Concordia's student union has raised concerns over the closing of the law clinic

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Students and community groups are voicing concerns that Concordia University's student union may close its student services legal clinic.

Founded in 2007, the Concordia Student Union Legal Information Clinic helps students resolve any legal issues, including cases related to immigration, racial injustice, or discrimination. However, the clinic says the student union has recently announced it is considering replacing it with external services from a private insurance company. The matter is expected to be discussed at the student council meeting on Wednesday evening.

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“These private outsourcing services do not include many of the services that are currently managed by the legal clinic,” said Ken Down, student union counsel, who opposed the change. “So students' needs are not being met.”

A motion prepared for Wednesday's meeting said the clinic provides an important service to students and that closing it would go against the “core values ​​and principles” of the student union.

The motion also says that switching to a private program would cost at least three times as much as the current clinical model. Down said more than a dozen students who have used the clinic's services have sent letters of support in hopes of keeping it open.

“The clinic takes a really trauma-informed approach where they spend a lot of time with these people and get to know their individual circumstances and the barriers they're experiencing,” Down said. “We cannot guarantee that there will be a new service after all these processes.”

The Concordia Student Union did not respond to interview requests for this story. According to the application, the clinic was notified of the proposed change on January 26 without warning or notice.

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Fo Niemi, executive director of the Race Relations Research-Action Center, said the issue raises questions about access to justice for vulnerable students on campus.

Niemi said the clinic has developed relationships with community groups over the years, often referring students to appropriate resources. In the past, she said, CRARR has helped Concordia students who have been victims of racial profiling, sexual harassment or discrimination.

The center currently works with five students from the clinic, known as CRARR, Niemi added, including a black student who was racially abused last year.

“The Legal Information Clinic has traditionally served as a bridge between students and community organizations,” Niemi said.

“If there's no clinic … then those students, especially international students, low-income students or women who may be sexually assaulted — we don't know who they're going to turn to.”

Nivani Albert, a third-year law student at McGill University who volunteers at the clinic, believes it plays an important role on campus and should remain open.

Albert said many of the clinic's cases are related to immigration.

This includes assisting international students with obtaining post-graduate work or permanent residence permits, preparing the necessary documents, and helping them determine next steps. In complex cases, the clinic has a budget to refer students to a lawyer in their network.

Albert believes the closing of the clinic will be a blow not only to the students it serves, but also to the volunteers.

“It's a very valuable experience for students, not only to volunteer their time and get a sense of giving back to the community, but also to learn a lot,” he said. “I think it would be lost and that would be a sad thing.”

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