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 your knowledge of substantive law and legal procedure while working with live clients and practicing lawyers from some of London’s most reputable law firms and chambers. This clinical legal education module is both academic and practical; requiring a great deal of commitment and flexibility. In return, this module provides each student with five live clients where they are the advising Student Adviser with responsibility for the case (under supervision), as well as small seminar groups where students learn how to undertake problem based learning and deconstruct a client case. The module teaches students about ‘lawyering’ including costs, client files, and case strategy and reflection. The module requires active engagement with the Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre team in classes, client appointments and other Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre activities throughout the year. 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 Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre 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.

Method of assessment

• 30% Mini Group Viva
• 30% Simulated Client Interview
• 15% Coursework 1 (1500 words)
• 15% Coursework 2 (1500 words)
• 10% Client File Management

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).