Unit Outline

This unit builds on LAW344 Legal Practice and Lawyering, by allowing students to put their knowledge and skills into practice as part of a major practical legal project, inquiry, or intensive placement in a legal organisation. Clinical Legal Practice and Education is now a central feature of law studies across Australian Universities. It allows students learn about the law in practice, directly contribute to and better vulnerable communities and reflect on their role as future lawyers. Clinical legal education provides this while developing students’ legal skills. Students will reflect critically on their role as a law student, avenues for development and improvement, and pathways into legal practice or other related professions. Students will also develop their leadership skills by assisting and mentoring law students in the pathway unit LAW344 Legal Practice and Lawyering. Partner Organisations may include Legal Aid (Tas), the Environmental Defenders Office, Tenants Union, National Justice Project, Grata Fund. Students may also participate in internship and externship opportunities, through the state and nationally; these may include work integrated placements at Launceston Community Legal Centre, Prison Legal Service (Tas), Tasmanian Aboriginal Community Legal Service, Tasmania Law Reform Institute, the Women's Legal Service (Tas) and the Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency or other community law agencies agreed to by your supervisors. Students are expected to complete at least 70-80 hours of clinical experience work over the course of the unit and 10-20 hours of leadership and mentoring of other law students.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Evidence a developed understanding of and commitment to professionalism, ethical and professional conduct of lawyers and the practise of law
2.	Make a genuine and demonstrable contribution to the administration of justice in the community
3.	Evidence a practical understanding of the situational environment in which legal work is conducted to ensure your work is responsive and relevant to the conduct of a legal matter or inquiry.
4.	Effectively lead and mentor others in a professional environment.
5.	Work independently, collaboratively and under direction and in a professional and inclusive manner.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	Selective enrolment

Alterations as a result of student feedback

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Assessment Task 1: Log/Workbook	See the MyLO site for the due date	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Assessment Task 2:	Assessment Task 2: Portfolio	Week 14	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Assessment Task 1: Log/Workbook

Task Description:

Personal and Group Accountability.

In this task LAW345 students will:
a) Design and deliver a 10-minute presentation on "Essential Skills for Clinic Work" for students from LAW344;
b) Provide verbal feedback on draft project work prepared by another LAW345 student, including allocating follow up work where appropriate; and
c) Conduct a debrief session with LAW345 students at the end of the unit discussing their reflections on the clinic experience and future opportunities for placements and externships.

Check MyLO Unit Schedule for due dates.

Task Length:

2 hour preparation / delivery of presentation, 1-3 hours to prepare and give feedback, 3 hour preparation and delivery of debrief.

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Planning & organisation	LO1, LO4, LO5
2	Communication and empathy	LO2, LO4
3	Task quality (lead by example)	LO1, LO2, LO4
4	Direction and instruction	LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 2: Assessment Task 2: Portfolio

Task Description:

Folio and exit interview: At the conclusion of a student’s major clinical / professional work experience the student must provide a folio of work undertaken during the semester. The folio will comprise a combination of:
(a) answers to reflective questions about the student's experience of clinical work; and
(b) a piece of substantive work produced during the clinical/professional placement.

The work is assessed for quality and fitness for purpose to the relevant clinical exercise and through an exit interview conducted by the unit coordinator with the practitioner and/or supervisors who supervised the student's placement.

All marks are moderated by the academic coordinator/Unit Coordinator for the unit to ensure fairness and consistency between work integrated learning experiences and clinical supervisors.

Task Length:

3000 words + 1 hour

Due Date:

Week 14

Weight:

50 %

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.