Two-Way Traffic: The Scope for Clinics to Facilitate Law School Community Engagement

Abstract

This paper explores various contributions clinical legal education programs can make to law school efforts to effectively engage with their professional and local communities. Australia has a rich and distinctive history of clinical legal education, one which emphasises both the learning opportunities for students and the community service outcomes that clinics generate. Australian clinics have also been important in enabling law schools to forge links with the practising legal profession. The paper includes case studies of Australian clinics that have been effective in integrating insights across the activities of the law school. These insights relate to new approaches to teaching, curriculum development as well as linking clinics with the research activities of law schools. The paper will emphasise the importance of genuine sustained engagement with community agencies. The key to effective community engagement is long-term relationships, both institutional and personal.