Open Rank Position in Indigenous and Aboriginal Law

Open Rank Position in Indigenous and Aboriginal Law

Law, Lincoln Alexander Sch Law

Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada, and on the territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosauneeand the Wendat Peoples, the Lincoln Alexander School of Law at Toronto Metropolitan University [www.torontomu.ca] invites applications for a tenure-stream position at the rank of Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor effective July 1, 2026, subject to final budgetary approval. 

This position is restricted to candidates who self-identify as members of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, or Indigenous peoples of North America in the Applicant Diversity Self-ID questionnaire in the recruitment portal and who successfully complete an affirmation process at TMU. We highly encourage Indigenous applicants to apply for both this position and the non-designated position (open-rank tenure-stream) described in a separate post. The law school is keen to expand its Indigenous curriculum, and continue cultivating its implementation of Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada recommendations 28 and 50, and to hire across all our available positions in alignment with this goal.

The successful candidate will engage in a combination of teaching, scholarly research or creative activity, and service duties while maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and collegial work environment across all activities. Teaching duties will entail teaching in the law school’s innovative JD program. The successful candidate will further pursue a strong, innovative research program or creative activity that may be demonstrated through Indigenous community-based or community-engaged SRC, Indigenous-specific creative projects, and the dissemination of SRC through mechanisms that include writing for Indigenous audiences, Indigenous peer review processes and recognition of Indigenous protocols when presenting research findings (Indigenous feasts, newsletters, oral presentations, and reports to the Indigenous community) that recognize the ethics of and responsibilities to collaborate with Indigenous communities. Service to external bodies may also include participation in or service to Indigenous organizations that might not be considered learned societies and/or professional associations.

Candidates must hold a J.D. or LL.B. degree as well as either an LL.M. or a Master’s degree in a closely related field.  Preference will be given to candidates with a doctoral degree in law or a closely related field, or who are all-but-dissertation [ABD] and are close to completion and able to demonstrate active enrolment in the relevant academic program. Our school is seeking expertise in Indigenous law and legal orders or in issues of the colonial legal system’s impacts on Indigenous communities.  

Applicants who wish to be considered for the Associate or Full Professor ranks must provide evidence of holding tenure at their current post-secondary institution or successfully complete the tenure process at TMU prior to the appointment at the appropriate rank.

In addition, the successful candidate must present evidence of: 

• An active and impactful research agenda that is grounded in, or engages with Indigenous law and legal orders, or that addresses how Indigenous communities, societies, or individuals contend with colonial legal systems;
• Demonstrated potential for high-quality teaching and student engagement at all levels of the law school curriculum and the ability to teach a selection of the school’s Indigenous focused courses (e.g., JUR 109: Indigenous and Aboriginal Law, JUR 220: Issues in Indigenous Economic Development, JUR 223: Indigenous Legal Theory and Practice, JUR 332: Indigenous Dispute Resolution, or JUR 334: Indigenous Peoples and Criminal Law Practice).
• Demonstrated ability to, and interest in, building the law school’s curriculum on Indigenous law and legal orders, Canada’s Aboriginal laws, or international law regarding Indigenous peoples, with a preference for candidates who demonstrate a groundedness in local Anishinaabe and/or Haudenosaunee legal orders.
• An interest in contributing to the school’s development of land-based learning programs.
• Commitment to our values of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) as they pertain to service, teaching, and scholarly research or creative activities, including a demonstrated ability to make learning accessible and inclusive for a diverse student population; and 

• An ability and willingness to contribute through collegial service to the life of the law school, the University and Indigenous communities.

Our committee recognizes that scholars have varying career paths and that career interruptions can be part of an excellent academic record. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions. 

This position falls under the jurisdiction of the Toronto Metropolitan Faculty Association (TFA) [www.tfanet.ca]. Visit us at www.torontomu.ca/faculty-affairs to view the TFA collective agreement and a summary of TFA benefits.  The salary minima for the Assistant, Associate and Full Professor ranks are $103,916.30, $131,194.32 and $150,029.14 per annum, respectively. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications. 

