Social Justice Clinical Course - unit of study applications for semester one 2013

Students wishing to participate in the Social Justice Clinical Course must apply via the process below. For more information about this unit of study please see the Pre-Enrolment Guide.

SOCIAL JUSTICE CLINICAL COURSE APPLICATIONS FOR 2013

Modes of Study

Please note that there are two alternative modes of study offered in this unit:

1. Semester Length mode– Placement one day per week plus 2-hour weekly seminar during Semester One 2013 (5 March – 30 June 2013)
   Applications closing Friday 14 December 2012
   OR
2. Summer Intensive mode - Orientation 8 February, Seminars 11-14 February and Placement 15 February – 1 March (dates to be confirmed). Only available at Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC). 
   Attendance at weekly seminars during semester is not required.
   Applications closing Friday 30 November 2012.  Applicants will be notified by 10 December 2012.

** Students should enrol in their full load for the relevant semester and can discontinue another subject once successful applications have been announced. **

To apply please complete the Social Justice Clinical Course application form.

Applications should be submitted via email to the Academic Support Team Leader, Margot Harris.

Applications for the David Burnett Memorial Scholarship in Social Justice and the Judicial Conference of Australia Scholarships are now open. See the Social Justice Scholarships information package

Selection Criteria

There are approximately 40 places available to students. The following criteria will be applied to allocate places to applicants:

• students entering their penultimate or final year of either combined law or graduate law and final year Juris Doctor students;
• students with an attraction to social justice lawyering, and/or students with a history of engagement with social justice;
• reasonable academic performance in their current law degree;
• availability for one-day per week placement vacancies, or intensive mode (refer Placement options below).

Workload

Students should be aware that this unit may contain a heavier workload than traditional law elective subjects. The course will involve one two-hour weekly seminar as well as one-day per week at the placement site.

Assessment

The Social Justice Clinical Course is a graded unit of study. The final grade will be based on

1. class participation and presentation of class seminar paper (20%);
2. evaluation of performance at clinical placement (40%); and
3. essay/research paper (40%).

Placement options

• One day per week during Semester One 2013 (5 March – 30 June 2013) ) – see placement sites below, OR
• Summer Intensive mode with Orientation 8 February, Seminars 11-14 February and Placement 15 February – 1 March (dates to be confirmed).
  Only available at Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC). Attendance at weekly seminars during semester is not required.

Placement sites

By applying to enrol in this unit of study, students acknowledge and accept that they may be placed at any of the available placement sites. The current available placement sites are:

• Environmental Defenders Office (EDO)
• Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
• Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH)
• Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS)

Other law / social justice internships may be accepted in lieu of the above placements. Criteria for approval of these internships are being developed. Please contact Professor Cashman for further information.

Unit of Study description

The Social Justice Program will arrange for students enrolled in the course to work with various organisations which have agreed to participate in the Program (see placement sites above). Through such organisations students will be exposed to real world cases and participate in a structured seminar program dealing with social justice issues and aspects of public interest law.

Hands-on experience with cases, clients and/or policy and research projects will be obtained one day per week in a 'social justice' placement site. Students will attend weekly seminars designed to provide students with the basic knowledge and skills required to participate in a working clinical legal organisation, and cover legal issues specific to the placement sites. The seminars will encourage discussion and reflection on the range of issues that may arise during the course of the placement.

At the end of the unit students should have:

1. enhanced their ethical, social and professional understanding of the practice of law;
2. improved their ability to recognise, define and analyse legal problems flowing from real case files, and to identify and create processes to solve them;
3. observed and practised communication and inter-personal skills involved in the practice of law;
4. been introduced to aspects of legal practice such as legal writing, research, client interaction and time management;
5. had the opportunity to work both independently and collaboratively, in a way that is informed by openness, curiosity and a desire to meet new challenges.

Scholarships

Two scholarships are currently available for students undertaking the Social Justice Clinical Course.

• David Burnett Memorial Scholarships in Social Justice: two $3000 scholarship available per year.
• Judicial Conference of Australia Scholarship: five $1000 scholarships available per year.

For further details refer to the Social Justice Scholarships information package