Articling Student 2027-28

Posting date: Wednesday May 6, 2026
Application deadline: Sunday, June 21, 2026
Employment type: Full-time (37.5 hours/week) term position
Duration: 1 year, May 2027 through April 2028
Salary and benefits: See details below

About West Coast LEAF

West Coast LEAF (WCL) is a feminist legal advocacy organization based in Vancouver, BC, on the homelands of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.  

Through litigation, law reform, and public legal education, we seek to dismantle gender-based discrimination and move toward gender justice in collaboration with those most impacted by overlapping systems of oppression (e.g., colonialism, patriarchy, racism, ableism, white supremacy, and capitalism). We recognize that gender-based discrimination does not only harm women, but also Two-Spirit, transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and intersex people. 

As a settler organization working within the colonial legal system, we acknowledge our responsibility to work toward the realization of Indigenous rights and self-determination. To learn more, read our Changing Tides plan, developed with the support of West Coast LEAF’s Indigenous Advisory Circle. westcoastleaf.org.  

About this opportunity 

This is an exciting opportunity for a law student seeking to work in an intersectional feminist organization using a range of legal strategies to achieve systemic change. With the support of your principal and West Coast LEAF’s legal team, you will participate in a series of legal projects with increasing responsibilities. These projects may include: 

• Interventions before tribunals and all levels of court 
• Test case litigation
• Community-based research and report writing
• Participation in government consultation processes
• Development of public legal education programming
• Community engagement activities

Your responsibilities may include: 

• Conducting legal research and preparing memoranda.
• Engaging in case and issue monitoring.
• Drafting court applications, documents, and submissions.
• Appearing before courts and tribunals on behalf of West Coast LEAF.
• Planning and conducting community-based research (e.g. through organizing community dialogue sessions).
• Drafting law reform reports and recommendations.
• Drafting public legal education curricula and resources.
• Facilitating workshops, meetings, consultations, and dialogues.
• Drafting emails, press releases, webpages, and other public communications. 

West Coast LEAF offers a collegial and collaborative environment where all staff roles are respected and valued. You will be a key member of our legal team and will be fully integrated into our larger staff team, participating in regular staff meetings, legal team meetings, events, and other activities. Your colleagues will work together to provide you with hands-on mentorship and opportunities for skills development across our program areas.  

West Coast LEAF is a hybrid workplace. You will work a minimum of 2 days per week at our downtown Vancouver office (or more if you prefer). You will also do in-person work at various times in community settings or at court. You must reside in or relocate to the Metro Vancouver area prior to taking up the position.  

Your employment will start in May 2027 for a one-year articling term, subject to the successful completion of your law degree by April 2027 and enrolment in the Law Society of British Columbia’s Admission Program. 

Qualifications and attributes 

You have a demonstrated commitment to advancing gender equality and challenging inequities connected to settler colonialism, racism, classism, patriarchy, transmisogyny, ableism and other forms of oppression. You approach your work with an ethic of relationship-building, deep collaboration, curiosity, and openness to diverse perspectives and experiences. You are keen to develop a spectrum of advocacy skills in a dynamic and supportive work environment.  

The following qualifications and attributes are assets for this role: 

• Strong skills in legal research, legal analysis, and the ability to distill legal concepts into plain language for a wide variety of audiences.
• Strong writing ability without reliance on generative AI tools.
• Experience with public speaking, presentation and workshop facilitation.
• The ability to manage multiple tasks and details effectively.
• Familiarity with areas of law and policy that have distinct impacts on communities marginalized on the basis of gender, race, disability, poverty, Indigeneity, place of origin, etc. (e.g., constitutional law, human rights law, administrative law, criminal law).
• Compassionate, clear, and professional communication skills.
• Experience with or aptitude for community-led participatory research and community collaboration.
• Curiosity and commitment to on-going learning and unlearning, especially in connection with decolonizing practices and combatting multiple forms of oppression (stemming from misogyny, classism, colonialism, racism, sexism, patriarchy, ableism, etc.). 
• Strong initiative and a proactive work style.  

West Coast LEAF is strongly committed to diversity and equity in the workplace. We acknowledge the expertise applicants may bring relating to their Indigeneity, race, place of origin, immigration status, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, family status, and socio-economic status. We encourage applicants to self-identify any personal characteristics or experiences that would support our commitment to bringing diverse perspectives to the organization, if you feel comfortable doing so.  

Compensation and benefits 

You will be paid a full-time salary of $69,000, plus benefits, during your articling student term. West Coast LEAF will pay all fees associated with your enrolment in the Admission Program and your call to the bar in British Columbia, including the PLTC course. 

 You will receive the following additional benefits: 

• Extended health benefits, including medical and dental plans
• Membership in the Canadian Bar Association- BC Branch
• Funding for continuing legal education courses 

To apply 

Your application must include a cover letter, resume, and law school transcripts (unofficial are fine), submitted as a single PDF file. Please include your full name in the PDF file name. Submit your application by email to careers@westcoastleaf.org with the subject line “Articling 2027”. 

To be considered for this position, your application must be received by 11:59 pm PDT on Sunday, June 21, 2026.   

In July 2026, short-listed candidates will be contacted and asked to submit a brief legal writing sample of no more than 15 pages (excerpts are fine) and the names and contact information for 2-3 references. Please do not submit writing samples or provide information about references with your initial application. We anticipate interviewing short-listed candidates in July. Short-listed candidates may be asked to participate in a research and writing assignment.  

We thank all applicants for their interest. Due to the number of applications we receive, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. 

Please reach out to us at careers@westcoastleaf.org with any questions about the position, including any requests to meet your accessibility needs in relation to the application process. 

West Coast LEAF thanks the Law Foundation of British Columbia for funding this opportunity.