2. Training for clinical education – example of Students' Law Office
Lucia Valentova
Veronika Pochyla

3. Outline of the presentation
- Clinical legal education at Faculty of Law Palacky University in Olomouc
Where it all began
Where are things now
- Students‘ Law Office
What we do
How we do it
Training for work in life client clinic
What steps are necessary
What skills are targeted

4. Clinical legal education in Olomouc
Founded in 1996 – first legal clinic in Central Europe
Maurice A. Deame School of Law, Hofstra University in Hempstead
Ford foundation
2006 Practical Forms of Education at the Faculty of Law Palacky University in Olomouc
2010 Law4Life
Why focus on skills oriented education?

5. 2006 Practical forms of education
Goals of the project
Enrichment of the existing compulsory courses with practical aspect
Introduction of new compulsory Legal Skills Course
Introduction of new and innovation of existing clinics
Human rights clinic
Refugee law clinic
Legal clinic: Electronic communications Law
Small business and NGO Clinic
International Arbitration
Administrative law clinic
Students' Law Office

6. 2010 Law4Life – Lifelong learning in Law
Focus of the project
Implementation of systematic development of key competencies
Respecting Recommendation of European Parliament and Council no. 2006/962/EC on key competencies for life-long learning and education
Leaning from experience
Time management
Problem solving and conflict-management
Communication
Presenation and argumentation
Work with information – research, collection and elaboration
Team work
Flexibility and creativity
Activity and initiative
Self-relection and feedback

7. Skills Education in Olomouc nowadays
Introduction to Study
English stream
Moot Courts
Legal Clinics
Advanced Skills Courses
Legal Skills Course

8. Administrative Law Clinic
Law Clinics in Olomouc
Live Client
Students' Law Office
Administrative Law Clinic
Consumer Law Clinic
Combined
Human Rights
Public Interest
Street Law

9. Students' Law Office 1 semester long voluntary 30 – 70 students
Over 100 cases/semester
Work in pairs
Supervised in group of max. 10 students
Pro bono
Civil law, consumer and administrative law
2002?

10. Skills Training towards Life-Client Clinic
Intro
to Study
Legal Skills Course
Selection
Initial training
Weekend workshop

11. Skills Training towards Life-Client Clinic
All Clinic
Meetings
Evaluation
Life-Client Clinic

12. Introduction to Study 1st year compulsory class
2 semesters – 6 lectures/12 seminars/3 submission dates
2006 – 1 semester only lectures
Goal – to introduce new law students to the basic skills necessary to study and practice law
- using interactive methods
- building up to the final written essay
- choosing topic
- structure of legal text
- oral presentation
- finding sources
- plagiarism

13. Introduction to Study Skills Problem solving Legal analyzis
Argumentation
Legal research
Communication
Presentation
Recognition and resolution of ethical conflicts

14. Introduction to Study Classified – A – F Bonus Competition Scholarship
Students' Choice Award

15. Legal Skills Course 3rd year compulsory class
Semester – 6 lectures/ 6 seminars
Interviewing – counseling – legal advice
2007 – two semesters – 2nd year - analyzis – home works
Goal – to strengthen the element of practical skills and to prepare students for practical application of law in complex manner
Solving simple cases – real life situations
Following the procedural and substantive subjects
Illustrative, interactive, active approach, individual work

16. Legal Skills Course Skills Problem solving Legal analyzis
Argumentation
Legal research
Fact finding and analyzis
Communication
Legal counseling
Recognition of ethical conflicts

17. Legal Skills Course No Grades – Pass/not pass
Collectig points throught semestr

18. Selection For students from 3rd year Application Next round
Following Legal Skills Course
2nd year students – too much too soon?
Application
In writing – Motivation letter
Next round
Oral
Written

19. Oral Selection Students' demand Panel Questions Supervisors Office SLO
Motivation
Time management
Grades
Previous experience

20. Oral Selection
Skills
Professional communication
Skills for courtroom

21. Initial training For students selected for SLO 90 minutes
Organization of work in SLO
Rights and duties
Reception
File work
Connected with weekend workshop

22. Initial Training Client comes to the SLO Initial Interview(reception)
Assigning to the handler
Solving the case
Approval of the legal advice
Counseling
Drafting final report
Control and archivation

23. Initial training Skills Professional communication
Organization of legal profession

24. Weekend Workshop Crown jewell and the most beloved
Friday to Sunday event outside faculty
High intensive team building and skill training
For selected students of SLO
Topic
Drafting legal advice
Basic information of the case
Psychology
Student and supervisor
How to communicate effectively
Miss file
Debate on ethics
Debate with legal profession
...

25. Team building

26. Drafting Legal Advice Formerly part of All clinic meeting
Based on experience with drafting legal advice
Goal
How to write comprehensively for non-lawyers
How to structure the text
How to work with legal sources
Skills
Problem solving
Legal analysis and argumentation
Legal research
Fact finding and analyzis
Providing legal counsel
Recognition and resolution of ethical conflicts

27. Drafting Legal Advice

28. Basic information of the case
Led by supervisors
Followed by Miss File
Explains fact finding from client
Goal
How to find facts from client
What to ask
Skills
Fact finding and analyzis
Communication
Recognition and resolution of ethical conflicts
Problem solving

29. Psychology Led by a psychologist Goal Skills To aid with communication
Stress
Skills
Communication
Problem solving
ethics

30. Student and supervisor
Led by a former student and recent supervisor
Focuses on communication within the relationship
Goal
How to approach supervisor
What to expect from supervisor and in return
How to solve problems
Skills
Problem solving
Professional communication
Recognition and resolution of ethical conflicts

31. Student and supervisor

32. How to communicate effectively
Focuses on communication skills
Goal
Promote active listening in all relationships
Skills
communication

33. Miss Spis/ Miss File
Connected to Initial Training and workshop on Basic information of the case
Led by member of the SLO office and supervisors and guests acting as clients
Competition for best interview with client and best filled out file
Goal
To prepare students for initial interview
To review knowledge of the rules of rules of SLO
To practice interviewing and communication skills

34. Miss File Skills Problem solving Fact finding
Professional communication
Recognition and resolution of ethical problems

35. Miss File

36. Debate on Ethics Led by clinicians involved with ethics and quests
Goal
To raise awareness about ethics in law
To stir conversation and debate
Skills
Problem solving
Recognition and resolution of ethical conflicts

37. Debate with legal profession
Led by quests
We invite fellow colleagues from various legal professions to talk about challenges of their field
Goal
Get to know legal professions
Give students opportunity to ask questions
Skills
Professional communication
Organization and direction of legal profession

38. Debate with legal profession

39. All Clinic Meetings
Compulsory meeting of all students in life client clinics
Once in two weeks – 90 minutes
Led by members of Center of clinical legal education or a guest
Goal
Follow up on issues that surfaced when working in SLO
Offer the space to deepen some topics
Promote social justice topic
Skills
Problem solving
Legal analyzis and argumentation
Skills for courtroom and ADR
Recognition and resolution of ethical conflicts

40. Last stage of Training
Training
Work
Evaluation

41. Evaluation Necessary feedback for us and students Provided twice
At the end of weekend workshop
Overall at the end of the semester
Written
Questionnaire
Open questions

42. Evaluation Goal Skills To optimize clinical education
To asses needs of students at the time
Skills
Analyzis and argumentation
Critical and constructive thinking

43. Why train for clinical education?
Knowledge
Values
Skills

44. Thank you for your attention! Questions? 