnativelaw.com
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Has hired articling students
Firm: Rosenberg & Rosenberg
Website: www.rosenberglaw.ca
Contact: reception@rosenberglaw.ca
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Not sure
Firm: Underhill, Bois, Parker
Website: www.upblaw.ca
Contact: 604-696-9828
City: Vancouver & Victoria
Hires Students: Sometimes
Firm: Ng Ariss Fong
Website: www.ngariss.com
Contact: general@ngariss.com
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Has in the past.
Firm: Arbutus Law Group LLP
Website: www.arbutuslaw.ca
Contact: Vancouver: P: 778-230-7732
Victoria: 778-410-5188
Toronto: 239-637-9811
City: Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto
Hire Students: Not Sure
Firm: Paper, Salter Teillet
Website: www.pstlaw.ca
Contact: 604 681 3002
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not Sure
Firm: Fast & Corcoran
Website: www.nativelaw.com
Contact: 604-261-4529
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Animal Law
This list includes firms that advocate for animal rights
Firm: Boughton Law
Website: http://www.boughtonlaw.com/
Contact: (604) 687-6789, info@boughtonlaw.com
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Yes http://www.boughtonlaw.com/careers/lawyer-careers/
Constitutional Law
Firm: Arvay Finlay
Website: www.arvayfinlay.com
Contact: 604-689-4421
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Sometimes: http://www.arvayfinlay.com/opportunities.htm
Firm: Underhill, Bois, Parker
Website: www.upblaw.ca
Contact: 604-696-9828
City: Vancouver & Victoria
Hires Students: Sometimes
Firm: Sack Goldblatt Mitchell
Website: http://www.sgmlaw.com/en/
Contact: 416-977-6070
City: Toronto, Ottawa****
Hires Students: Yes: http://www.sgmlaw.com/en/Careers/
Criminal Defence Law
Firm: Peck & Company
Website: www.peckandcompany.com
Contact: hmoore@peckandcompany
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Sometimes – http://www.peckandcompany.ca/careers/
Firm: D Gossal & Associates
Website: www.gossallaw.com
Contact: WABClawyers@aol.com
City: Surrey, Vancouver
Hires students: Not sure
Firm: Affleck, Hira, Burgoyne LLP
Website: www.ahb-law.com
Contact: 604-800-8020
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Not sure
Firm: Hopkins Law
Website: www.hopkinslaw.com
Contact: david@hopkinslaw.com
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Has in the pas
Firm: Mickelson & Company Law Corporation
Website: www.criminallawyervancouver.com
Contact: 604-688-8588
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Have in the past
Firm: Mines & Co
Website: www.mineslaw.com
Contact: 604-484-1940
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Not sure
Firm: Mitch Foster Law
Website: www.mitchfoster.com
Contact: 604-687-4288
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Not sure
Firm: Orris Law Corp
Website: www.orrislawcorp.com
Contact: glen@orrislawcorp.com
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Sometimes – http://www.orrislawcorp.com/articling.html
Firm: Meyers, Wadell, McMurdo & Karp
Website: None
Contact: 604-688-8331
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Hires articling students
Firm: Stuart Lien Law Corporation
Website: www.leinlawcorp.com
Contact: 604-684-7517
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Not sure
Firm: Conroy and Company
Website: http://www.johnconroy.com
Contact: office@johnconroy.com
City: Abbotsford
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Rishi Gill
Website: www.rishigill.com
Contact: 604 899 1436
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Hartney & Company
Website: www.hartneyandcompany.com
Contact: 604-331-9977
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Environmental Law
This list only includes firms that practice on the side of environment.
Firm: Ratcliffe & Co
Website: www.ratcliffe.com
Contact: admin@ratcliffe.com
City: North Vancouver
Hires students: Sometimes – http://www.ratcliff.com/employment.htm
Firm: Underhill, Bois, Parker
Website: www.upblaw.ca
Contact: 604-696-9828
City: Vancouver & Victoria
Hires Students: Sometimes
Firm: JFK Law Corporation
Website: www.jfklaw.ca
Contact: 604 687.0549
City: Vancouver
Hires students: Sometimes – http://www.jfklaw.ca/employment.php
Firm: Houlihan & Associates
Website: www.envirolegal.ca
Contact: phoulihan@envirolegal.ca
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Ng Ariss Fong
Website: www.ngariss.com
Contact: general@ngariss.com
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Has in the past.
