The year-long initiative is intended to bolster public understanding of law and justice issues
The Law Commission of Canada and the Canadian Bar Association have unveiled the first-ever LCC-CBA Journalism Fellowship.
The one-year fellowship is intended to bolster public understanding of law, justice, and democratic governance issues in Canada through in-depth journalistic investigation. The stipend is valued at $40,000.
The legal bodies have called on Canada-based journalists who have at least five years of full-time work experience to apply. Applicants must also display a commitment to building their justice system knowledge and to generating in-depth, firsthand reports on legal concerns.
“The people of Canada have justice needs, justice ideas, and justice aspirations – in their daily lives and in their hopes for the future. Through this fellowship, the Law Commission of Canada is delighted to collaborate with the Canadian Bar Association in helping inform, support, and shape reflection and conversation around emerging issues of significance for Canadian society in which law is central,” LCC President Shauna Van Praagh said in a statement.
The LCC and the CBA will inform the chosen fellow of their successful application in February 2025; the fellowship will commence that same month. Over the one-year period, the fellow is expected to produce four original 2,500-4,000 word-long articles discussing Canadian law and justice issues that examine emerging and underreported areas that need more public attention.
According to the CBA, the initiative “recognizes the importance of telling human stories in the evolution of law, as well as the deep and important links between investigative journalism and the pursuit of truth, justice, and hope.”
“The Canadian Bar Association is proud to collaborate on this important initiative. Journalism plays a vital role in demystifying our legal system and inspiring meaningful conversations about justice and reform. We hope that this initiative will help show the public that justice is not an abstract concept. It is a living force that shapes every aspect of our lives and defines who we are as a society,” CBA President Lynne Vicars said.
The window for applications will close on January 17, 2025. The CBA also published a list of application requirements.
