Students will develop legal advice-giving skills through undertaking tasks within a practical context.

Students will apply academic or theoretical knowledge within a practical context.

Students will develop an understanding of the issues and impact of policy and law relating to access to justice and public interest lawyering.

(LO1) On completion of module, students will have the skills to interview clients, research and analyse the relevant law and present this in legal writing.

(LO2) Demonstrate a critical understanding of the services offered by the organisation and the broader sector in the context of access to justice.

(LO3) Demonstrate a critical understanding of the concepts of and current issues related to access to justice and free legal advice.

(LO4) To identify the connection between academic or theoretical knowledge and its practical application.

(S1) Problem Solving Skills

(S2) Communication Skills

(S3) Ethical Awareness

(S4) Teamwork

(S5) Adaptability

(S6) Organisational Skills

This module presents an opportunity for students to gain credit for understanding access to justice in a local and national policy context and for experience in a placement with a public sector or voluntary organisation.

There are two elements:

1) issues in access to justice and public interest lawyering, and 2) practical placement:

1) Issues in access to justice and public interest lawyering
- the history, theory and current state of access to justice
- social citizenship, the welfare state and workers rights
- the local and national policy contexts for the provision of free legal advice

2) Practical placement
- Developing the skills required for effective legal advice giving. These include skills such as interview techniques and research skills.
- Understanding the policy and legal context for the relevant placement
- Undertaking advice giving volunteer activity in a non-profit organisation or public sector setting.

Syllabus (Indicative):

Timetabling and full details will be available in the module handbook.

Teaching Method 1 - Work Based Learning
Description: Placement to non-profit or public sector agency
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Notes: Supervision and additional training will be provided by the agency with which the student is placed as required.

Teaching Method 2 - Lecture
Description: Access to justice theory and issues
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Notes: The module will open with 2 weeks lectures covering: Access to justice theory and issues, the welfare state, the availability of free legal advice, and welfare benefits.

These lectures prepare students for the more applied learning of the seminars that follow, as well as for placement. Indicative syllabus is set out above, and detailed in the module handbook.

Teaching Method 3 - Seminar
Description: Access to justice issues and preparatory skills learning
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Notes: In weeks 3 and 4 students will have seminars covering: practical issues for welfare benefit app lications, clinical principles, and interviewing skills. In week 6 students will have a seminar to support the practical assessment via the reflective log. Students will have a formative assessment opportunity in this seminar. In weeks 9 and 12 students will have seminars to discuss how the theoretical access to justice concepts covered in lectures relate to the practical issues they have observed in their placement and the broader sector. In week 12 there will be a final revision seminar.