LAWS386-23S2 (C) Semester Two 2023

Clinical Legal Studies

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 July 2023
End Date: Sunday, 12 November 2023
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 30 July 2023
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 1 October 2023

Description

The Clinical Legal Studies (CLS) course provides students with applied legal skills and selected management skills training in a context that replicates actual legal practice in the legal, NGO and business services environment. During the course you will assist actual clients with legal problems at the Campus Law Clinic, under the supervision of practising lawyers.

The Clinical Legal Studies (CLS) course offers students training in applied generic and specialist legal skills, including inter-personal and selected management skills, in a context that replicates actual legal practice in the business and legal services environment.

Another feature of the CLS programme is the identification of access to justice gaps in the law, or recurring trends indicating other problem areas. These gaps in the law identified, may then be researched and result in proposals for law reform to improve access to justice in New Zealand through the Legal Internship LAWS382.

The course will also have the objective of promoting an ethos of effective client-service as a values-outcome, and promoting the law as a tool for pro-actively solving problems, not merely reactively responding to problems.

Learning Outcomes

  • The course outcomes are designed to equip students with specialist knowledge and legal skills not covered in other LLB courses. In addition, the course outcomes envision the inculcation of certain core values, such as emphasising the importance of promoting access to justice for the public.
    On completion of this course, students will have attained the following knowledge, skills and values learning outcomes:

  • Knowledge outcomes: A full understanding of the following general topics and selected statues:
    History and objectives of Clinical Law; Clinical Legal Education concepts; Types of law clinics, the NZ Legal Profession and Legal Aid System; Disputes Tribunal processes; Selected Bi-cultural topics.
    Selected statutes: (1) Legal Services Act 2011; (2) Aspects of the Lawyers and Conveyancers' Act 2006; (3) Disputes Tribunals Act 1981; (4) Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975.
  • Skills outcomes: Basic proficiency in Listening and Reading Skills; Specialised Speaking skills; General Writing skills; Interviewing and Advising skills; Statement-taking; Letter -writing (general; demand and referral); Legal Opinions and Memoranda; How to run a meeting; working in teams.
  • Values outcomes: An appreciation of the following:
    What is effective justice?; Client empathy and confidentiality; Courtesy and etiquette; Reliability and trustworthiness; Honesty and integrity; personal preferences and insight in human interaction; work-ethic self-analyses; Bi-cultural New Zealand, and interacting in an increasingly multi-cultural environment.
    • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

      Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

      Employable, innovative and enterprising

      Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

      Biculturally competent and confident

      Students will be aware of and understand the nature of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, and its relevance to their area of study and/or their degree.

      Engaged with the community

      Students will have observed and understood a culture within a community by reflecting on their own performance and experiences within that community.

Prerequisites

Restrictions

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Robin Palmer

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Judgement analysis presentation 20%
Interviewing assessment 17 Oct 2023 20%
Legal Opinion 25 Oct 2023 20%
Letter of demand 25 Oct 2023 10%
Firm meeting minutes 27 Oct 2023 10%
Participation + attendance 27 Oct 2023 20%


The course assessment will be likely to consist of a legal opinion, assignment/presentation, letter of demand, time-limited test, interviewing assessment, and attendance and participation.
The assessment will be confirmed in the first week of lectures.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $868.00

International fee $4,488.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Minimum enrolments

This course will not be offered if fewer than 10 people apply to enrol.

For further information see Faculty of Law .

All LAWS386 Occurrences

  • LAWS386-23S2 (C) Semester Two 2023