OJEN

05/21/2026

Accepting nominations for the Hux-Kiteley Award 🏆

OJEN is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Hux-Kiteley Justice Educator Award. This award recognizes an Ontario educator who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in justice education.

To nominate someone, please obtain a minimum of 2 nominating letters that outline how the nominee meets the award criteria. Send nominations to [email protected] by Friday, June 12, 2026.

For more information, visit the Hux-Kiteley Exemplary Justice Educator Award webpage: https://ojen.ca/en/about/ojen-awards/hux-kiteley-award/

05/11/2026

Reminder ⏰

Bursaries are available to Grade 12 students in Ontario who have enrolled in a post-secondary institution and who plan to pursue a career in the legal sector.

Each year, the Association of Justices of the Peace of Ontario (AJPO), the Association of Ontario Judges (AOJ) and the Ontario Superior Court Judges’ Association (OSCJA) provide bursaries to students who demonstrate academic excellence and financial need. Each organization offers one bursary in each of their judicial regions for a total of 22 bursaries province-wide.

Deadline for submission: Friday, May 29, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. 📝

More information: https://ojen.ca/en/program/bursaries-grade-12-students/

05/05/2026

OJEN’s Justice Education Fellowship program provides year-long placements to law and paralegal students. After receiving in-depth training in public legal education (PLE) theory and methods, each Fellow plans and delivers a minimum of 3 justice education workshops in schools in their communities, with ongoing support from OJEN staff.

Throughout March, we interviewed candidates for Fellowship positions. We are pleased to introduce the 10 highly accomplished law and paralegal students who are our 2026 – 2027 Fellows.

Meet our 2026-2027 Fellows here: https://ojen.ca/en/introducing-fellows-26-27/

05/04/2026

Hear from Dianna, Nayha, Raima, and Sahil - Peel region participants of the 2026 OBA/OJEN Competitive Mock Trials for high school students - about the highlights of their mock trial experience!

This spring, as local OJEN committees throughout the province organize mock trial tournaments in their regions, we would like to send out a special "thank you" to the judges, lawyers, court staff, teachers, police officers, law students, and others who are dedicating time and effort to make this experience memorable for the many students who participate.

We're grateful to the Ontario Bar Association, OBA Foundation, and The Law Foundation of Ontario for their support of this program.

05/01/2026

Nuclear Disarmament Essay Contest – Final week to register!

Grade 10 History and Civics students are invited to participate in an essay contest on Canada’s role in the development of nuclear weapons and the campaign for nuclear disarmament and world peace. The contest offers students the opportunity to research issues of peace, nuclear weapons, war, international diplomacy and to write an essay of up to 1000 words.

Cash prizes for the top 3 essays are sponsored by the Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition.

Deadline to register – Friday, May 8, 2026
Deadline to submit essays – Friday, June 5, 2026

For more information and to register, visit:
https://ojen.ca/en/program/student-essay-contest/

04/29/2026

Join the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC), in partnership with Kensington-Bellwoods Community Legal Services, The Neighbourhood Group Community Services, and the Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN), for a three-part virtual learning series designed for new community legal clinic staff and law students.

Funded by the Association of Community Legal Clinics of Ontario (ACLCO), this series builds foundational knowledge and practical skills in Ontario human rights law.

📅 Dates & Time:

May 12–14, 2026

12:00–1:30 PM (ET)

📚 What you will learn:

Day 1: Administrative Law Basics (May 12)

Day 2: Human Rights Law & Theory (May 13)

Day 3: Human Rights Law in Practice (May 14)

📝 Registration:

Register by May 8, 2026.

Register now to secure your spot (limited spots available).

🖥️ For registration and more information, visit: https://ojen.ca/en/ontario-human-rights-law-clinics-webinars/

04/23/2026

Hear from Masooma, Hritika, and Arnav - participants of the 2026 OBA-OJEN Competitive Mock Trials in the Peel region - as they share their mock trial experiences and give tips and tricks that they find helpful.

Thank you to the Ontario Bar Association, OBA Foundation, and The Law Foundation of Ontario for their support of the program.

04/17/2026

Register your grade 10 Civics or History class for an essay contest on Canada’s role in the development of nuclear weapons & the disarmament movement. Cash prizes sponsored by the Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition. Visit the contest webpage for information: https://ojen.ca/en/program/student-essay-contest/

04/08/2026

Grade 10 History and Civics students are invited to participate in an essay contest on Canada’s role in the development of nuclear weapons and the campaign for nuclear disarmament and world peace. This contest was inspired by Setsuko Thurlow, a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945 and an internationally recognized Canadian advocate for nuclear disarmament.

Prizes sponsored by the Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition.

🏆 First place: $500

🏆 Second place: $300

🏆 Third place: $200

Deadline to register – Friday, May 8, 2026

For more information, visit the Grade 10 essay contest webpage: https://ojen.ca/en/program/student-essay-contest/

Supported by the Ontario History and Social Sciences Teachers' Association, Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition and Ontario Justice Education Network.

03/27/2026

Last month, close to 200 public legal education professionals from across the country gathered in Ottawa for the Public Legal Education Association of Canada (PLEAC)’s annual conference.

The 2026 conference was co-hosted by PLEAC, Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO Legal Rights), and the Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN).

The event focused on several key areas, which included strengthening public understanding of the rule of law, using technology thoughtfully and responsibly, making better practical use of data, building stronger connections with rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, and recognizing the critical justice work being done every day by non-lawyer community workers.

“If attendees left with a few practical ideas that they could bring back to their work, some new connections to collaborate with, and a renewed sense of purpose and energy for what they do, then we accomplished what we set out to do," said Hanna Holmes, PLEAC's Bilingual Program Director.

Thank you to our co-hosts, funders, attendees, and all of the conference supporters for a successful and memorable event.

Read our blog post, here:

Last month, close to 200 public legal education professionals from across the country gathered in Ottawa for the Public Legal Education Association of Canada (PLEAC)’s annual conference.