LAWPUBL 400 : Social Justice Lawyering
Law
2023 Semester One (1233) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 2: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 3: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 4: | Communication and Engagement |
| Capability 5: | Independence and Integrity |
| Capability 6: | Social and Environmental Responsibilities |
Learning Outcomes
- Engage and collaborate with experienced legal professionals to provide support for the delivery of community-based legal advice and support. (Capability 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
- Under supervision, interact with, advise and support members of the public and collaborate to develop strategies for managing the legal and related challenges they face. (Capability 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
- Demonstrate the ability to work independently, collaboratively and under direction in a professional manner. (Capability 4.3, 5.1 and 5.2)
- Demonstrate an ability to think critically about how the law and legal system works for real-life clients and offer informed opinions on how it operates, and its strengths and its weaknesses in creating social justice. (Capability 1.3, 2.1, 2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
- Demonstrate an awareness of the role of lawyers to contribute to social justice and to make the legal system more equitable. (Capability 1.3, 3.1 and 6.2)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Participation (training sessions and clinics) | 30% | Individual Coursework |
| Group activity | 20% | Group Coursework |
| Reflection journal | 50% | Individual Coursework |
| 3 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||||||
| Participation (training sessions and clinics) | ||||||||||
| Group activity | ||||||||||
| Reflection journal | ||||||||||
Workload Expectations
As the course will be largely undertaken onsite at community law centres (CLCs), there are no set class times. Students must however attend an introductory training session in the first week of Semester 1 (details to be confirmed in February) and then must undertake one four-hour shift at a CLC clinic every week from week 2 of Semester 1 until the end of the semester. Students must keep an electronic log of their CLC attendance (e-form to be provided), which will be signed off by CLC Manager at the end of Semester 1. Attendance at training sessions and CLC clinics constitutes 30% of the final grade.
[Please Note: If you are an EJP Volunteer, you will have committed to volunteer at CLCs for a longer period than stated above (i.e. a full academic year). The EJP Team will liaise with enrolled students about the CLC clinic roster and will endeavour, before 20 February 2023, to match students with shift times that best suit their availability.]
Check-in sessions will be scheduled periodically (e.g. weeks 4 and 8) which will likely take place in person at the law school (with online participation facilitated where necessary.) The purpose of these sessions is to provide a space for students to discuss their experiences and raise any issues or questions as they progress through their placements. These sessions are not compulsory and students will be able to ask questions and raise any issues they have directly with the Course Director.
During the semester, students must maintain a reflection journal on their placement experience. Students will write a reflection entry after each CLC shift and also write an overall reflection at the end of their placement about their experience . The word limit for the reflection journal is 3,750 words, constitutes 50% of the final grade, and will be due on the last day of the semester (4 June 2023). A journal template and guidance material will be provided for this assessment task.
During the first two weeks of placement, students will share one of their first reflection journal entries with the class for peer review. This constitutes 20% of the final grade. This activity will help students refine their reflective practice by seeing how other students write reflections, through receiving constructive feedback on their reflections, and by offering constructive feedback on other students’ reflections.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
This course will be based off-campus at a CLC (e.g. the Waitematā Community Law Centre in Henderson). We are exploring various placement options in different locations but these are yet to be confirmed. Due to the nature of this course, particularly the emphasis on in-person attendance and confidential face-to-face interactions with clients, no recordings will be available of the trainings or clinic placements.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
There is no required text. Optional reading materials will be provided on Canvas. Assessment guidelines on reflective writing will also be provided.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
As this course is being offered for the first time, student feedback will help us assess how the pilot has gone and identify ways to improve the course and its delivery, especially in relation to external placements with community-based providers, if it is offered again.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course director, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a Student Academic and Support Adviser as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.