Black Future Lawyers deepens our engagement with aspiring Black undergraduate students by establishing local chapters at their schools

Current Black undergraduates may, for free, become general members in BFL (a.k.a. BFL Central in Toronto). General members attending schools with a BFL Chapter are encouraged to also enrol in their local chapter. 

We are aiming to grow BFL Chapters beyond Ontario to support as many students as possible, and at any point in time, welcome inquiries from students who are interested in forming a chapter at their schools.

Chapter Membership & Benefits

In addition to all of the admissions, mentorship and skills supports that come with being a BFL general member, joining a chapter provides access to a variety of events and activities that occur locally at the chapter's school and city. These may include social gatherings, study groups, tours of local law firms and courthouses, guest speakers, workshops and networking with local-area lawyers.

Volunteering for an executive role at a BFL Chapter provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your leadership, interpersonal and organizational skills. Chapter executives receive planning and training support from BFL Central, connect regularly to share ideas and best practices, and collaborate on group projects that benefit their members. Furthermore, BFL Central provides financial support to chapters to offset the operational cost of the suite of programming for their members.

BFL Chapters

List of chapter schools with Instagram links and year established

1. McMaster University (2020, read Chapter Spotlight)
2. University of Ottawa (2021)
3. University of Toronto - St. George campus (2021)
4. Western University (2020)
5. York University (2020)
6. University of Toronto - Mississauga campus (2022)
7. Toronto Metropolitan University (2022)
   
    

Starting a BFL Chapter at your school

1. A BFL Chapter is also an officially-recognized student club at its school. Review the policies and procedures on forming a new student club at your school.
    
2. Give some thought to the potential size of the chapter membership based on the student body at your school, and the level of student interest in obtaining a legal education.
    
3. Reach out to BFL Central to arrange an informal conversation about your interest in starting a chapter via bfl.law@utoronto.ca