The Law Society of Nunavut receives General Grants

The Law Society of Nunavut receives General Grants to support the advancement of Access to Justice for Nunavummiut

Wills and Estates Community Pilot Initiative 

Objective
Through a collaborative initiative between the Law Society of Nunavut and Nunavut Legal Aid with financial support provided by the Nunavut Law Foundation and the Canadian Bar Association (Nunavut Branch), the pilot seeks to develop and deliver a workshop this summer with tools aiming to improve access to legal education on a topic of importance which can result in challenging circumstances after the passing of a family member or a loved one. The pilot will provide direct legal advice and support at no cost to community members. The pilot’s objective is to increase knowledge and understanding on Wills and Estates through a plain language public legal education workshop offered with interpretation and resources made available in both English and Inuktitut.

The community of Clyde River was chosen based on financial consideration and a list of suggested communities shared by Nunavut Legal Aid through knowledge-sharing from their Inuit Court Workers and staff lawyers.

Context 
Through the Law Society’s Access to Justice Program launched in 2014 and its current lawyer referral system, the Law Society has gained first-hand knowledge of the challenges members of the public face to find a lawyer available to assist them, in particular those that live outside of Iqaluit.

Resources

The Law Society will post the resources developed as part of the pilot initiative by mid-October.

Meeting the legal needs of Nunavummiut through an improved lawyer referral system and increased access to supports.

The Law Society of Nunavut received a General Grant in May to support further research and provide recommendations for the development of an outcome-driven Nunavut Lawyer Referral System.

Objective

To better respond to the needs of Nunavummiut, there is a need to develop a Nunavut Lawyer Referral System that is evidence-based, adheres to best practices, is responsive to local needs and contributes to Access to Justice across the Territory.

Context

The Law Society initially conducted a membership survey followed by a jurisdictional scan. The latter found that Lawyer Referral Systems across Canadian jurisdictions (provinces only) vary significantly in practice. Jurisdictional variations include differences in how clients access services (online intake, telephone intake, or hybrid), the types of services clients can access (referrals only, legal advice), the length and cost of initial consultations (free, paid), and the extent of lawyer participation (self-service directory, lawyer consultation). These variations show that Lawyer Referral Systems are not standardized across provinces and underscore the importance of developing a Lawyer Referral System model responsive to Nunavut’s legal, geographic, and cultural context.

Report and Next Steps

A Report with recommendations will be submitted to the Board of the Nunavut Law Foundation in October. A copy of the Report will be posted online.

In collaboration with the Law Society of Nunavut, next steps will be posted online and may include a call to the Law Society membership for letters of intention. Further details will be posted by early November.

 

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General Grants to support community outreach and legal education

Pacific Legal Education and Outreach Society (PLEO)

Provide Nunavut-specific legal information to non-profits throughout the territory through an AI-enabled digital platform 

In collaboration with the Nunavut Association for Non-Profit Organizations (NANPO), the goal of this project is to demystify the law for non-profit leaders, directors and communities. By demystifying the most common legal issues and making legal resources available, the overall capacity of the non-profit will be strengthened, enabling them to put more time and energy to their programs.

LawForNonProfits: Nunavut will bring LawForNonProfits (LFNP), a free, low-barrier, AI-enabled digital platform, to Nunavut and provide Nunavut-specific legal information to non-profits throughout the territory.

Using a guided pathway format, LFNP’s Legal Help Guides (LHG) will make it easy for Nunavut non-profits to diagnose legal issues and create clear and shareable action plans to maintain compliance and avoid legal crises.

LawForNonProfits is driven by a commitment to providing free and accessible legal tools to reduce the risk of legal crises arising in the day-to-day operation of non-profits.

PLEO received the initial Grant to develop the digital platform in collaboration with NANPO.

You can can learn more about PLEO here.

 

Redfish Arts Society

Youth Arts and Justice Education Initiative

This initiative proposes an arts-based legal education program for Inuit youth aged 8–14 in Cambridge Bay. Rooted in community partnership, the project will bring together the Redfish Arts Studio, the Law Society of Nunavut, the Ontario Justice Education Network, and local institutions including CHARS and Nunavut Arctic College. The program will develop and deliver interactive workshops where art becomes a bridge to understanding law, rights, and community responsibility. Through visual storytelling and traditional symbols, the project will connect youth with both Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and Canadian civic concepts, fostering awareness of justice, reconciliation, and community wellbeing.

The Redfish Arts Studio received the initial Grant to support a Phase I consultation in Cambridge Bay with the objective of co‑developing a culturally grounded, arts‑based legal and civic education curriculum for Inuit youth aged 8–14 in Cambridge Bay.

You can learn more about the Redfish Arts Studio here

 

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NDMS Call for Expression of Interest – Lawyer

    • A General Grant was awarded to the Nunavummi Disability Makinnasuaqtiit Society for the hiring of a lawyer (member of the Law Society of Nunavut) to provide legal advice and support for case management and advocacy.

    • Call for Expression of Interest is now open (must be licensed to practice in Nunavut). Deadline is Friday, April 10, 2026.

      • You can request a copy of the Call in your preferred official language of Nunavut. Please email administrator@nulf.ca .
    • You can learn more about NDMS  here.
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General Grant New Recipients – February 2026 Announcement

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the following organizations are recent recipients of a general grant.

CanLII Logo

Canadian Legal Information Institute

  • Project Phase II : Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Summarize Nunavut Primary Legal Information

    • Read the Phase II project summary here .
    • Phase I project summary is available here.
    • You can learn more about CanLII  here.

Nunavummi Disability Makinnasuaqtiit Society (NU)

    • Grant towards the hiring of a lawyer (member of the Law Society of Nunavut) to provide legal advice and support for case management and advocacy.

    • You can learn more about NDMS  here.

Tulugaq Law Firm (NU)

    • Grant to support Inuit summer law students (summer 2025, Iqaluit).

Perrie Law (MN)

    • Grant to support clients across Nunavut who require Inuktut interpretation for wills and estate planning services.
    • Contact info@perrie-law.com for more information.   

 

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2026 Upinnaqtuq Awards – Extended Call for Nominations

The Nunavut Law Foundation will be awarding students and youths in each region across Nunavut in honor of Justice Beverly Browne, who was the first senior judge in the Nunavut Court of Justice. The Upinnaqtuq Award commemorates her great leadership, active volunteerism in Nunavut’s communities, commitment to social justice, and particular dedication to working with youth. The overall goal of the Award is to celebrate one’s accomplishment, whether as a role model or an individual who has or is taking steps to overcome personal challenges.Learn more about past recipients.  

Call for Nominations – All Languages Press Releases: ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ; INUINNAQTUN; FRENCH; ENGLISH;

Who can nominate, and how can you nominate? 

As a member of your community (including principals, teachers, student support assistants, organizations, and any member of the public who is not directly related to the student or youth).

The Foundation is asking you to provide an email or letter to nominate an individual who embodies leadership, conflict resolution, peace, or who made strong efforts to change to become a role model, demonstrating remarkable progress in rehabilitation. 

What are the eligibility criteria?

Nominations are open for Students in grades 6 to 12 or Youth between the ages of 10 to 20. Participants in the Pathway to Adult Secondary School (PASS) program, who are currently enrolled or have completed the program within the past six months, are also eligible.

What is the deadline (extended deadline)? 

Please send a letter or email explaining why this individual deserves the scholarship to Nalini Vaddapalli at administrator@nulf.ca by Monday, April 13 2026.

When will the awards be announced?

Once the Foundation has received all letters from the schools, organizations, and the general public, the Board members will review each nomination for selection. The chairperson will then inform the selected recipients of the scholarship by Friday, May 1, 2026.

What are the awards?

Monetary scholarships will be given to students and youths 14 years and older; and students and youths 13 years and under will receive a gift of their choice, up to a maximum amount to be determined by the Board once all applications have been received.

Questions?  Contact:

The Nunavut Law Foundation is a non-profit organization that receives funding from the Law Society of Nunavut (which represents all the lawyers practicing in the territory). 

 

 

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2025 Upinnaqtuq Award Recipients

The Nunavut Law Foundation is proud to present the winners of the 2025 Upinnaqtuq Awards. Each year, these awards recognize youth who not only exhibit outstanding leadership and commitment to their communities but also inspire those around them through resilience and positive change.  The 2025 recipients exemplify these values, demonstrating that leadership knows no age, and that the contributions of young people are vital to the growth and strength of our communities.

Learn more about the 2025 recipients.

 

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Call for Public Representative

Call for Public Representative

Are you passionate about public legal education, access to justice and the administration of justice? Join the Board of Law Foundation to serve as a voice for the community and play a key role in law-related projects and initiatives.

As a Public Representative, you would be responsible for expressing community concerns, sharing your knowledge and insight, and ensure that decisions reflect the views of the general public, including Inuit values.

  • How to apply:  Send a cover letter and resume by email to administrator@nulf.ca or fax to (867) 979-2333.
  • Deadline for submission: Friday, May 2, 2025.
  • Questions: admnistrator@nulf.ca .
  • Detailed Call for Public Representative: EN FR, IK and INQ .
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General Grant New Recipients – January 2025 Announcement

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the following organizations and individual are recent recipients of a general grant.

CanLII Logo

November 2024 – Canadian Legal Information Institute

  • Project: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Summarize Nunavut Primary Legal Information ( further details to be posted).

    • Read the project description here.

    • You can learn more about CanLII  here.

Thumbnail of the cover of the PDF version of the guide, featuring a photo of a hand holding a feather with a scenic view of a sunset over a shoreline.

January 2025 – S.H.E.D. Society of Bella Coola (BC)

Bella Coola Legal Advocacy Program

January 2025 – Victoria Perrie, Perrie Law (MN)

  • The Report Northern Lights, Southern Justice: Charting a Course for Inuit-Focused Legal Services is available here .

    • The Report arises from the Inuit Legal Clinic Summit, May 1 – 2, 2024, Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Summit was held in partnership with the University of Manitoba. Learn more about the Inuit Legal Clinic Summit at Robson Hall here. 

    • You can learn more about Victoria here.

 

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Employment Opportunity – Administrator

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Nunavut Law Foundation is seeking a well-rounded, organized and passionate individual to fill the part-time position of Administrator starting in September.   Detailed posting with list of responsibilities:  English, Inuktitut and French

  • Part-time position: 10 hours per month (minimum)
  • Hourly rate:  $85/hour
  • Preferred hiring:  Nunavut Inuit
  • How to apply:  Please send your resume and cover letter demonstrating  your overall skills and experience to meet the various responsibilities.
  • Contact:  administrator@nulf.ca
  • Deadline to apply: Friday August 23

The successful candidate would ideally be able to travel to attend the annual meeting of the Association of  Canadian Law Foundations (ACLF) taking place from September 19-21 in Vancouver.

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