Working at TMU

Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, TMU offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs that integrate theoretical and practical learning. Distinguished by a professionally focused curriculum and a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and creative activities, TMU is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement and city building, reflected in its award-winning architecture. 

At the intersection of mind and action, TMU is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. Our new academic plan, Transformative Futures, offers an exciting roadmap towards our ongoing pursuit of academic excellence and addressing the complex and evolving challenges of our time. 

At the heart of TMU’s remarkable achievements and its ambitious aspirations are its students, faculty and staff. Committed to a people-first culture, the university prides itself on offering exceptional benefits and perks, celebrating the achievements of its faculty and staff and maintaining its unwavering commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, including its ongoing commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, confronting Anti-Black Racism and accessibility for persons with disabilities. Among its many recognitions is being ranked number one on the Forbes list of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity. We invite you to explore employment at TMU as well as our community of diverse faculty and staff networks.  

Connect with us on LinkedIn for the latest news and opportunities at TMU. 

Lincoln Alexander School of Law

The Lincoln Alexander School of Law offers a Juris Doctor program to students of diverse backgrounds.  Our faculty prides itself on the excellence of its scholarly, research and creative (SRC) activities, the quality of its teaching, and the depth of its community engagement. We are interested in candidates who will contribute to the law school’s existing strengths and assist in advancing its priorities. 

The successful candidate will contribute to strengthening our Juris Doctor program and its Four Pillars: 

1. Equity, Diversity and Inclusion;
2. Increasing Access to Justice; 
3. Innovation and Entrepreneurship; and  
4. Academic Excellence. 

Lincoln Alexander Law has an outstanding reputation for scholarly work and an innovative teaching culture. It is one of only two law schools in the country to offer an Integrated Practice Curriculum that integrates lawyering skills in each year of the program, allowing our graduates to be licensed as lawyers without articling.  The law school’s community legal clinic involves students in legal advocacy on behalf of low-income residents in our community. 

Lincoln Alexander Law is committed to advancing Indigenous legal education in Canada. The school’s Indigenous Legal Education Committee works with community partners to create opportunities for faculty, staff and students to engage in land-based learning. In addition to seeking to hire Indigenous faculty, this year the school will establish a staff position for a Director of Indigenous Initiatives, who will play a key leadership role in advancing Indigenous student support, Indigenous community engagement, and reconciliation efforts at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law. This role focuses on culturally grounded student programming, advising, and community partnerships that promote Indigenous student success and advance the law school’s commitments to reconciliation and Indigenous inclusion in legal education.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit their application online via the Faculty Recruitment Portal [https://hr.cf.torontomu.ca/ams/faculty/] by clicking on “Start Application Process” to begin. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. The position will remain open until filled. Applications, consisting of the following, must be submitted.  

• a letter of application; Please indicate in your letter of application whether at the time of this application, you hold tenure at your current institution. 
• a curriculum vitae; 
• a statement of research interests; 

• a scholarly writing sample, including a draft or published article, book chapter, or excerpt from a doctoral or master’s thesis;

• a teaching dossier that includes a teaching philosophy statement, results of teaching evaluations and an EDI statement; and

• names and contact information of three individuals who may be contacted for references.

At Toronto Metropolitan University, we believe that the diversity of knowledge, worldviews, and experiences that come from membership in different groups is fundamental to innovation, teaching, and scholarship. We also believe that our students are best served by faculty who reflect the diversity of TMU’s student body and the community in which TMU is situated. To ensure representation of the excellent talent in Canada, we strongly encourage applications from individuals who, in addition to identifying as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit peoples, or Indigenous peoples of North America, also identify as Black or other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women, and/or 2SLGBTQ+ individuals.

Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations. 

Contacts

Any confidential inquiries about the opportunity can be directed to the School Hiring Committee Chair, Professor Tim Bartkiw, at Show email.

Indigenous candidates interested in learning more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact James McKay, Indigenous Human Resources Lead, at Show email. 

Candidates who belong to one or more of the equity-deserving groups recognized at TMU are welcome to connect with Debbie Thompson [Show email], Executive Director, Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion [www.torontomu.ca/equity].  

For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the Recruitment Portal, please contact Show email.