Left to right: Apara Grace, Marianna Pozdirca, and Brett Williams attended the Christian Legal Fellowship (CLF) National Conference in Mississauga, Ontario in September.
Manitoba law students benefit from attending National CLF conference
Topics included mental health and burnout, charity law, Charter issues, and cultural competence in serving diverse religious clients
From September 26-28, 2025, we (Apara Grace, Brett Williams, Marianna Pozdirca) attended the Christian Legal Fellowship (CLF) National Conference in Mississauga, Ontario. The Conference program focused on a range of relevant topics, including mental health and burnout, charity law, the Charter’s preambular provisions, cultural competence in serving diverse religious clients, and Charter issues related to religious freedom and constitutional rights. Two plenary speakers were from the bench – Justice Paul Jeffrey of the Alberta Court of King’s Bench, and Justice David Brown, previously on the Ontario Court of Appeal. The National Conference is an accredited CPD program covering a wide variety of topics, including equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) content.
In between sessions, there were several social and networking activities which allowed the over-150 attendees (including law students, paralegals, lawyers, judges, and academics) to connect with one another and build strong community relationships.
On Saturday afternoon, I (Marianna Pozdirca) spoke on a panel for undergraduate students interested in law entitled, “Tips for Entering and Succeeding at Law School”. In this session, panellists (all of whom were 3L students from across the country) shared what they wished they knew before applying to law school, tips for succeeding 1L, and reflections on how their faith and community strengthened and supported the transition to law school.
The weekend concluded with CLF’s Christian Legal Institute Capstone, a one-day event which featured speaker sessions tailored specifically to law students. The day kicked off with a session from Melanie Bueckert, Legal Research Counsel with the Manitoba Court of Appeal, who shared her advice for writing an excellent law school paper and tips on getting it published. This was followed by a session on building community in law school, as well as a substantive session on bioethics.
The day ended with a banquet and address from lawyer Heidi de Vries (Redeemer University), entitled “Routine Faithfulness: Law, Justice, and Civil Service.” After a weekend of enriching and inspiring sessions on high level legal issues, including Supreme Court of Canada interventions, this concluding address was a wonderful reminder about being faithful in the current stages of our paths, even in the “mundane” and everyday tasks. Heidi encouraged us to find purpose in our work, including seeking out passion areas and projects to help others. This highlighted a recurring theme throughout the Conference: by showing love to one another and breaking bread together, we can break down barriers and cultivate understanding.
This conference was incredibly edifying to us, especially as we embark on a new year of law school and the Robson Hall CLF Law Student Chapter prepares to host the CLF National Student Conference, February 12-15, 2026.