Kingsford Legal Centre is the Faculty of Laws law clinic. The Centre provides a clinical teaching program for law students where students are able to analyse the operation of the legal system and lawyer client relationships while working on cases for real clients.
The Centre is one of over 35 community legal centres in New South Wales and students work with Centre lawyers in acting for members of the local community who cannot afford private legal assistance.
The Centre provides legal advice in a wide variety of matters and takes on cases in areas such as domestic violence, discrimination, housing, wills and estates, employment, criminal law and victims compensation. The Centre assists over 3, 000 people a year.
The Centre began operations in July 1981. It has four lawyers, one of whom (the director) is a senior lecturer in the Law Faculty. The centre is jointly funded by the
Faculty of Law and both departments of the Commonwealth and State Attorney Generals. In addition, the law firm
Freehill Hollingdale & Page maintains the permanent secondment of a solicitor's position to the Centre.
The courses
LAWS2303 Clinical Legal Experience (Intensive) and
LAWS2304 Clinical Legal Experience,
LAWS2305 Clinical Program-Employment Law, are electives for later year students; students can take a course in either session. All courses are available over summer. Students take instructions from clients, prepare necessary documents, undertake legal research and are responsible for preparation of any Court hearings. In this way, students can consolidate their study of the law by practical application. Small group classes, daily tutorials and constant consultation with the clinical supervisors who are practicing lawyers provide an opportunity for students to analyze both their role as lawyers and the role of law in society. Over 60 volunteer solicitors and barristers participate in public advice sessions in the evenings and provide a legal mentoring scheme for students at the Centre.
All students enrolled in the course
LAWS6210 Law Lawyers and Society undertake sessions at the Centre assisting volunteer lawyers in advising clients and completing a file management session.
The Centre is an internationally recognised Centre of excellence in clinical teaching and produces annual Guides To Australian Clinical Legal Education and a clinical newsletter.
In its community legal centre function the Centre has been prominent in several areas, particularly anti-discrimination, legal aid and domestic violence. Students are also involved in reform campaigns, policy work and education services to the local community.