Inclusive Excellence in Teaching and Learning

We believe it is important for legal education to expose students to diverse perspectives, enhance cultural competency, and encourage students to consider legal and ethical issues through an EDIDA lens. 

Our JD curriculum allows students to explore themes of anti-racism, gender equality and social justice. We require all students to take a course on Indigenous Peoples and the Law and we offer electives in areas such as human rights, gender-based violence, and disability law.

Experiential learning bridges the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge. Western Law is committed to providing experiential learning opportunities to help students apply classroom learning and gain a deeper awareness of and sensitivity for issues affecting equity-deserving communities.

Recent or ongoing initiatives include:

  • 1L course content review and faculty workshops – During the 2024/2025 academic year, we conducted a 1L course content review and held faculty workshops in partnership with Western University’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives and Centre for Teaching and Learning. Our goal was to give professors the tools to integrate additional EDIDA content into teaching and learning while respecting academic freedom. 
  • Guest lectures imparting a disability lens by Visiting Research Professor David Lepofsky, a leading disability rights advocate – Visiting Professor Lepofsky continues to deliver numerous guest lectures on the intersection between disability and many areas of law (e.g., labour law, civil procedure) and hold informal sessions with students with disabilities about how to tackle disability-related barriers in the workplace.
  • Foundational training sessions for 1L students – We provide our 1L students with an introduction to cultural competence and an introduction to examining legal issues through a disability lens
  • Experiential Learning Opportunities – Students have the opportunity to get involved with variety of legal clinics and services including Pro Bono Students Canada (Western Chapter), Community Legal Services (CLS), and Legal Information for Sexual Assault (LISA)