Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Internationally Trained Lawyers Program (ITLP) has been awarded a 2011 InnovAction Award, which recognizes outstanding innovation in the delivery of legal services.

Awarded by the College of Law Practice Management, the award demonstrates to the legal community what can happen when passionate professionals, with big ideas and strong convictions, resolve to create effective change.

“The winning entries exemplify how bold ideas and innovation can be implemented and shared among various stakeholders including lawyers, their clients, academics, prospective law students and legal administrators” said Jordan Furlong, Partner with Edge International and chair of the 2011 awards program.

The citation for the ITLP is as follows:

The University of Toronto Faculty of Law was selected for its Internationally Trained Lawyers Program (ITLP). When immigrating to Canada, one of the biggest challenges internationally-trained lawyers (ITLs) face is the lack of access to opportunities to receive practical, hands-on experience in the Canadian legal environment, particularly during the lengthy accreditation and licensing process. In recognizing the limited opportunities for ITLs, the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law created a bridging program for ITLs who wish to practice law in Ontario. The ITLP is a comprehensive 10-month program to help participants obtain their license and secure full-time professional employment. The program includes intensive academic, cultural fluency and career development classroom sessions, designed to support international lawyers.

The awards will be presented on Friday, October 28, at a special session during the 2011 Futures Conference, held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the College of Law Practice Management in Chicago, IL.

Read the press release on the College of Law Practice Management website.