A report by Shirley Barton, J.D., University of Alberta
Setting the Scene
The timing and location of the Christian Legal Institute (CLI) from April 28 to May 3 in London, Ontario, was ideal. As a third-year law student wrapping up my studies, stepping onto the serene grounds of the Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre felt like exhaling a breath that I hadn’t realized I had been holding. Flowering trees, including the iconic cherry trees, stood in full bloom across lush green lawns and elegant facilities. It was a stark contrast to the brick-and-mortar university buildings to which we law students are accustomed. We had been told this week would not only offer intense learning, but would also serve as a spiritual retreat. That promise came to life the moment I arrived. A deep peace washed over me, and I knew the week would be a sacred time.
Delegates and faculty shared 35 mentorship hours, including 20 group meals.
That feeling continued as I settled in my room, wandered the tranquil grounds and joined the group for our first shared meal: a generous buffet with something to satisfy every palate. Every meal that week (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even the “nourishment hub” in between) was abundant and lovingly prepared. Through CLF’s generous sponsorship of our accommodations and meals, we were not only spiritually fed but also physically nourished.
A Community of Believers
Like many, I arrived with a few nerves. As a non-traditional law student — married, with our children already adults — I took a different path to law school. I prayed that I would connect with at least one fellow participant. I need not have worried.
On our first evening, bonding over the Speluncean Explorers case, it quickly became clear that while we came from diverse backgrounds with different aspirations and were at varying stages in both life and law, we were united by a desire to seek God's will in our legal calling. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 came to life throughout the week in our conversations, prayer times, laughter and learning: “Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up.”
Law and Connecting it to the Kingdom of God
Delegates received over 40 hours of instructional teaching over the course of the week, with another 12 hours devoted to worship, reflection, and prayer.
Although I cannot fully capture all that we learned over the course of this one-week intensive legal training program, this report highlights my key insights and experiences. Each day began with morning worship and devotionals, followed by a deep dive into core themes: Worldviews & Foundations, The Right to Life & Human Dignity, Fundamental Freedoms, Family & Community, and Cultural Engagement. The schedule flowed smoothly: evidence of God’s hand in every detail. CLF staff poured their hearts into preparing a week that would encourage and challenge us. We heard from experienced and inspiring voices, including judges, doctors, law professors, pastors, and practicing and retired lawyers, many of whom have advocated before or been cited at the Supreme Court level, among others.
“I received tools for assessing how legal systems can either uphold or
erode the God-given dignity of each person, and I began to see how our
legal work must be rooted in both truth and love.”
Though mentally taxing, the days were spiritually energizing. One speaker challenged us with the following advice: “Be visible. Be vibrant. Don’t let anyone make you feel ashamed for being a Christian.” We were reminded that we are in a spiritual battle, but we are on the winning side. As Christian legal professionals, we must act with courage and humility, standing for truth while embodying Christ’s love and compassion.
On the first day, we were introduced to the Aquinas circles framework, which illustrates the relationships between divine law, natural law, and human law. This tool helps us visualize how legal systems can either reflect or ignore God’s truth, and understand how, as Christian lawyers, we can build common ground in a diverse legal landscape.
CLF Executive Director and General Counsel, Derek Ross at the 2025 CLI. This year’s faculty was comprised of 22 legal professionals, including lawyers, law professors, and judges.
Our exploration of human rights flowed into the following day’s focus on fundamental freedoms, particularly how human rights can be shaped by the leaders of the day. Against this backdrop and amidst cultural confusion, legal and human rights instruments can offer tools that enable the pursuit of truth, if we engage humbly and prayerfully.
We were also encouraged to approach reconciliation with a posture of humility, especially in light of historical wrongs toward Indigenous peoples in the name of Christ. Redemptive reconciliation begins with a primary emphasis on building respectful relationships rooted in compassion.
CLF Special Advisor and Director of Operations, Ruth Ross at the 2025 CLI.
Later in the week, we were briefed on current ethical issues before Parliament and the courts. This included CLF’s intervention in Kloubakov v R, a Supreme Court case reviewing the constitutionality of Canada’s prostitution laws, as well as in an upcoming court challenge of a policy that could require faith-based organizations to offer MAiD (medical assistance in dying) on their premises. We were given an overview of CLF’s public policy advocacy work in urging Parliament to refrain from further expanding MAiD in the mental health context, to respond to issues and disability rights concerns within the current regime, and to uphold Canada’s international obligation to protect the inherent right to life.
We also learned about the potential impacts of the federal Standing Committee on Finance's recommendation to amend the Income Tax Act, which could remove “advancement of religion” as a charitable purpose. We further explored society’s shifting approach to family integrity, and how it has at times contradicted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which recognizes the family as the “fundamental group unit of society [...] entitled to protection by society and the State”.
