By: The Crown Editor | March 13, 2023
Guest Writer: Reagan Hunter
What does the future hold for Christians looking to have a career in Law? Professor and lawyer Kristopher Kinsinger has some advice and insight for Christians considering law school from his legal experience and through the work of the Holy Spirit in his life.
Aside from being a lawyer, Kinsinger is on the board of directors at Christian Legal Fellowship, which is Canada’s national association of Christian lawyers and law students who approach their careers in law through a Christian worldview. He also taught an introductory law class here at Redeemer in the Fall of 2022 alongside professor and lawyer André Schutten.
Initially interested in vocational ministry as a career, Kinsinger considered attending Bible college but did not know if this was God’s calling for him. He then considered studying something he would enjoy and began studying history at the University of Waterloo.
During his undergraduate studies, Kinsinger attended the Christian Legal Institute, a week-long seminar hosted by Christian Legal Fellowship. By attending this conference, he discovered he could have a vocational career as a lawyer, not in the same way he initially expected, but still using his God-given gifts for the glory of God. He then attended law school at Osgoode Hall (York University) and received his Master’s in Law at McGill University.
One of Kinsinger’s passions within the legal field was the Trinity Western University v. Law Society of Upper Canada case. This case was brought to the Supreme Court of Canada on whether Trinity Western University, located in Langley, British Columbia, would be able to have an accredited law school. The outcome of this case denied Trinity Western that opportunity.
Professor Kinsinger noted that in this case, some awful comments were made about Christians who wanted to go into law. He was personally upset with the outcome, which further encouraged his career in law.
He hopes that someday in the near future, a Christian law school will be able to operate in Canada. He hopes for the possibility of Redeemer University and Trinity Western University to be a part of this.
Someone who greatly influenced Professor Kinsinger in his law career and someone who he greatly admires is Derek B.M. Ross. Ross is the executive director and general counsel for Christian Legal Fellowship. Kinsinger said, “If I could be half the lawyer Derek is, I know I will do well.” It is Ross’s “intelligence and grace” in his career that truly inspires Kinsinger. Kinsinger did an internship at Christian Legal Fellowship with Ross, and he now is on the board of directors.
Some practical advice that Kinsinger offers future Christian lawyers is to write the law school admission test early.
He said, “I bombed my first test, tried the test again, and jumped 40 percent the second time.”
For potential law students, he recommended touching base with any lawyers that you may know, learning what they do within law and how they structure their practice: “Legal practice is a lot different than what most people expect, and the practice of law itself is quite different from law school. Law school teaches you how to think, whereas articling, which is required work experience as a lawyer after law school, will show you what real law practice is like.”
Kinsinger desires to help future Christian lawyers find their path as he cares for the next generation of lawyers. This is why he cares about the Trinity Western University v. Law Society of Upper Canada case and is interested in teaching law classes at Christian universities. He believes that Christians should have a place within the academic legal field as they are called to care about justice in the world. Attending law school allows for many windows of opportunity, including teaching, which Kinsinger is now doing for the first time in the university setting. He is thrilled to be a part of Redeemer and excited about the future generation of Christian law students.