Applicants must self-identify as Black, show they are enrolled in (3rd or 4th year) or have completed a Canadian university undergraduate program or CEGEP as of May 2023, and be legally entitled to work in Canada for the duration of the internship.

The internships are a paid job opportunity, lasting a minimum of 12 weeks between May and August.

The internships are paid $20/hour by the participating law firm or organization. In addition to receiving a competitive salary during your internship, if you enroll in an LSAT preparation program or apply to law school within three years from the end of your summer internship, you will receive a grant of up to $3,000 to cover the cost of your LSAT preparation course or law school expenses.

You can expect to do a broad variety of tasks and develop valuable skills during the program. No placement will be exactly the same, but you could be doing legal-related work like assisting with closing of transactions, organizing electronic deal rooms and assembling record books for completed transactions. You could also be involved in proof reading documents, factual research projects and preparing materials as part of document management. Depending on where you are placed, you could also be working on projects with different teams, including marketing and business development, knowledge management and library services.

As part of this internship, you will attend workshops focused on topics such as careers within the legal profession, applying to law school, inclusive leadership, and strategic communications. Sessions will engage leaders from the Black community and the legal profession, and will provide the opportunity for you to deepen your understanding of the legal profession.

You will benefit from one-on-one mentoring during your placement. You will be paired with a host-mentor who will arrange placement-specific resources, including onboarding technical support. The host-mentor will provide you with opportunities for networking and professional development and formal and informal education, with the aim of providing you with exposure to a range of future career paths in the legal industry.

For your application to be considered, please submit your application form by final deadline of January 31, 2023. Applications should not be directed to individual participating organizations.

access the online application form

You will need to complete an application consisting of:

• resume;
• personal statement;
• most recent transcripts; and
• (optional) up to two letters of reference if available (personal, academic or professional).

Personal statements should be no longer than 750 words and should address your interests in pursuing a legal education or a legal career, your extra-curricular activities or community involvement, your personal circumstances, and what you hope to gain from the Avenue program. 

Applications will be assessed holistically, and strong grades will not be determinative of acceptance.

No – it’s free to apply.

Applications will be accepted until January 31, 2023. The internship interview and offer period will run from February 20 to March 31, 2023. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. If you choose to withdraw from our process, please let us know (see below).

Organizations will reach out to candidates to arrange interviews directly and offers will be extended by individual organizations. Candidates may receive an invitation for an interview from one or more organizations. To expose candidates to different areas of the legal industry and to ensure maximum opportunities for all that apply, candidates must accept the first offer they receive. However, in the event a candidate has concerns following an interview with a participating organization, they should reach out to the Recruitment Co-Chairs.

Should you have any questions, concerns, or if your participation in the program changes, please reach out to our Recruitment Co-Chairs. The Recruitment Co-Chairs are volunteer positions, staffed from our member organizations, and will change every year. For information and questions about Avenue’s 2023 internship cycle, please reach out to May Cheng (Osler) and Kathryn Honsberger (McCarthy Tétrault) with email subject line "Avenue 2023”.

Each participating organization has its own workplace policy on virtual or in person attendance and vaccination requirements. These workplace policies may vary based on prevailing public health guidance at the time the internship commences. The relevant participating organization will communicate their workplace policy on virtual or in person attendance and vaccinations to you in advance of making an internship offer.

To get involved in next year’s internship program (summer 2023) as a program sponsor or host firm, please contact avenue@oba.org.