“As Christian legal professionals, we must act with courage and humility, standing for truth while embodying Christ’s love and compassion. ”
One of the most moving sessions of the week came from Philip and Robyn Serez. Philip, diagnosed with ALS, shared how he and Robyn have embraced what they call their “second life.” Their testimony of surrender, faith, and hope stood as a powerful witness in promoting medical assistance in living, bringing to life 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” The Serezes challenged us to “participate in Jesus’ redemptive activity in all aspects of society”, and powerfully demonstrated that “there is so much to discover on the other side of loss.”
35 delegates representing 17 Canadian law schools across 8 provinces gathered at the Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre to receive teaching and mentorship at the 2025 Christian Legal Institute.
A Stirring and a Calling
My experience at CLI was nothing short of transformative. Spiritually, I felt a stirring to pursue a legal career aligned with God’s kingdom purposes. I don’t yet know what that looks like in practice, but I am praying and waiting on God’s direction to live out Micah 6:8. The concept of “divine delay” particularly impacted me: put my work before the Lord always, and He will direct my paths. I left the week with a renewed conviction that the law, though often viewed through a secular lens, can also be a vessel for God’s justice and mercy in the world.
“I left the week with a renewed conviction that the law,
though often viewed through a secular lens, can also be a vessel for
God’s justice and mercy in the world.”
Intellectually, the content stretched me in ways I hadn’t anticipated. Topics like legal theory and natural law, which were once abstract to me, now have deeper significance in my life and work. I received tools for assessing how legal systems can either uphold or erode the God-given dignity of each person, and I began to see how our legal work must be rooted in both truth and love.
CLF Senior Counsel and Director of Training and Development, André Schutten at the 2025 CLI.
Relationally, the week was filled with divine appointments. I formed meaningful friendships, and especially valued the time for one-on-one social connections where we prayed for one another, and challenged and encouraged each other.
The generosity and care from the CLF team, which included Derek, Ruth, André, Annamarie, Vivian, Evelyn and Tim, was overwhelming. Beyond logistics, they created an environment where we could earnestly seek truth and collectively wrestle with hard questions, share prayer support, and grow in confidence. They embodied the charge in Galatians 6:9-10 to “not grow weary in doing good… as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people…”.
In addition to the intellectual and spiritual depth of the program, CLI offered optional times for social activities, providing us with space to unwind, laugh, and deepen our connections in a relaxed setting. Whether playing law(n) games on the beautiful grounds, diving into a competitive board game, taking in a theatre show in charming Stratford, or trying something new like axe throwing, these activities helped foster a true sense of community. Sharing these moments together brought life and levity to the week, reminding us that fellowship and fun are vital parts of our Christian walk.
The 2025 CLI delegates pledged $14,167,125 in pro bono services to Christian ministry (based on an hourly rate of $225/hour over 35 years, not accounting for inflation or increases!).
Called and Sent
A defining moment of the week occurred during the commissioning service at the celebration banquet. This year’s CLI delegates stood together in unity as all others in attendance prayed over us and blessed us; it was a powerful reminder that our call to the legal profession is also a call to ministry. We left that service reminded of our true identity, not merely as students of the law, but as ambassadors of Christ’s justice and love; an echo of the words in Isaiah 6:8: “Here I am. Send me.”
I did not leave CLI with all the answers, but I have a deeper sense of calling, peace, and anticipation for what is to come. As Exodus 14:14 reminds us, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” I move forward in faith, confident that God equips those He calls.
To all who made this week possible: thank you for investing so deeply in us. May the seeds planted at CLI continue to bear fruit for God’s kingdom: for justice, mercy, and truth in every corner of the legal profession.
The Christian Legal Institute class of 2025 at the Celebration Banquet.
Learn more about the Christian Legal Institute here.
Shirley Barton completed her Juris Doctor at the University of Alberta in 2025. Some might say becoming an empty nester in recent years was the nudge she needed to pursue law school. Currently completing her articles with an employment litigation firm, Shirley draws on a rich background in governance, education, and public service. She also serves in her church community in various leadership and support roles, with a deep commitment to both local and international community development, highlighted by a decade-long partnership with Food for the Hungry Canada focused on sustainable, community-led initiatives in Uganda. During law school, Shirley held several leadership roles, including President of the U of A CLF law student chapter, Co-President of the Law & Older Student Club, and Co-Editor and Secretary of the Alberta Law Review Journal. When not immersed in the law, she enjoys Alberta’s outdoors by paddle-boarding and hiking in the summer or skiing and skating in the winter. Indoors, she finds joy in sewing and transforming her garden harvest into home-cooked meals and preserves for her family.
