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Family law innovation starts with you.
Lead the way to a better family law system. Write an essay proposing practical innovations or substantive family law reform. Submit your essay by November 6, 2017 for consideration by a panel of family lawyers and scholars. Win a $5,000 scholarship or one of three runner-up prizes. Get published. Make a difference. Start now.
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FC&Z Fraese Family Law Scholarship
At FC&Z Family Lawyers we recognize that family law has both a broad and profound impact on Canadian families. Perhaps no other area of law has such a significant role to play in the well-being and future prosperity of our society. We are passionate about supporting students interested in practicing family law as a career choice, and want to inspire law students across Canada to consider how the family law system can innovate, improve, reform and modernize -- all to better serve Canadian families.
That's why we've created a substantial new scholarship to encourage family law innovation, open to entry for students studying at or admitted to any Canadian law school. The FC&Z Family Law Scholarship is an annual scholarship in the amount of $5,000 for the best essay on family law innovation, as judged by a panel of distinguished Canadian family lawyers and scholars.
Eligibility Requirements
The eligibility criteria and application process are as follows:
- Applicants must submit a minimum 1,500 word essay on any aspect of innovation in Canadian family law (we've prepared a non-exhaustive list of possible topics)
- Open to students enrolled in any year of study at any Canadian law school during the 2017/2018 academic year
- Submission deadline November 6
- Winner will receive prize of $5,000, and automatic consideration for publication
- Runners-up will receive prize of $500
All submissions will be considered for publication on the FC&Z Family Law Blog. With your consent, we may propose submitting your essay to other legal industry publications for broader circulation. If your ideas are good, they deserve an audience!
Application Instructions
Applications should be submitted by email to scholarship@fczlaw.ca. All applications must include:
- your full name, email address, phone number and mailing address;
- confirmation of admission or enrolment at a Canadian law school; and
- your essay on family law innovation (minimum 1,500 words) in word or pdf format.
All applicants will receive an email confirmation that their application has been received, and will be notified of the results when they are available.
Award Panel
The award panel for the 2017 scholarship includes the following members:
- John-Paul Boyd, Executive Director, Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family
- Heather Fraese, Partner, Davidson Fraese Family Lawyers
We ask that you please refrain from contacting award panel members directly regarding the scholarship. All inquiries should be directed to scholarship@fczlaw.ca.
Possible Writing Topics / Subject Areas
What follows is a list of areas in which we see an opportunity for student research to make a significant contribution to the practice:
- ways to improve public access to family law counsel
- potential uses of technology in family law
- improvements to court processes relating to family law
- law reform to address inequity or injustice in an area of family law
This list is by no means intended to be inclusive. Please feel free to write on any topic you consider responsive.
Past Winners
Results of the 2017 competition will be posted in early 2018.
- 2016: Kyle Gardiner, University of Calgary
Award Summary
Award Name: Davidson Fraese Family Law Scholarship
Award Value: $5,000 main award, $500 runners-up
Number: 1 main award, maximum of 3 runners-up
Application Deadline: November 6, 2017
Conditions: The scholarship is open to all law students who are currently admitted to or attending an undergraduate degree program in law at a Canadian university.
