1. The place of ADR in our law schools: the Canterbury Christ Church University experience
By Dr Leonardo Raznovich
Department of Law & Criminal Justice Studies
Canterbury Christ Church University

2. An Outline of the Presentation
- A brief outline of legal education approach at CCCU - Deficiencies of the academic stage of legal training - Some suggestions to overcome these deficiencies - Concluding remarks

3. Designing the Curriculum
CCCU has designed a new and innovative curriculum using a combination of:
socio-legal approach – law curriculum in general - eg TDR
clinical legal education – Mediation clinic where theory meets practice
ADR - Observation of ‘live’ mediations & simulated role play exercises
Students’ benefits – enhanced employability and facilitates the acquisition of knowledge and understanding:
personal and interpersonal skills
autonomy and independence of thought
decision making skills

4. Deficiencies with the traditional approach: isolation of law from society
Curricular
‘Thinking like a lawyer’
Mystification of law and the legal process.
Overlooking the social context
Methodological
Acceptance of one right answer theory
Ignores that normative coherence is not enough
Perpetuates alienation of law from society

5. Dealing with these deficiencies: micro/macro/practical legal thinking
Curricular – micro/macro
socio-legal approach
Methodological - practical
Clinical work: theory meets practice

6. The Mediation Clinic Experience
According to the Higher Education UK Centre for Legal Education (UKCLE)
the broad aims of ‘live’ clinics are:
to enhance the students' learning experience and understanding of the substantive law, legal process, ethics and the role of law in society
to produce students that can take the learning experience offered by live client clinics and reflect upon how and why cases were progressed and how this fits into the overall context of their legal studies
to empower the students to become pro-active in the process of learning
to provide formative assessment methods which are in themselves a strategic and integral part of the learning experience

7. Practice of Dispute Resolution: case studies
Case study 1
Sport Commitment
Case study 2
Dyslexia
Case study 3
Reality Bites

8. Learning Through Reflection
Reflective learning is key to higher education
Reflective practice is a key component for successful experiential learning
The effective dimension to learning includes emotions and also a deeper, non-rational understanding of the situation
Reflective practice, including ADR, brings about space for ethical considerations
“people learn from experience through a direct encounter with life that involves total immersion with all its attendant sensations and feelings” Kolb (1984)