Joint initiatives: Using a pro bono teaching clinic to prepare law students for legal practice and promote community service Dr Francina Cantatore

Case study: The Bond Law Clinic

A Commercial Law Clinic Where and when? Supervision? Free legal advice to small business, non-profits and entrepreneurs Is there really a need?

Main objectives Promote a sense of community service Practice-based learning opportunities Free legal service Lawyers engage in pro bono activities and mentoring

Structure 4 Integral components

Clinic procedures Students don’t provide legal advice Lawyers provide Interview under supervision Hands-on legal research Draft legal advice Lawyers provide Timely feedback – draft advice Immediate feedback – interviewing skills Training: Students and lawyers Induction Volunteer handbook

Community engagement and employability Positive benefits for students • experiential learning > real clients and cases • promoting employability > communication skills, ethics & professionalism • promoting social responsibility > community service • networking and mentoring opportunities

University run clinics There are many successful university run law clinics in Australia,eg: The Kingsford Legal Centre at the University of New South Wales (‘UNSW’), which incorporates a number of different clinical subjects and is run by a staff solicitor. The South Australian law schools - Flinders University, University of South Australia and University of Adelaide also adopt a similar model involving legal academics who also have legal practice experience and current unrestricted practising certificates to provide legal advice to clients. The Pro Bono Centre at the University of Queensland (UQ) incorporates a number of different clinics in which students can enrol for academic credit (although the UQ clinic differs from the UNSW and South Australian models as there is no dedicated staff solicitor).

CLE v Pro Bono at Bond University Clinical Legal Education Pro Bono Programs Academic credit Purely voluntary non-reward Primary motivation - securing gain Social justice/professional responsibility Teaching focus Community service focus Course fees No cost Formal assessment procedures Informal or no assessment Specific learning and teaching outcomes Informal feedback and reflective practices Targeted pedagogical objectives Limited pedagogical objectives

A hybrid model Overlap Community service setting Creating a pro bono ethos Partnerships – law firms/ community organisation Pedagogical outcomes Pro bono work + learning and teaching outcomes = an optimum practice-based learning experience Need: Professional supervision Specific learning and teaching outcomes

Challenges for pro bono teaching clinics

Thinking creatively

A work in progress At the Bond Law Clinic – Evidence of success – students, university, lawyers, community But need more work on formulating and implementing T & L outcomes

University run clinics - an untapped resource?