Part-Time Osgoode JD Research Assistant — Refugee Law Lab Reporter

The Refugee Law Lab (RLL) is looking to hire a part-time Osgoode JD research assistant to help maintain and expand the Refugee Law Lab Reporter (RLLR), an open-access publication of positive decisions from the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board.

About the Refugee Law Lab

The Refugee Law Lab, based at York University’s Centre for Refugee Studies and Osgoode Hall Law School, is devoted to research and advocacy related to new legal technologies and their impact on refugees, other displaced communities, and people on the move. We develop datasets and legal analytics that enhance transparency in refugee law processes, critique the use of artificial intelligence and other technologies in the migration field, and build open-source legal technology to advance the rights and interests of marginalized communities.

About the Refugee Law Lab Reporter

Most Canadian refugee decisions published elsewhere involve claims that were denied at first instance. This disproportionate publication of negative decisions distorts jurisprudence, prevents lawyers from drawing on positive examples in their arguments, and makes it difficult for scholars to study refugee adjudication. The RLLR addresses this gap by publishing positive RPD decisions obtained through Access to Information and Privacy requests.

Position Overview

The successful candidate will be responsible for processing, formatting, and publishing RPD decisions on the RLL website. This is detail-oriented work that involves reviewing and editing legal documents obtained through Access to Information requests, formatting them for publication, posting them to WordPress, and maintaining the RLLR’s table and search functionality. Full training and documentation will be provided.

This position will begin in the Summer 2026 term and continue through Fall 2026 and Winter 2027. We are specifically seeking students early in their JD — either incoming 1Ls or students who have just completed 1L — because this is a role that benefits from continuity, and we hope the successful candidate will choose to stay on for an additional year.

Qualifications & Competencies

• Current or incoming Osgoode Hall Law School JD student — either recently completed 1L or entering 1L in Fall 2026
• Experience with WordPress or similar content management systems
• Attention to detail
• Interest in immigration and refugee law
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• French language skills are an asset but not required
• Lived experience with forced migration or membership in equity-seeking communities is an asset

Terms & Conditions

• Place of work: Remote
• Salary: $30/hr (inclusive of vacation pay, less statutory deductions)
• Time commitment: Approximately 5 hours per week (with the possibility of more in the summer as we catch up on a backlog of work); hours are flexible, and we accommodate busy periods and exams
• Start date: Summer 2026, continuing through Fall 2026 and Winter 2027

What You’ll Gain

• Increase familiarity with Canada’s refugee determination system by reading and working closely with RPD decisions
• Develop skills in legal publishing and website management
• Integrate into the RLL research community, with opportunities for learning and networking alongside law students, researchers, and faculty working on refugee law and legal technology
• Experience detail-oriented legal work that supports open access to legal information

Supervising Faculty: Professor Sean Rehaag, RLL Director

Application Deadline: June 1, 2026

Application Method: Apply online here