Environmental law is most effective when there are trained, talented leaders to champion environmental protection and advocate for communities in decision-making processes. 

Funded by the CELA Foundation, CELA offers one of the country’s oldest public-interest articling programs. The program provides real-world experience and training to students and early-career lawyers, training them to navigate the complexities of environmental law while representing public interests. 

The legal fellowship program ensures that there are trained voices ready to step into leadership positions in the future. Graduates from the program have gone on to lead nonprofit organizations and legal clinics. Many have become influential environmental lawyers in their own rights. Their achievements create a ripple effect that extends beyond the direct impact of CELA’s legal successes. 

“CELA offered me, as Student-at-Law, an opportunity to work alongside some of Ontario’s best environmental lawyers, and cultivated in me a dedication to public interest law, pro bono services, and the importance of advocacy for low-income and vulnerable communities.”

— Burgundy Dunn

“I am so grateful that the Canadian Environmental Law Association played a role in my legal education.”

— Sara Desmarais

Your donation to the legal training program supports future leaders for the environmental and nonprofit community.