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Public Interest Law Clinic (LAWS50116)
Graduate coursework level 5Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1 (Early-Start)
Email: law-wil@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 4475
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Semester 2 (Early-Start)
Email: law-wil@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 4475
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | Semester 1 (Early-Start) Semester 2 (Early-Start) |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject provides practical experience in which students support lawyers in public interest organisations in the delivery of legal services to the community. Students will undertake 12 days of clinical placement with a partner organisation in the community or government sector. On placement, and under supervision, students will utilise the legal knowledge and skills acquired during their degree to undertake work on legal issues with real clients, and in doing so, will be exposed to the realities of legal practice. The placement will be through regular, scheduled attendances throughout semester.
Prior to commencing with their host organisation, students will participate in two days of intensive orientation to prepare for their placement, including learning new legal practice skills and about specific areas of law where relevant. This will be complemented by seminars during the placement period. In these seminars, students will reflect on their ongoing clinical experience. This combination of practical placement and academic support will allow students to consider and reflect on the broader contexts in which legal issues arise, the lawyer's role and relationship with the delivery of justice and contemporary developments in professional practice.
A central component of the subject is that students critically reflect on their practical experience of public interest lawyering. The reflection serves several purposes. First, it gives students the opportunity to consider how the issues and ideas raised in the context of public interest lawyering are reflected in their practical experience in this area of law. On an individual level, it also provides students with the opportunity to reflect on their own use of legal skills, knowledge and approach to practice and consequently build on these skills, knowledge and competencies.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who successfully completes this subject will have:
- an enhanced practical understanding of the practical and technical skills, personal attributes and ethical awareness needed to practise effectively in the public interest sector, including in the areas of interviewing and counselling, research, advocacy, communication, file management and organisation;
- sophisticated insight into, and ability to reflect critically and meaningfully on ethical questions that arise from practising public interest law;
- an enhanced critical understanding of the scope, composition, capacity, limits and challenges of the legal assistance sector in Australia;
- an understanding of the techniques of public interest lawyering and the differences between public interest lawyering and other forms of lawyering; and
- the ability to reflect critically and meaningfully on the capacity of law and lawyers to create social, economic and political change.
Generic skills
Upon successful completion of the subject, students will have developed and demonstrated the following skills:
- Interpersonal and communication skills to gather information, understand context, and convey legal concepts to a non-legal audience (including clients) in a way that is useful and effective;
- Cognitive skills in understanding the significance of the interrelationship of facts and law, and an appreciation of the place for legal and non-legal responses to clients' problems;
- Cognitive and technical skills relating to the generation and provision of legal advice and information attuned to clients' needs;
- Skills required for effective workplace performance, such as communication, time management, and office organisation;
- Ability to work cooperatively and professionally in a legal assistance organisation; and
- Ability to engage in analysis and critical reflection on a range of challenging questions arising from practical legal experience in the public interest sector.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Only approved applicants can enrol into this subject.
Successful completion of all the below subjects:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS50023 | Legal Method and Reasoning |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
April (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50024 | Principles of Public Law |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
June (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50026 | Obligations |
May (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50028 | Constitutional Law | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50029 | Contracts | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50031 | Legal Theory |
November (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50025 | Torts |
November (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
And one of:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS50027 | Dispute Resolution | Not available in 2024 |
12.5 |
LAWS90140 | Disputes and Ethics | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Attendance at all orientation and clinic sessions and satisfactory performance on placement Hurdle requirement | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Oral presentation
| From Week 9 to Week 12 | 15% |
Reflective journal, usually three entries, due at regular intervals
| During the teaching period | 30% |
Legal writing
| End of semester | 40% |
Placement performance | 15% |
Additional details
The due dates of the above assessment will be available to students via the Assessment Schedule on the LMS Community.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- Semester 1 (Early-Start)
Principal coordinator Kate Fischer-Doherty Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 116 hours comprising 2 days of orientation, 12 days of clinical placement, 14 hours of seminars Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 26 February 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 28 February 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020 Semester 1 (Early-Start) contact information
Email: law-wil@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 4475
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au - Semester 2 (Early-Start)
Principal coordinator Kate Fischer-Doherty Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 116 hours comprising 2 days of orientation, 12 days of clinical placement, 14 hours of seminars Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 27 July 2020 to 1 November 2020 Last self-enrol date 24 July 2020 Census date 21 September 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 16 October 2020 Assessment period ends 27 November 2020 Semester 2 (Early-Start) contact information
Email: law-wil@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 4475
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Additional delivery details
This subject is taught on campus and through a clinical placement at a host organisation.
This subject has an enrolment quota of 60 students (30 students per offering).
This subject is an application-based enrichment subject. More information about the application process can be found on the JD LMS Community.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
- Specialist materials will be made available from Melbourne Law School.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Juris Doctor
Last updated: 3 November 2022