Firm: Olthuis Kleer Townshend
Website: http://www.oktlaw.com
Contact: tmckenna@oktlaw.com
City: Toronto
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Red Cedar Law
Website: www.redcedarlaw.com
Contact: 778 228 2992
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not Sure
Note: Civil (Police assaults, Human Rights and Charter Challenges, and Judicial Reviews), Environmental
Family Law
This list includes family law firms with a feminist or social justice focus
Firm: Megan Ellis & Company
Website: www.ellisandcompany.ca
Contact: info@ellisandcompany.ca
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Agnes Huang Law
Website: www.agneshuanglaw.com
Contact: agnes@agneshuanglaw.om
City:Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: MacLean Family Law Group
Website: www.bcfamilylaw.ca
Contact: 604-602-9000
City: Vancouver, Surrey, Fort St John, Kelowna
Hires Students: Yes
Notes: Has a same-sex family practice
Feminist Law Firms
This list includes firms that integrate women’s equality as a central part of their practice
Firm: Conkie & Company
Website: www.conkie-law.ca
Contact: jconkie@conkie-law.ca
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Lovett & Westmacott
Website: www.lw-law.ca
Contact: 604-684-9221
City: Vancouver & Victoria
Hires Students: Has hired research assistant
Firm: Agnes Huang Law
Website: www.agneshuanglaw.com
Contact: agnes@agneshuanglaw.om
City:Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Ethos Law
Website: www.ethoslaw.ca
Contact: 604-569-3022
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Anita Braha
Website: www.wanitabraha.com
Contact: wabraha@telus.net
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Megan Ellis & Company
Website: www.ellisandcompany.ca
Contact: info@ellisandcompany.ca
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Galldin Robertson
Website: www.galldinrobertson.ca
Contact: info@galldinrobertson.ca
City: Ottawa****
Hires Students: Has hired students unpaid
Human Rights
This section only includes firms that practice complainant side human rights law.
Firm: Caroline & Gislason
Website: http://www.carolinelaw.ca
Contact: 1-604-633-1880
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Ng Ariss Fong
Website: http://www.ngariss.com/v2/areas.htm
Contact: general@ngariss.com
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Has in the past
Firm: Champ & Associates
Website: www.champlaw.ca
Contact: 1-613-237-4740
City: Ottawa ****
Hires Students: Yes
Firm: Galldin Robertson
Website: http://galldinrobertson.ca
Contact: info@galldinrobertson.ca
City: Ottawa
Hires Students: Sometimes unpaid summer students
Firm: Ethos Law
Website: www.ethoslaw.ca
Contact: 604-569-3022
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Moore Edgar Lyster
Website: http://www.unionlawyers.com
Contact: 604-689-4457
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Sometimes
Firm: Koskie Glavin Gordon
Website: http://www.koskieglavin.com
Contact: 604-734-8001
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Hires articling students
Immigration and Refugee Law
Firm: Lorne Waldman & Associates
Website: http://www.lornewaldman.ca
Contact: 416-482-6501
City: Toronto****
Hires Students: Unsure
Firm: Jackman, Nazami & Associates
Website: http://www.bjackman.com/immigration-lawyers/barbara-jackman
Contact: 416-653-9964
City: Toronto****
Hires Students: Sometimes
Firm: Elgin Cannon & Associates
Website: http://www.elgincannon.com/services.html
Contact: 604-683-5959
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Naomi Minwalla Law Corporation
Website: http://www.naomiminwalla.com
Contact: naomi@naomiminwalla.com
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Sometimes
Firm: Maynard Kischer Stojicevic
Website: http://vancouverlaw.ca
Contact: 604-632-0188
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Sometimes
Firm: Suleman & Co
Website: www.sulemanco.com
Contact: 604-685-8472
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not Sure
Firm: Kang & Company
Website: http://www.kanglawyers.com/
Contact: reception@kanglawyers.com
City: Surrey, Calgary, Montreal,
Hires Students: Not Sure
Note: Also practices family and criminal law
Labour and Employment
This list only includes firms that practice on the union or employee side.
