
Our Programs
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Youth Programs
We provide culturally relevant justice education to 650+ Indigenous and Black youth across Canada. We also engage youth in environmental justice education. Our youth programs build trusting relationships between young people and legal mentors to provide inspiration for a bright future.
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Law Student Programs
We support 2,000+ law students champion social justice causes and make positive contributions to their communities. We also help law students build impactful careers in law, by connecting them with trailblazing lawyer mentors.
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Legal Sector Programs
We help lawyers build empathy and engage in critical self-reflection about personal biases. We also host events for legal professionals to challenge the status quo and offer inspirational solutions to create a justice system that is responsive, balanced and fair.
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“We unite the power of community, education, and law for a more equitable and just society.”
— Shelan Markus, Executive Director
Our Impact
Since 2005, we’ve engaged in critical social justice and human rights work to help youth, law students, and lawyers build an empathetic, equitable and responsive justice system.

80%
of program participants reported positive growth.

15,000
youth, law students and lawyers supported since our inception.

50+
programs available across the country annually.
What’s Happening at Level
Level Justice is excited to announce a partnership between the Black Youth Justice Program (BYJP) and Black Law Student Association of Canada (BLSA Canada).
Level Justice is excited to announce the winners of the 2024-2025 Social Justice Fellowship Award: Nicole Green and Kiana Froese. Nicole and Kiana have served as Level’s Social Justice Fellows from the University of Victoria, Faculty of Law over the 2024-2025 academic year.
On June 11, we sat down with two participants from the Blazing Trails Mentorship Program (BTMP) to reflect on their journey together. Meet Adonai, an incoming 2L student at the University of Ottawa, and Demar, the Executive Director of Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC).
As part of the 2024-2025 fellowship cohort, Shan Malhi has released his report, Supporting Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students in Ontario Law Schools.
In 2025, BYJP was recognized by the Canadian Law Awards as an Excellence Awardee for the Diversity Initiative of the Year category.
As part of the 2024-2025 fellowship cohort, Erin Masters and Valeriia Laut, recent graduates at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia, developed a project on rethinking pro bono policy in British Columbia, with support from Level through training, mentorship, and guidance.
On March 19, Level Justice had the pleasure of attending the Career Connections Conference of the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law.
On May 23rd, Level Justice was invited by the Law in Action Within Schools to deliver an in-person workshop to youth at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law.
On May 26, 2025, students from a grade 12 law class at West Humber Collegiate participated in an insightful visit to McCarthy Tétrault’s Toronto offices as part of Level’s BYJP.
Recently, Level’s Social Justice Program Manager, Fatima Ahmed, voiced her concern for commitments to DEI in the legal profession in her newest op-ed, “US pressure is no excuse for the Canadian legal profession to abandon DEI.”
We're thrilled to announce that Level’s Executive Director, Shelan Markus, has been named as a Lexpert Rising Star!
On April 2nd, 2025, a powerful and thought-provoking conference on medical racism was held in collaboration with the Justice Sociale committee (as part of Level’s Social Justice Fellowship Program), the Association of Black Students (AEND), and the Saint-Michel Legal Clinic (CJSM).
On Friday, February 21st, Level Justice hosted its inaugural Social Justice Summit in Toronto, ON. Level's Social Justice Summit is a one-of-a-kind national forum for Level’s social justice fellows from various law schools to gather and collaborate on their ongoing social justice projects.
On January 29th and 30th, Level was invited by The University of Windsor’s Faculty of Law to participate in the Justice at Work (JAW) Conference and deliver an informational session on our law student programming for all Windsor law students.
This past fall, Level staff had the honour of attending the Allard Social Justice Forum for Peter A. Allard School of Law students in Vancouver, British Columbia
We are excited to announce the appointment of Tasha Stansbury, Level’s new Environmental Justice Program Manager!
Shelan Markus, Level's Executive Director, emphasizes the importance of youth engagement in public legal education amidst growing awareness of issues like racial inequality and climate change. She argues that it is essential for students to develop legal literacy and that both the legal profession and educational institutions have a responsibility to support this initiative.
Level Justice is excited to announce the launch of the Journal of Law Student Scholarship, a publication showcasing the work of law students who have been working at Level for the 2023-2024 academic year.
The Blazing Trails Mentorship Program is a program for law students all across Canada looking to connect with lawyers who are passionate about and active in social justice oriented careers. Today, we proudly profile Brittany Twiss, Assistant Dean at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law.
On May 13th, 2024, the students of York Memorial Collegiate Institute’s grade 12 law class attended a Black Youth Justice Program session. This is the sixth program delivery of BYJP in the country this year.
The Blazing Trails Mentorship Program is a program for law students all across Canada looking to connect with lawyers who are passionate about and active in social justice oriented careers. Today, we proudly profile Ajith Thiyagalingam, a lawyer specializing in refugee, immigration law, and international human rights law.
On March 7, 2024, Level hosted its annual Facing Resistance Speaker Series (FRSS) event on the. topic of Climate Resilience and Environmental Justice This year marked Level’s very first FRSS event in Vancouver, BC.
Read about our 2023-2024 school year updates for the Blazing Trails Mentorship Program.
Volunteer for the Environmental Program and work with youth in your area and nationally!
Promote environmental justice and take action by working with youth!
Get involved with Indigenous youth in your area and beyond to create a better tomorrow!

“Indifference is injustice’s incubator; it’s not just what you stand for, it’s what you stand up for; and we can never forget how the world looks to those who are vulnerable.”
— The Honourable Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella (Commencement Speech to Brandeis University Graduates on May 22, 2017)
Our Supporters
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McCarthy Tétrault
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Department of Canadian Heritage
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Department of Justice Canada
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TD Bank
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Blakes
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LexisNexis
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Law Foundation of Ontario
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Law Foundation of Saskatchewan
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Law Foundation of British Columbia
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Law Foundation of Manitoba
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Ottawa Community Foundation
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Canadian National Railway
Level Justice is recruiting Program Facilitators to lead justice education sessions during the 2025/26 academic year as a part of our Environmental Justice Program (EJP).