Applying for Alumni Fellowships

Applications Open for International Legal Fellowships 

for Canadian Lawyers

The IHRP is pleased to announce the next round of fellowships in its post-graduate legal fellowship program, International Fellowships for Canadian Lawyers, generously undertaken with the financial support of the federal government through Global Affairs Canada.

 

In partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the IHRP will provide training and funding for twelve post-graduate fellowships for recent alumni and graduate students of the Faculty of Law.

 

Fellows will be deployed to UNHCR regional, country or field offices to support the work of the UN Refugee Agency in Indonesia, Thailand, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, South Africa, and Honduras. Fellows will be stationed at these offices for approximately six months, commencing within the next few months. Fellows will participate in a comprehensive pre-departure training program and will also receive career counselling and reintegration assistance upon completion of the program. All associated training and travel costs will be paid for by the program, and fellows will be provided with approximately $11,500 as a stipend to assist with the cost of living.

 

During their time abroad, fellows will engage in legal research, analysis and drafting, and participate in advocacy at the national and international level. They will also have a chance to interact directly with refugee and stateless populations. Their work will have a meaningful impact on the provision of vital services to internally displaced, stateless and refugee populations. Through these placements, fellows will gain substantive skills and knowledge to prepare them for future employment, both in Canada and abroad. The ultimate goal of the fellowships is to provide young lawyers with unique international experiences that facilitate their development as lawyers, human rights advocates, and lifelong global citizens.

 

Eligibility

The following eligibility requirements must be met by all candidates:

  • must have obtained a J.D., LL.M., or S.J.D. degree from The University of Toronto Faculty of Law prior to the fellowship, or be working towards their S.J.D. at the Faculty of Law during their tenure as fellows,

  • must not be more than 30 years of age at the commencement of the proposed internship

  • must be Canadian citizen or permanent resident,

  • must be legally entitled to work in Canada,

  • cannot have previously participated in DFATD’s IYIP initiative,

  • must be available to be posted overseas for six months

Job Postings and Descriptions

Fellows will be deployed to one of the following offices (with some offices receiving multiple fellows):

 

 

How to Apply


Individuals interested in applying for a fellowship are asked to send an email expressing their interest in participating in the fellowship program to iyip.ihrp@gmail.com as soon as possible. 

Following that, they will be asked to provide the following documents to the IHRP:


  • a cover letter, confirming eligibility criteria above

  • c.v.

  • the names and contact information for three references


While candidates are welcome to rank their top three preferences for the location of their fellowship in their cover letter, all applicants are required to apply to the program generally, and the geographic assignment of fellows will be made after candidates have been selected for participation in the program. Please indicate any language skills you may have in your cover letter, including fluency in French and Spanish (as certain locations require prior knowledge of these languages). Please direct all applications, any questions about the program to the program coordinator, Kathleen Davis, at iyip.ihrp@gmail.com


This fellowship program is undertaken with the financial support of the federal government provided through Global Affairs Canada. The availability of these fellowships is contingent on the continued support of the Government of Canada.