She grew up in Nigeria, came to Canada as an internationally trained lawyer
Western University’s Faculty of Law has welcomed Moyosore Somide – whose background and experience span civil litigation, public interest law, municipal law, and insurance litigation – as the new director of Community Legal Services (CLS), effective Jan. 12.
Her role at Western Law’s student legal clinic entails helping train students in legal practice, make occasional court appearances, connect with funders like Legal Aid Ontario, organize access-to-justice conferences, work on law reform initiatives, and handle budget and grant applications.
“What really excited me about this role was the opportunity to work with the next generation of lawyers while making a tangible difference in the London community,” Somide said in an interview marking her appointment.
Western Law’s news release shared that she has shown a commitment to access to justice. The law school added that she has garnered hands-on experience in its community programs.
In the news release, Somide expressed excitement regarding “exploring new ways to expand our reach through technology, new partnerships, or pilot programs that address emerging community needs.”
CLS offers free legal assistance to low-income individuals in London, Ontario; lets law students experience client service and advocacy; and deals with matters involving criminal law, family law, civil litigation, landlord and tenant law, employment, human rights, consumer protection, contractual breaches, and provincial offences.
Somide’s LinkedIn profile provided more information regarding her professional experience and educational background.
She has served as in-house legal counsel II at Intact Insurance in London, Ontario, beginning in September 2024.
“At Intact Insurance, I independently managed 80 complex litigation files, strengthening my ability to handle a high-volume workload without compromising on quality,” Somide said in the law school’s news release.
For the City of London, she worked as a solicitor I, as a municipal prosecutor, and as an articling student.
“At the City of London, I represented the City at various levels of court and provided legal advice to multiple service areas, including Clerks, Housing, Sewer, Wastewater, and Engineering,” Somide said.
In Toronto, she was a legal assistant at Oware Law Office and at Ehinlaiye Law Office. Before that, she worked in Nigeria. She served as research counsel at the Centre for Justice, Reconciliation and Mercy.
According to Somide, “some of my most meaningful work has been with the Centre for Justice, Reconciliation and Mercy in Nigeria, where I investigated wrongful convictions and helped secure the release of several individuals who had been unjustly imprisoned.”
She worked as an associate at Edema Femi Jarret & Co Legal Practitioners and as a summer intern at the State High Court in Abeokuta.
“Growing up in Nigeria and coming to Canada as an internationally trained lawyer, I experienced firsthand what it means to navigate unfamiliar systems and advocate for yourself when the rules aren't always clear,” Somide said.
She received an LLM from the University of Toronto in 2018, a barrister-at-law designation from the Nigerian Law School in 2016, and an LLB from Afe Babalola University in 2015.
