University of Dundee Law Clinic module (LW52149)
Gain practical legal experience by working in the University of Dundee Law Clinic, offering pro bono advice to the local community under close supervision
This module is an optional component of the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (DPLP) and gives you first-hand experience of working in a legal clinic environment. You'll provide (under supervision) pro bono legal advice to the local community, encountering areas of law you may not yet have studied as well as those you know.
Your work in the Clinic will cover client interviewing, conducting and documenting legal research, drafting letters of advice, managing case files using an online case management system, and reflecting on your own development. You'll develop the professional and ethical skills that lawyers need, including client care, professional communication, and time management.
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 and skills in a pro bono clinic setting under close supervision
- Carry out and document legal research in response to real client presenting scenarios
- Draft letters of advice to clients, justified by appropriately documented research
- Understand the professional and ethical responsibilities of running an in-house legal clinic
- Reflect on case progress and your personal development as a legal practitioner
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate clear understanding of the legal principles involved in at least one area of substantive law encountered during the module
- Identify and explain the skills and values that lawyers need to carry out their work effectively
- Prepare and structure a reflective submission evaluating your experience and learning
- Demonstrate appropriate professional communication and interpersonal skills
- Comply with applicable standards of professional conduct and client-care requirements
Assignments / assessments
Case management and advice letter (70%)
- An advice letter to a client, justified by appropriately documented legal research
Written reflective piece (20%)
- A reflective piece based on one or more aspects of your Law Clinic experience
Professional attributes (10%)
- Based on your conduct and professional development throughout the module
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 discussions
- Visiting speakers
Courses
This module is available on the following courses: