Paralegal studies students seek to remedy barriers to justice

By Saran Davaajargal

On April 14, 2025, the Humber Press team had the opportunity to attend the capstone presentations by the Bachelor of Paralegal Studies program students at the Humber Lakeshore campus. The classroom presentations were a showcase of the semester-long work students have been doing for their capstone projects and a demonstration of their commitment to making a difference in their community. 

As a four-year honours degree program with accreditation by the Law Society of Ontario, the Paralegal Studies program prepares students for professional careers as licensed paralegals. In the last year of the program, the students enroll in the Access to Justice course for their capstone projects, as part of which they examine how lack of access to justice impacts vulnerable communities who seek legal protection. In this course, legal areas that have been covered in the paralegal studies program are critically examined through the lens of access to justice. 

Jasteena Dhillon, a law professor who teaches the course, notes that the capstone project experience exemplifies the holistic training students receive in the paralegal studies program. After spending the first few weeks of the course reading and discussing the most updated academic research on access to justice, human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion and the law, the students have the opportunity to learn from licensed paralegals who come into the classroom to answer questions about a range of topics, from child protection and human rights to landlord and tenant advocacy. Building on this theoretical knowledge, students complete the course by selecting an access to justice issue they’d like to explore and demonstrating their knowledge through a thesis presentation and research paper for their capstone project. 

Students’ experience with capstone projects

This year’s capstone projects reflected the wide range of students’ interests, from examining victims’ rights to exploring the lack of access to justice in marginalized communities due to race and mental health issues. The students note that working on the capstone project has been an impactful professional experience. 

Gurjot (Gigi) Singh examined the school-to-prison pipeline for the capstone project. 

“I’m grateful to this course because it opened up my understanding and views about all of the discrepancies that kids and youth face,” says Singh. 

Rachel Brown, who explored the lack of access to justice in marginalized communities, notes, “This experience reinforced my desire to work closely with marginalized and vulnerable groups in Ontario and Canada in general.” 

For Dion Desserre, whose capstone project focused on victims’ rights, writing and research skills were the most important skills learned through the project. 

“This program has prepared us well for the industry because it has people from the field teaching us, taking theories, and applying them to real-life situations,” says Desserre. 

Training the next generation of paralegal professionals

A recipient of the 2023 Access to Justice Award from the University of Windsor Law School and Humber’s 2023 Distinguished Faculty Award, Jasteena Dhillon is an experienced lawyer with extensive international experience and industry expertise. Dhillon notes that the paralegal education at Humber has a special value for both practitioners and the community. 

“Paralegals are able to work with the everyday people about problems that are preventing them from living a life free of rights violations and justice barriers," says Dhillon.

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Dhillon also serves as co-chief editor of the Journal of Paralegal Access to Justice. In partnership with Emond Publishing, the Journal is compiled by the Bachelor of Paralegal Studies program, which provides a forum to critically examine issues related to the scope of paralegal practice and the role of paralegals in advancing access to justice. 

Dhillon notes that the paralegal studies program prepares students for a wide range of career options, from opening up their own office as independent paralegals to serving in the government to working in corporate law firms.

“I love it when students find their professional home,” she says. 

Building brilliance in action

Capstone projects are a demonstration of Humber Polytechnic’s commitment to building brilliance both inside and outside the classroom. The projects reflect the dedication of Humber faculty members passionate about training the next generation of paralegal professionals. For the students, the capstone projects mark an important milestone in their professional journey and pave the way for making a positive difference in Canada and beyond.