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Unit of study_

LAWS3431: Law and Social Justice Clinic

2025 unit information

In this unit of study students are afforded the opportunity to work the equivalent of one day per week during the semester in a 'public interest' placement site. In addition, students attend weekly seminars which are designed to promote discussion and reflection on a range of issues that may arise during the course of the placement as well as seminar presentations on matters relevant to public interest externships. The unit has a public interest focus which is reflected in the selection of placement sites. At the end of the unit students should have: * acquired a better sense of the professional and personal responsibilities associated with the practice of law; * developed an appreciation that the law is a people profession; * observed and participated in a high level of problem solving flowing from real case files (where appropriate); * been introduced to the basic inter-personal skills involved in the practice of law; * interacted with legal professionals in a flexible learning environment; * been introduced to aspects of the practice of law such as legal writing, advocacy and time management; and * developed the character and habits of a reflective practitioner.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Sydney Law School

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit Law
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
? 
None
Corequisites:
? 
None
Prohibitions:
? 
LAWS3461 or LAWS5131 or LAWS5161
Assumed knowledge:
? 
None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. critically evaluate varying instances of social justice advocacy in diverse contexts such as legal practice, legal policy, and human rights advocacy.
  • LO2. examine the normative and theoretical bases underpinning social justice advocacy encompassing legal, socio-political, and economic dimensions.
  • LO3. identify and formulate solutions to ethical issues in legal contexts.
  • LO4. apply advanced communication, collaboration, and group work skills to diverse legal settings.
  • LO5. apply advanced skills in legal research, writing, analysis, and time management in complex legal scenarios.
  • LO6. generate personal insights to further enrich the capacity, character, and conduct of a reflective social justice advocate.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2024
Professional practice Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 2 2024
Professional practice Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2025
Professional practice Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Semester 2 2025
Professional practice Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 2 2021
Professional practice Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 2 2022
Professional practice Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 2 2023
Professional practice Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Find your current year census dates

Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.

Important enrolment information

Departmental permission requirements

If you see the ‘Departmental Permission’ tag below a session, it means you need faculty or school approval to enrol. This may be because it’s an advanced unit, clinical placement, offshore unit, internship or there are limited places available.

You will be prompted to apply for departmental permission when you select this unit in Sydney Student.

Read our information on departmental permission.