One (1) Open Rank Position in Indigenous Law

One (1) Open Rank Position in Indigenous Law
Law, Lincoln Alexander Sch Law
Posted: August 27, 2024
Deadline to Apply: Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada and on the territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Peoples, the Lincoln Alexander School of Law at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) invites applications for one tenure track position in the area of Indigenous Law and Indigenous Legal Orders, at the rank of Assistant, Associate or Full Professor, effective July 1, 2025, subject to final budgetary approval. This position is a Designated Indigenous Faculty position, open to applicants who self-identify as Indigenous and can show lineage and/or acceptance by an Indigenous community.

Qualifications and Key Areas of Interest
Candidates must hold a J.D. or LL.B. degree as well as either an LL.M. or a Master’s degree in a closely-related field. Preference will be given to those with either a doctoral degree in law, a Ph.D. in a closely-related field, or who are all-but-dissertation (ABD) and are very close to completion. Our School is seeking scholars with expertise in Indigenous law and Indigenous legal orders, or in issues of settler law impacting Indigenous communities.

In addition, the successful candidate must present evidence of:

a research agenda that is current, innovative and impactful as evidenced by, but not limited to, peer-reviewed publications, working papers, public policy contributions, presentations at academic conferences, community and professional work, grants, research related awards and other writing or creative production that contributes to the visibility and prominence of the discipline;
experience with or capacity/potential for high-quality teaching and student engagement;
strong communication skills and a demonstrated ability to supervise students;
a commitment to our values of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as it pertains to service, teaching, and scholarly research or creative activities, including a demonstrated ability to make learning accessible and inclusive for a diverse student population; and
an ability and willingness to contribute to the life of the Law School and the University through collegial service. With the School’s rapid growth in years to come, contributions to service and administration are valued and thus we look for candidates with the interest and capacity to contribute in this manner.
Our committee recognizes that scholars have varying career paths and that career interruptions can be part of an excellent academic record. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions.

This position falls under the jurisdiction of the Toronto Metropolitan Faculty Association (TFA) [www.tfanet.ca]. Visit us at www.torontomu.ca/faculty-affairs to view the TFA collective agreement and a summary of TFA benefits. Provisions specifically designed to support Indigenous hiring at TMU can be found in MOU-26, Hiring and Evaluation of Indigenous Faculty Members and Librarians. This MOU and the processes outlined therein are currently being reviewed to more clearly further underscore our commitment to Indigenous hiring and scholarship.

Lincoln Alexander School of Law
Our School offers a Juris Doctor program to students of diverse backgrounds. Our faculty prides itself on the excellence of its research, the quality of its teaching and community engagement. We are interested in candidates who will contribute to our existing strengths in research/creative activity and teaching through academic, professional and diverse lived experiences and perspectives.

The successful candidate will contribute to strengthening our Juris Doctor program, and it’s Four Pillars:

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion;
Increasing Access to Justice;
Innovation and Entrepreneurship; and
Academic Excellence.
Lincoln Alexander Law aims to build an outstanding reputation for scholarly work and an innovative teaching culture. In the spring of 2019, the Law Society of Ontario approved the Integrated Practice Curriculum (IPC) designation for the Law School making Lincoln Alexander Law one of only two such programs in Canada that integrates lawyering skills in each year of the program which allows our graduates to be licensed as lawyers without articling. Our new community legal clinic involves students in legal advocacy on behalf of low-income residents in our community.

Lincoln Alexander Law is committed to advancing Indigenous legal education in Canada. In addition to active efforts towards Indigenous faculty recruitment, the law school is working to establish a staff support position for a Director of Legal Education and Reconciliation, in the near future.

The successful candidate will engage in a combination of teaching, scholarly research and creative activities, and service duties, maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and collegial work environment across all activities. Responsibilities include contributing to our Juris Doctor program through teaching, mentoring and supervision of students; participating in curriculum development/expansion as appropriate; establishing and maintaining a strong, community-engaged research agenda, including pursuing innovative, independent research that produces cutting-edge high quality results; and participating in the academic life of the Law School and the University.

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)
Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, with 100+ undergraduate and graduate programs built on the integration of theoretical and practical learning and distinguished by a professionally focussed curriculum with a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and creative activities, TMU is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement and city-building through its award-winning architecture.

As part of its response to the Calls to Action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), TMU has adopted processes and supports towards the hiring and evaluation practices relating to Indigenous faculty members.

Working at TMU
At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. At TMU, we believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are integral to this path; our current Academic Plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.

Dedicated to a people first culture, TMU is proud to rank number one on the Forbes list of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity.

We invite you to explore the range of benefits and supports available to faculty, including access to our diverse faculty and staff networks.

Visit us on X (previously known as Twitter): @torontomet, @VPFAtorontomet and @TorontoMetHR, and our LinkedIn page.

TMU is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. To find out more about legal and policy obligations please visit the Accessibility and Human Rights websites.

Toronto Metropolitan University welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, Black-identified persons, other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

How to Apply
Applicants must submit their application online via the Faculty Recruitment Portal [https://hr.cf.ryerson.ca/ams/faculty/] by clicking on “Start Application Process” to begin.

Applications received by October 30, 2024 are guaranteed consideration, but the positions will remain open until filled. The application must contain the following:

a letter of application;
a curriculum vitae;
a statement of research interests;
two samples of scholarly writing (such as, but not limited to, law review and peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and dissertation chapters) with an explanation of the applicant’s contribution in the case of any co-authored works;
a teaching dossier with teaching philosophy and teaching accomplishments, including experience with course/curriculum review/development, excellent pedagogical practice, sample syllabi, and teaching evaluations (where available); and
the names and contact information of three references (note that only short-listed candidates will be asked to arrange for three reference letters to be sent directly by the referees via email to the Law School Hiring Committee Chair, Tim Bartkiw at [email protected]).
Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations.

Contacts
Any confidential inquiries about the opportunity can be directed to the School Hiring Committee Chair Tim Bartkiw at [email protected].

Candidates who belong to one or more of the equity-deserving groups recognized at TMU are welcome to connect with Debbie Thompson [[email protected]], Executive Director, Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion [www.torontomu.ca/equity].

Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact James McKay, Indigenous Human Resources Lead at [email protected].

For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the Recruitment Portal, please contact [email protected].

To help us track our recruitment effort, please indicate in your cover/motivation letter where (vacanciesincanada.ca) you saw this job posting.