University of Calgary law school opens Public Interest Law Clinic

CALGARY, AB --(Marketwired - November 17, 2015) - With a gift of $1 million from the Peacock Family Foundation, the Faculty of Law has opened a new Public Interest Law Clinic, which will provide pro bono legal services to clients, facilitating access to justice and providing law students with experiential learning opportunities. Molly Naber-Sykes, has taken up the role of executive director of the clinic, and will be responsible for overseeing all clinic operations.

"I'm delighted to work with the law school, its professors and students to provide access to justice for the province's vulnerable and voiceless communities, specifically in the areas of public health, human rights, equality and environmental law," says Naber-Sykes. "In addition, we will share the research we do in the clinic with policymakers and will advocate for law reform in the province."

Most recently, Naber-Sykes was a prosecutor with the Law Society of Alberta. She has taught trial advocacy courses for both the Faculty of Law and the Legal Education Society of Alberta, and has a wealth of experience as a lawyer and partner in a Calgary law firm.

Law students will work in the clinic on precedent-setting cases affecting Alberta's vulnerable communities and the environment, allowing them to learn public interest advocacy and litigation skills. The clinic will train and inspire a new generation of lawyers to advocate in the public interest in Alberta and beyond.

"Opening this clinic puts us at the forefront of innovation in legal education in western Canada," says Ian Holloway, dean of the Faculty of Law. "The clinic allows us to fulfill the Eyes High mandate of community engagement, together with the challenge posed to law schools by the Canadian Bar Association to implement more opportunities for experiential learning and fostering access to justice."

About the University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is making tremendous progress on its journey to become one of Canada's top five research universities, where research and innovative teaching go hand in hand, and where we fully engage the communities we both serve and lead. This strategy is called Eyes High, inspired by the university's Gaelic motto, which translates as 'I will lift up my eyes.'

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Media Contact
Ali Abel
Manager, Marketing and Communications
Faculty of Law
University of Calgary
T: 403.210.8720
C: 403.630.1232
amabel@ucalgary.ca