The Law Clinic (Advanced) module (LW42037)
Gain advanced hands-on experience by working on real cases under close supervision. Develop your client interviewing, legal research, advice drafting and professional skills in a law firm setting
This module builds on the core principles of clinical legal education, giving you practical experience of the full range of tasks involved in legal practice. You'll work within a student law firm alongside your peers, encountering areas of law both familiar and new as you respond to real client presenting scenarios.
Your work in the Clinic will include client interviewing, carrying out and documenting legal research, drafting letters of advice, managing case files, and reflecting on case progress and your own development. You'll also take part in group and plenary discussion sessions and engage with visiting speakers.
As well as building substantive legal knowledge, you'll develop skills in professional communication, client care, ethical conduct, and access to justice. You must pass a short multiple-choice test on Clinic procedures before you can work with live clients.
What you will learn
In this module, you will:
- Apply your legal knowledge in both simulated and real client casework under close supervision
- Carry out and document legal research in response to real client presenting scenarios
- Draft legal advice, including letters of advice to clients
- Work effectively within a small student law firm and reflect on case progress
- Critically evaluate the adequacy of law and the legal process, and the barriers to access to justice
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate a clear understanding of the legal principles involved in at least one aspect of substantive law encountered during the module
- Identify and critique the relevant merits or shortcomings of specific laws, procedures, or regulatory provisions
- Identify and critique the practical application of the skills and values that lawyers need
- Present a critique of the barriers to access to justice and possible ways of addressing them
- Comply with applicable standards of professional conduct and client-care requirements
Assignments / assessments
Advice letter to a client (50%)
- Written advice to a client based on a presenting scenario
- Justified by appropriately documented legal research
Group presentation and questions, including a reflective critique (40%)
- A group presentation with questions
- Includes a reflective critique of the experience
Professional practice in managing case files: group mark (10%)
- Based on the work of your student law firm as a whole
- Assessed against professional practice requirements for case file handling
Multiple-choice test (Pass/Fail)
- A test on Clinic procedures
- Must be passed before you can work with live clients
This module does not have a final exam.
Teaching methods / timetable
- Intensive induction session
- Supervised casework within a student law firm
- Group and plenary discussion sessions
- Visiting speakers
You'll use the Clio case management system and work in dedicated clinic rooms to preserve client confidentiality.
Courses
This module is available on the following courses: