Law student Stephen Raitz sees municipal law as a tool for positive change

Stephen Raitz, ‘24 JD, admits that for some law students, municipal law may sound dull, but he sees the potential for this area of law to transform communities in dynamic and exciting ways.

“Want to turn a barren street into a pedestrian plaza? Advocate for a road closure bylaw! Want a cool cafe in your neighbourhood? Amend the land use bylaw!”

That passion for municipal law has earned him an inaugural Charles Thompson Jr. Local Government Law Scholarship, presented by the International Municipal Lawyers Association. Raitz is the only Canadian recipient of the three scholarships presented this year.

“It's such a privilege to get recognized in this way,” said Raitz. “Ultimately, it just makes me more excited to practice in this area.”

“I nominated Stephen for this scholarship and was thrilled to see him announced as one of three inaugural winners,” said Professor Eran Kaplinsky. “The award was established to recognize rising upper-year law students with demonstrated accomplishment and interest in serving their communities as local government lawyers. Stephen's leadership and numerous contributions made him a natural candidate!”

Raitz, who grew up in Leduc, completed his undergraduate degree in Urban Planning at the U of A. “I worked during and after my degree in a few different municipalities in the Edmonton region,” said Raitz. “With a story arc like this, I'm very committed to Edmonton.”

There is a lot to love about Edmonton, says Raitz whose commitment to the city has translated into an impressive list of leadership positions.

“There are a lot of young people around the city who are committed to seeing their communities improve. I've had opportunities to do this kind of work through being chair of a non-profit like Paths for People, where I advocate for safer, more liveable streets.”

In addition to service to the wider community, Raitz has acted as a first-year rep and a vice-president for the Law Students’ Association at the Faculty of Law.

“I'm thankful that one of the main reasons I chose to come to the U of A has materialized, in that the student community is really quite vibrant and connected,” he said.

Pushing for positive change in his community and transforming cities to be more human-centered inspires Raitz’s pursuit of municipal law. He wants to see others get excited about the potential of municipal law. “Finding ways to make it interesting and relevant is a big part of why I'm quite passionate about it,” said Raitz.

“Professor Kaplinsky was dynamite as our professor for Municipal and Planning Law last semester. He really did a great balance between teaching the academic and practical aspects of this area of law.”

Raitz will be articling with Brownlee LLP in Edmonton after completing his law degree and looks forward to engaging with many different areas to get a well-rounded experience. He hopes to end up in their municipal department at the end of the process so he can continue to pursue municipal law.