A Canadian initiative that provides free legal services to low-income people has won the Professor Sir David Watson Award for Community University Partnerships

The Community Legal Assistance Services for Saskatoon Inner City Inc. (CLASSIC) initiative was founded in 2007 by three law students at the University of Saskatchewan. It is the only community legal clinic in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan and serves over 1100 individuals a year – with a commitment to Indigenous people – through three key programmes: a walk-in advocacy clinic, legal advice clinic and special projects that address systemic issues.

The Professor Sir David Watson Award, created in memory of the former University of Brighton Vice-Chancellor, recognises the combined efforts of community and university partners towards making a difference to the shared lives of people in their shared community.

Right: Staff and students at CLASSIC

The award will be presented to representatives from the University of Saskatchewan at the NCCPE Engage conference in Bristol on 4 and 5 December.

“CLASSIC has been an integral part of the student experience, and our community, for more than a decade,” said Martin Phillipson, dean of the College of Law. “We are extremely proud of our partnership and the work that has been done, and are thrilled to be recognized with this prestigious award.”

Law students from the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Law assist low-income clients with legal matters under the direct supervision of lawyers staffed at CLASSIC. Students represent clients in a wide range of legal matters including: criminal law, housing law, prison law, immigration and refugee law, human rights law and more.

As part of CLASSIC’s special projects to address systemic issues, law students undertake research – often in partnership with other community organisations – on topics aimed at addressing systemic barriers to justice.

David Wolff, the Director of the University of Brighton’s Community University Partnership Programme that Professor Sir David Watson established in 2003, is the convenor of the award. He said: “We had a very standard of nominations but our international Advisory Board were delighted to make this award to the CLASSIC project at the University of Saskatchewan.

“This scheme is very well established and has provided substantial benefits to disadvantaged communities whilst enriching the academic life of the university.   This kind of mutual benefit was a key principle for David Watson in successful community university partnerships and the University of Saskatchewan is to be heartily congratulated for its work.”

Source: University of Brighton