Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and Indigeneity

You belong at Queen’s Law

Welcome to Queen’s Law’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and Indigeneity (EDII) page, where you will find important information on academic, accessibility and funding resources, editorial features on our community of change-makers, toolkits, information on working groups, opportunities for engagement, and more.

Queen's is situated on traditional Anishnaabe and Haudenosaunee Territory: to acknowledge this traditional territory is to recognize history that predates the earliest European colonies, and its significance for the Indigenous Peoples who lived, and continue to live, upon it.

Why Queen’s Law?

Queen’s Law empowers the next generation of leaders in law and public service. We are committed to providing Canada’s best legal education in an inclusive, innovative and collaborative learning environment. We offer an unparalleled legal education, delivered by world-leading legal experts, that encourages free and respectful inquiry.

Diversity of opinion, perspective, persuasion and lived experience are all foundational to our success, and help support our mission of expanding access to justice and creating a more diverse and representative legal sector.

Our Commitment:

Queen’s Law is dedicated to the principles of EDII, and the importance of reconciliation and restorative justice, to ensure that our law school embraces diversity and empowers individuals from culturally, racially, and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds to thrive.

Read more about our commitment to EDII, as well as our mission, vision and values in our Strategic Framework document.

Supporting a community of excellence:

We champion new initiatives and forge new partnerships to help improve access to legal education, inspire representation from under-represented communities, and support career pathways through a range of resources, available grants, committees, and broader initiatives, including:

Education & Equity Services Office

The Education & Equity Services Office provides advocacy, information and support to law students at all stages of their educational career. From supportive counselling, confidential tutorial services, referral/advisory support and accommodations counsel, this office is dedicated to creating successful outcomes for our students.

Learn more

Equity-based applicant streams

To cultivate a vibrant, representative and inclusive academic and work environment, we consider applications based on community identity, as well as personal and professional experiences that enable applicants to contribute to the law school community and further the law school’s goal of building a representative and diverse class cohort. To support this, Queen’s Law offers an Indigenous Peoples Category and Black Student Applicant Category.

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Funding and support

Queen’s Law provides needs-based and merit-based financial support to students in the JD program, including the Douglas Cardinal Bursary, Indigenous Law Student Awards, the Cecil Allan Fraser Bursary, that provides financial support to Black Canadian or visible minority/racialized students enrolled in any year of the JD degree program at Queen’s Law, as well as a variety of admission bursaries.

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Student representation and engagement on equity matters

The Law Students Society includes committees and organizations, including the Indigenous Law Students’ Alliance, Black Law Students Association, Asian Law Students' Association, Disability and Mental Health Law Club, Queen’s Outlaw for 2SLGBTQQIA law students and allies, Queen’s Women & Law, and an Equity and Diversity Committee.

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Access to justice through legal education

To encourage a more representative and diverse legal profession, and address systemic issues in our society, Queen’s Law provides curricular content that reflects diverse identities, cultures and perspectives. These include courses such as Racism and Canadian Legal Culture, Aboriginal Law, the Feminist Legal Studies Workshop, First Nations Negotiation, Aboriginal Child Welfare, and Bias and Criminal Justice System Outcomes, Taxation of Indigenous Peoples, Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law, and more. We are also looking at curriculum reforms needed to advance and fulfil the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 28 for law schools.

Learn more

Featured Videos:

Stacia Loft, Law'20, Director of Indigenous Initiatives & EDI

Supporting resources:

Welcome; She:kon; Aanii

I am Stacia Loft, Law'20, Director of Indigenous Initiatives and Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity at Queen’s Law. As a senior leader at the law school, I serve as your advocate to ensure that students from equity seeking groups and communities are equipped for success at all stages of this transformative learning experience. I ensure that Queen’s Law is an inclusive learning environment, and provide both cultural and academic support to students, particularly Indigenous, racialized, and marginalized people.

You can contact me HERE

Acknowledging Indigenous traditions

Thursday, September 13, 2018, saw "words that are lasting" by Hannah Claus, an artist of Kanien’kehá:ka and English heritage from Montreal, installed in our Atrium – a key piece of public art for the Faculty of Law. More details on this major work, including video interviews with the artist, are available on our page about the project.