SA1L Host Information
The legal profession is varied and fiercely competitive, and with the pressures and expectations of law school, students aren’t all afforded the opportunity to consider their career paths, career fulfillment, or their potential impact in an area of practice. We designed SA1L to provide equal opportunity and eliminate the pressure of competition for students completing their first year of studies at Western Law. Our key objective is to immerse students in legal theory and practice to encourage the development of critical skills, facilitate the exploration of career options, and provide exposure to real work in the law.
We also recognize that today’s world is challenging, complex, and in many ways inequitable. We believe that through excellence in teaching, research, and commitment to public service, we can push our students to not only develop novel theories of change, but to become agents of change in their communities. We strive to cultivate an environment that produces lawyers who are courageous, ethical, imaginative, and socially aware.
Hosting Students
Western Law thanks you for considering participation in the SA1L program. As a host partner, you would assume responsibility for mentoring one or more students over a 10-week period and exposing them to your area of legal expertise.
Key Dates
| December 1 | Students invited to apply |
| January 8 | Application and Anti-Oppression module deadline |
| January 12 | Deadline for student grade submissions |
| February 13 | Students matched with hosts |
| March 1 | Host-student communications established |
| May 4 | Earliest commencement date |
| June 15 | Latest commencement date |
| August 24-25 | Final week of SA1L program |
Deliverables
You will be required to complete an anti-oppression and cultural sensitivity module before beginning the program. Your student mentee will be required to submit: (1) a learning and professional development plan, in collaboration with the host, (2) a midpoint check-in summarizing their experience and outlining their progress toward the goals listed in the learning and professional development plan, and (3) a final reflection paper detailing their experience in the program and their learning and professional development outcomes.
Award Amount and Payment
Students will receive an $8,000 award from Western Law for their participation in the SA1L program. There will be no direct compensation costs to you, and no funds will be exchanged between you and Western Law or you and the student. Students will receive the award in three monthly payments except if they do not complete the program or meet the terms, in which case they will be paid only for the period of participation.
