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LAW6156 The Practice of Law in a Clinical Environment

This module is run by the Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre. It is a unique opportunity to develop some of the skills you will need in legal practice.  Through working with four client’s on their legal cases, you will develop skills such as; client interviewing, legal drafting, researching a legal problem, case management, exercising ethical judgement, and communication.  You will be supervised by lawyers from some of London’s most reputable law firms and chambers in this work.  In addition, you will learn about clinical legal education (this blend of mixing theory and practice), the impact of costs on access to justice, and how to manage and document a client case.  In some seminars we use a unique way of analysing a client case known as Problem Based Learning where students break down the facts of the case to find a clear path to research the legal issue.  The module is underpinned by giving students the space and tools to properly reflect on their experiences. Experiences which will hopefully increase employability in the future. 

Most years the module includes a trip to the County Court to undertake a practical lesson on case management, and a lesson devoted to professional legal ethics with a panel of guest lawyers sharing their experiences, and a lesson devoted to a mock trial (to learn case strategy).

The module requires active engagement with the QMLAC staff team with case work, and active participation in very practical and interactive classes.  The timetable for teaching and client appointments can be varied, but all details are released in advance.  This module aims to instill professionalism in students.  As such students should come to this module with an open-mind and flexible approach to their QMLAC work.

  • Co-requisite - To adhere to the Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre's practices and procedures including the signing of a confidentiality agreement.
  • Overlapping - Students may apply for both this module and the Law In Practice degree but they will not be able to complete both.
  • Overlapping – LAW6156 and LAW6176 (Public Legal Education and Community Street Law) are modules with elements of clinical legal practice. Priority for enrolment on LAW6457 will be given for students who do not take LAW6156 and vice-versa. This module may count towards Qualifying Work Experience as part of the SQE (to be decided).
  • Before students are accepted onto this module, the course convener will hold a meeting to discuss its unique way of working. If there are more students who apply compared to the spaces we will consider; attendance, performance in previous modules and your year of study.

Prerequisites

To adhere to the Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre's practices and procedures including the signing of a confidentiality agreement, and attending the Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre training sessions at the start of the year. All training sessions are compulsory to stay on this module. Please be aware that some compulsory sessions will take place in Welcome Week (the week before term officially starts).

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