Impact Chair in Indigenous International Law

Who we are

Since our founding in the mid-1970s, the Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria has sought to make a unique contribution to legal education in Canada, striving for innovation in the classroom, creativity and leadership in research, with due attention to the needs of Canada’s most marginalized communities. Home to some of Canada’s most innovative and dynamic thinkers, the Faculty of Law has created a vibrant learning environment based on a commitment to social justice, humane professionalism and civic responsibility, critical interdisciplinary policy-oriented research and teaching and collegial governance. Dedicated to providing students with the skills, knowledge and judgment they will need to embark on diverse careers, UVic Law offers a rich curriculum that includes the only common-law co-operative legal education program in Canada and a diversity of experiential education opportunities. In September 2018, we welcomed the inaugural class in our path-breaking transsystemic joint degree program in Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders (JD/JID) and in 2024 we inaugurated the Racial Justice Program for Black Law Students. We are a faculty with a commitment to diversification across our ranks.

What we are looking for

The Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria invites candidates to apply for an Impact Chair position in Indigenous International Law.

UVic Impact Chairs are intended for exceptional scholars recognized as leaders in their field, with demonstrated excellence in research, research-inspired teaching, and the ability to convene collaborative, interdisciplinary, and community-engaged work. The role of the Impact Chair is to convene, connect and facilitate collaborative research and education across disciplines and academic units, knowledge sharing and mobilizations, partnerships on campus and with external partners and communities, and to provide leadership in relation to the relevant University of Victoria Strategic Framework priorities, including Indigenous resurgence, social justice, and global engagement.

The goal of the International Indigenous Law Impact Chair is to:

• Advance Indigenous legal orders as living, governing systems of law within and across intersocietal global contexts;
• Strengthen and complement transsystemic Indigenous legal scholarship, including relationships between Indigenous laws, state law, and international/transnational law and legal frameworks;
• Support community-led Indigenous law revitalization, governance, and legal innovation;
• Enhance international collaboration among Indigenous scholars, communities, and institutions; and
• Increase opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to engage in experiential, community-engaged Indigenous legal education.

The International Indigenous Law Impact Chair will provide academic leadership in Indigenous legal scholarship with an international and transsystemic focus, connecting Indigenous legal orders across jurisdictions while grounding the work in respectful, community-engaged methodologies.

The Chair will complement the Faculty of Law’s internationally recognized strengths in Indigenous law, including its Joint Degree Program in Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders (JD/JID), community-partnered Indigenous law revitalization projects, and sustained engagement with Indigenous nations, governments, and institutions.

Situated on the territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Xʷsepsəm/ Esquimalt) Peoples, and in relationship with the W̱SÁNEĆ and Coast Salish Peoples, this Chair is envisioned as a catalyst for global Indigenous legal dialogue, knowledge mobilization, and institutional transformation. It will serve as a convenor, connector, and mentor across disciplines, academic units, Indigenous communities, and international partners.

The Chair holder will be expected to conduct original and innovative research in Indigenous law with an international or comparative dimension, convene collaborative research initiatives, workshops, and symposia that connect legal scholars and Indigenous communities across jurisdictions, teach and supervise students in the JD, JD/JID, and graduate programs, and contribute to knowledge mobilization, including public scholarship and community-accessible outputs.

The successful candidate will hold a faculty appointment of associate professor with tenure, or professor with tenure at the Faculty of Law. The anticipated start date for this position is as early as 1 January 2027 (negotiable). The term of the Impact Chair is five years (non-renewable) and the holder will receive $50,000 annually to support research, pedagogy or partnerships, as applicable. Upon completion of the five-year term, the successful candidate will hold a regular position at the Faculty of Law.

Salary Range

The candidate's qualifications, experience and overall market demand will determine a candidate’s final salary offer. The salary for this position includes a competitive salary range of $162,000 - $200,000 at the Associate Professor rank, and $200,000 - $244,000 at the Professor rank. UVic is committed to offering an equitable and competitive salary, inclusive of a generous benefits package, eligible leaves and pension plan.

Requirements

Candidates must have a LL.B., J.D., J.I.D., BCL or equivalent law degree and a relevant doctorate, and hold an academic position at the rank of associate professor or professor.

We seek candidates with pertinent expertise in Indigenous laws, or closely related fields, and demonstrated expertise in intersocietal and global contexts.

Candidates must have an established research program in Indigenous laws and legal orders, Indigenous community-engaged research, Indigenous governance, or Indigenous legal revitalization. Their research should demonstrate the collaborative skills necessary to foster interdisciplinary and intercultural research relationships. Experience working with Indigenous nations and communities, particularly through long-term, reciprocal, and accountable relationships, will be considered a significant asset.

Candidates must have significant teaching experience and demonstrated commitment to and interest in engaging teaching practices. Candidates must have extensive experience in supervising graduate students.

In accordance with the University’s Equity Plan and pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, preference will be given to members of the following designated groups: Indigenous persons. Candidates from these groups who wish to qualify for preferential consideration must self-identify in their cover letter. The committee will review other applications if they do not find suitable candidates in the preferential pool.

This appointment is limited to candidates external to UVic.

Application Procedure

To be considered, please send the following to the Chair, Appointments Advisory Committee – Impact Chair, at lawapps@uvic.ca:

• a cover letter that addresses the full scope of the job requirements;
• curriculum vitae;
• a 2-page statement describing current and future research projects and how they fit with the goals of the Impact Chair;
• a teaching dossier that includes evidence of effective teaching skills and experience;
• two representative publications or works in progress;
• a statement indicating how your teaching, research and service has contributed to an equitable and inclusive academic environment;
• contact information for three academic references whom you have asked to send reference letters; and
• copies of law degree and graduate transcripts.

If you are neither a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, please indicate if you are authorized to work in Canada, and be prepared to provide a copy of your permit authorizing same.

Applicants should arrange for their referees to send their letters directly to the Committee at lawapps@uvic.ca.

The Committee will begin considering applications on 15 June 2026 until the position is filled.

Applicants who have special requirements for confidentiality are invited to contact Associate Dean Indigenous Sarah Morales, Chair, Impact Chair Appointment Committee, at lawapps@uvic.ca, or Dean Freya Kodar at lawdean@uvic.ca.

Information about the Faculty of Law can be found at www.uvic.ca/law.