Firm: Caroline & Gislason
Website: http://www.carolinelaw.ca
Contact: 1-604-633-1880
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Rush Crane Guenther
Website: www.rushcraneguenther.com
Contact: 604-687-5611
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Have had articling students
Firm: Hastings Labour Law Office
Website: www.labourlawoffice.com
Contact: 604-632-9644; reception@hllo.ca
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Sometimes
Firm: Black Gropper
Website: www.blackgropper.com
Contact: (604) 632-9940
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Sometimes
Firm: Bannister & Co
Website: http://banisterlaw.com
Contact: 604-662-7276
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Ursel Phillips Fellows Hopkinson
Website: http://www.upfhlaw.ca
Contact: 416-968-3333
City: Toronto****
Hires Students: Shared articles with Canadian Auto Workers
Firm: Cavaluzzo Hayes
Website: http://www.cavalluzzo.com
Contact: 416-964-1115; contactus@cavalluzzo.com
City: Toronto
Hires Students: Yes: http://www.cavalluzzo.com/Student-Programme.aspx#menu
Firm: Koskie Glavin Gordon
Website: http://www.koskieglavin.com
Contact: 604-734-8001
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Sack Goldblatt Mitchell
Website: http://www.sgmlaw.com/en/
Contact: 416-977-6070
City: Toronto, Ottawa****
Hires Students: Yes: http://www.sgmlaw.com/en/Careers/
Firm: Victory Square
Website: http://vslo.ca/index.html
Contact: 604-684-8421
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Yes
Firm: Moore Edgar Lyster
Website: http://www.unionlawyers.com
Contact: 604-689-4457
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Sometimes
Firm: McGrady & Co
Website: http://www.mbwlaw.ca
Contact: 604-734-7003; info@mcgradylaw.ca
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Sometimes
Firm: Hamilton, Howell, Bain & Gould
Website: http://www.hhbg.ca
Contact: 604-696-0556
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Shortt & Arsenault
Website: None
Contact: 604 669 4447
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Sometimes
Queer Rights Advocacy
Firm: Smith & Hughes
Website: www.smith-hughes.com
Contact: 604 683 4176
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not Sure
Firm: Arvay Finlay
Website: www.arvayfinlay.com
Contact: 604-689-4421
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Sometimes: http://www.arvayfinlay.com/opportunities.htm
Firm: Sack Goldblatt Mitchell
Website: http://www.sgmlaw.com/en/
Contact: 416-977-6070
City: Toronto, Ottawa****
Hires Students: Yes: http://www.sgmlaw.com/en/Careers/
Firm: MacLean Family Law Group
Website: www.bcfamilylaw.ca
Contact: 604-602-9000
City: Vancouver, Surrey, Fort St John, Kelowna
Hires Students: Yes
Notes: Has a same-sex family practice
Firm: barbara findlay
Website: http://www.barbarafindlay.com
Contact: bjf@barbarafindlay.com
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Unsure
Social Justice Focused General Firms
This list includes firms that practice an array of areas with a specific focus on social justice
Firm: Gratl & Company
Website: http://www.gratlandcompany.com/team/jason-gratl/
Contact: jason@gratlandcompany.com
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: barbara findlay
Website: http://www.barbarafindlay.com
Contact: bjf@barbarafindlay.com
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Unsure
Firm: Klippensteins
Website: http://www.klippensteins.ca
Contact: 1-416-598-0288
City: Toronto ****
Hires Students: Yes
Firm: Selwyn Pieters
Website: http://0046f91.netsolhost.com/index.htm
Contact: Selwyn@SelwynPieters.com
City: Toronto****
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Galldin Robertson
Website: http://galldinrobertson.ca
Contact: info@galldinrobertson.ca
City: Ottawa
Hires Students: Sometimes unpaid summer students
Firm: Ethos Law
Website: www.ethoslaw.ca
Contact: 604-569-3022
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not sure
Firm: Red Cedar Law
Website: www.redcedarlaw.com
Contact: 778 228 2992
City: Vancouver
Hires Students: Not Sure
Note: Civil (Police assaults, Human Rights and Charter Challenges, and Judicial Reviews), Environmental
Firm: A. Cameron Ward & Company
Website: www.cameronward.com
Contact: cward@cameronward.com
City: Vancouver
Hires Student: Takes on unpaid summer students