Laurence Esposito, Law’24, spent 12 summer weeks helping to facilitate access to justice for Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) members with limited knowledge of the justice system and to provide them with legal information on avenues available to remedy discriminatory practices. On an externship placement, he earned academic credit working with the Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services Corporation (NALSC).

“Working with the NALSC was very fulfilling and provided me with a deeper understanding of the challenges that Indigenous peoples in northwestern Ontario face,” says Esposito. Having volunteered with some organizations serving vulnerable populations during undergrad, he jumped at the opportunity to gain legal skills and knowledge while serving the NAN.

During his externship (10 weeks working remotely work and two weeks in Thunder Bay), Esposito worked on a variety of projects. This work included Gladue programs, Charter damages claims, waivers and disclaimers as applied to community engagement surveys, potential conflicts of interest for clinics providing summary legal advice, the duty to report as set out in the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, and memos on requirements for divorce in Ontario. 

“My externship gave me a good idea on how to use research skills to learn the law on a given topic so that I could reach conclusions to solve real world issues,” says Esposito. “While completing projects, I consulted materials, such as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as well as various statues and case law. I became more proficient at consulting appropriate statutes for a given issue and noting the relevant sections of a statute with case law to reach appropriate conclusions.”

Sarah Munsch, NALSC staff lawyer, says that Esposito’s research on a number of legal issues in the areas of family and criminal law “provided timely information to programs within NAN Legal, and to community members facing a variety of challenging circumstances.” 

Through in-person community engagement sessions, Esposito helped NAN community members fill out surveys in order to provide feedback on experiences of racism with various service providers in Thunder Bay. 

“The most important thing I learned in my internship is to stay flexible and keep an open line of communication with my supervisors,” he says. “I was often required to adapt to changing and competing demands. That required that I worked efficiently and communicated openly with my supervisors.”

He did just that as Munsch can attest. “Laurence's contributions were very valuable,” she says. “He often balanced competing deadlines to provide quality service to different programs at NAN Legal and to community members in need. He knew how to communicate in plain language to ensure his research was useful to his readers, who often did not have a legal background. Laurence’s input also allowed us to improve the overall quality of the services provided to community members by different programs within the organization.”

Not only did Esposito’s work with the NALSC give him a good introduction to the legal profession, it also gave him a unique perspective that he says he will take with him throughout his career: “Namely, I learned how important it is to work with different populations in a manner that is sensitive to their unique culture.”

For fellow students interested in completing the Clinical Externship course with an NALSC placement, he says, “Although you may learn in law school about some of the challenges Indigenous people face, working directly with NAN community members will allow you see these challenges in a way that is palpable.” 

Reflecting on his time working with the NASLC, he adds, “I was humbled by the strength of NAN community members in facing these challenges and have left with a perspective that is more in tune with the realities of life for Indigenous peoples living in Canada.” 

Laurence Esposito's externship with the Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services Corporation was made possible with financial support from Impala Canada, a company invested in north-western Ontario communities and committed to lasting relationships with Indigenous communities based on principles of mutual trust, respect, understanding, and collaboration.