Student Series: Reflections on My Time with AEL Advocacy

I recently completed Ontario’s lawyer licensing process. As part of the licensing requirements, I was required to complete a work experience component to develop practical legal skills. To fulfill this, I enrolled in the Law Practice Program at Toronto Metropolitan University. Through the program, I began a four-month placement with AEL Advocacy from January - April, 2025.

Over the last four months, I’ve worked with a team of the most dedicated advocates and remarkable supervising lawyers that I’ve ever met. These last four months have been the most fulfilling of my professional life so far. I wanted to share some of my reflections that I think speak to the crucial work that AEL Advocacy does, the need for them in the current legal landscape and the impact that the team here has had on my development. This whole post may sound cliché by the end, but it is written entirely genuinely.

Why I Applied to AEL Advocacy

I will openly admit that my primary legal interest isn’t animal and environmental law. However, I had never been sure of how I wanted to fit within the legal industry. I always knew that I never wanted to just sit behind a desk and serve faceless clients. Because of my personal circumstances and my identity as a person with a physical disability, I have always been an advocate for others. So, I knew I wanted my legal work to serve a cause bigger than myself.

I like to think of myself as a politically conscious person who is aware of many of the great injustices and power imbalances in today’s world. But my awareness of animal and environmental issues was that of someone who is deliberately half-aware. And to be honest, I’m not much better as I write this, but I am getting there. I was aware of issues with climate change, species conservation and food production, but until recently I hadn’t begun to truly grasp the size and scale of the challenges we face now.

Enter AEL Advocacy. When I applied, I knew that this was an opportunity to do something meaningful. I always considered myself an animal lover, even if I’ll always love one animal more than any other. (Yes, I had to throw a shoutout to my dog, Gryffin, in here.) But this opportunity was about more than being a stepping stone for my career or a good fit for my personality and values. It was a chance to become a different kind of lawyer, with experiences that many people would overlook. It was a chance to open my eyes. If I remember correctly, I mentioned something to that effect in my interview. I thought these four months had the chance to change me and they have. But in ways I could never really anticipate.

The Work I Did With AEL Advocacy

I did more in four months than I could have ever expected. My most common task was to respond to inquiries from people with various animal law issues and draft summary advice letters. There were often repetitive topics, but also a diverse range of issues that are indicative of the randomness of life. I also did a lot of research for various memos and public legal education projects. But this wasn’t like the research I encountered in school. It wasn’t always about finding definite answers to questions or applying cases to facts. It was about blending the law with science and advocacy. Even with something as small as these tasks, the goal was more than finding answers. It was about helping others, increasing awareness or discovering new areas of focus. This was a different beast that took a lot of getting used to.

By far the most intimidating tasks I had were to provide comments on policy. I was working with almost no foundation on topics such as the negative impacts of intensive livestock operations, the suitability of government contractor shelter standards, or the harms of industrialized egg laying. It took a lot of deep research, some incredible support and guidance, and a whole lot of terms and numbers that I still don’t quite understand, but I turned out some products that I am assured were satisfactory. It was these tasks perhaps more than anything else that I think will help me in my career going forward. Now, I believe I have some of the skills to be able to work on the fly as a competent lawyer and not within the confines of a set assignment for a class.

And of course, there were your basic lawyer and administrative duties. Like preparing cases and questions for litigation, drafting procedural and business documents and coordinating with various people. Most of these tasks were ones I wasn’t expecting to get experience with, and I consider them a bonus from my time at AEL Advocacy.

What Left the Biggest Impact on Me

There were two aspects of my position that I think will leave a lasting impression on me. The first came from the litigation work I contributed to. I got a sense of how daunting the legal system can be to someone without legal experience. There were moments where I wondered why it was designed the way it was. Because it’s likely that no one can navigate it alone. The second was a realization that occurred to me in the policy work area. It can feel as if environmental issues, or whatever your cause may be, are not a government priority.

I think working at AEL Advocacy showed me how to deal with these systemic issues. Having plentiful resources to address them or implementing a complete reform would be good. But I think the true answer lies in building a community and a support system. Nothing gets done alone and the team at AEL Advocacy is a testament to that. So, if you want to make change, just try. Reach out and you might find support and make connections. With enough likeminded people, inaccessible systems become more accessible. And small voices become louder. That’s how advocacy grows, even if it feels hopeless. Sometimes a fight is won just by staying in it.

How This Experience Has Changed My Goals

I said earlier that my main interest in law isn’t animal and environmental law. But this position has opened my eyes. Having gained some experience in the field I now know that I can make valuable contributions. That said, I don’t know what the future holds. I do know though that my conviction to do something meaningful with my skills and knowledge is even stronger now. Whether that be in the field of animal and environmental law, human rights law or some other cause that I have yet to discover. Regardless, it will always be true that there are ways to help things that are bigger than yourself no matter who you are.

The Importance of Organizations Like AEL Advocacy in Canada’s Legal Landscape

I came to this position not really knowing how to be an effective advocate or how to start making a change in the world. I think that’s why AEL Advocacy, and similar organizations are so important now. I think they serve to inspire people, and they have done crucial work in innovative ways with extremely limited resources. We need more of that going forward.

I mentioned that our systems can feel daunting, and the voices of advocates can be easily ignored. But AEL Advocacy showed me that there’s a way forward. The team here and with other organizations elsewhere across the province, the country, and the world will continue to fight and advocate for change. Often against governments and decision-makers that may not want to hear them. And their fight is the legacy they carry proudly. They won’t give up, even when the odds are long, and efforts seem futile. Because if someone is there to stand up for what they believe in, it makes it easier for others to do the same.

So, while you may be disheartened by the state of the food production industry, frustrated by the lack of response to climate change or angry that endangered species aren’t being protected, know that you can do something about it. AEL Advocacy and other organizations are out there. They can always use more support. And with enough time and effort, we can be the force of change we want to see. Even if individual contributions are small and temporary like mine have been.

My Time at AEL in One Sentence

Working with this amazing team for this cause was more than just a job, it became a beacon in some very hard times.

My thanks to the AEL Advocacy team and specifically to Kira Berkeley and Krystal-Anne Roussel for this amazing opportunity and for being incredible mentors with truly admirable work ethics. I am so grateful for your time and efforts working with me. I hope I paid them back and will continue to do so. I’d make a joke about the opportunity in environmental law being exactly what I needed to grow as a lawyer, but that’s too obvious.

– Ryan Boros, Law Practice Program graduate at Toronto Metropolitan University