Job Title: Legal Researcher (Student)
Organization: Artists’ Legal Advice Services (ALAS)
Location: Remote
Employment Type: Part-time (Contract); 25 hours per week for 16 weeks
Compensation: $18 per hour plus 4% vacation pay
Position Summary
Artists’ Legal Advice Services (ALAS) is seeking a motivated law student to join our organization in a research capacity. The Legal Researcher position offers hands-on experience at the intersection of law and the arts, with the opportunity to collaborate with experienced entertainment lawyers and directly support Ontario’s creative community. The successful candidate will conduct legal research in the areas of arts and entertainment law, help identify gaps in existing resources available to artists, and contribute to the development of plain-language legal materials intended for an artist audience.
Key Responsibilities
With support and supervision from ALAS staff:
• Research legal issues commonly faced by Ontario artists across disciplines, including intellectual property, contracts, torts, and disputes.
• Conduct an extensive review of existing legal literature in arts and entertainment law to identify gaps in accessible, artist-facing content; isolate relevant material for the development of targeted legal information tools — including checklists, tip sheets and a core library of template agreements — tailored to the needs and interests of artist audiences.
• Review ALAS’ existing legal information database and external resources freely available to the arts community; propose updates and additions to reflect current law and practice and community needs, in consultation with ALAS lawyer(s).
• Draft clear, accessible legal information resources (fact sheets, guides, FAQs) for a non-lawyer audience.
• Identify legislative and case law developments relevant to artists and the creative sector.
• Conduct a comparative analysis of legal clinic operating models across Canada and internationally; identify best practices and measurable outcomes to inform the development of a clinic model capable of delivering more comprehensive legal services (i.e. extending meaningfully beyond summary advice.)
• Support staff with ad hoc research tasks as needed.
Qualifications
• Currently a 2L or 3L student at an Ontario law school
• Strong legal research and writing skills
• Ability to communicate complex legal concepts in plain, accessible language
• Interest in arts, culture, or the nonprofit sector is a strong asset• Familiarity with Canadian intellectual property and contract law is an asset
• Self-directed and able to manage multiple tasks and deadlines
• Previous volunteer experience with ALAS is an asset
What We Offer
• Meaningful work supporting Ontario’s creative community
• Mentorship and supervision from experienced legal professionals working in arts and
entertainment law
• Exposure to a wide range of legal issues in a real-world, public interest context
• A collaborative, mission-driven work environment
To Apply
Please submit a resume, brief cover letter explaining your interest in this role, and short legal writing sample (max. 5 pages) to coordinator@alasontario.ca by May 10th, 2026. We encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds, including those with lived experience in the arts.
About Us
Artists’ Legal Advice Services (ALAS) is a non-profit that, for 40 years, has worked to empower Ontario’s creative community by providing access to summary legal advice, information, and education. ALAS is primarily operated by volunteer entertainment and intellectual property lawyers, fellow creators, and law students who generously donate their time to help provide advice to those who may not be able to access more expensive alternatives.
