Objectives

	To develop students' critical appreciation of the law and legal system in Australia through participation in a legal practice working for clients who are financially or otherwise disadvantaged.
	To enhance students' contextual understanding of the law and legal process by exposing them to real clients with legal problems.
	To provide students with a detailed understanding of the legal aid system and develop students' understanding of issues of access to the legal system for the Australian community.
	To develop students' awareness of the role of lawyers in practice in the legal system.
	To develop students' understanding of ethics and responsibility in a workplace setting.
	To introduce students to the importance of developing basic legal skills to a high level of proficiency including communication, interviewing, drafting and negotiation.
	To develop students' ability to see beyond a casework approach to legal problems by providing opportunities to participate in campaign and education work.
	To encourage students to see the law as a vehicle which can be used to protect and develop human rights.

Teaching Methods

Students attend the Centre for up to two days a week from 9am to 5pm each day. Students are given responsibility for running legal files under the supervision of a staff solicitor. Cases are taken on by the centre for clients who cannot afford a private solicitor and where there is no other source of assistance or where the centre has a particular expertise (for instance in discrimination matters). Students are required to draft letters, undertake legal research, interview clients, draft affidavits, statutory declarations, court documents, letters of advice and attend courts with solicitors and Counsel. Students are expected to use their initiative to develop proposals for action to be taken on files in conjunction with the responsible solicitor. Students are responsible for responding to public enquiries for assistance and providing effective referrals to other sources of legal and non-legal assistance.