Medway: the Clinical Option module revealed

Walker — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:51:29 +0000

What is life at the Clinic really like?
Let me tell you the truth. Although I knew I wanted to take part in the Law Clinic module, I was incredibly apprehensive. I had been involved with the Clinic in my first year and recognised that the hands-on experience of the module would be valuable. Even so, I was nervous of the responsibility and the expectation. Despite the nerves that resounded within, I took my place on the module and initially found the whole thing rather overwhelming. The day that I met one of my clients for the first time, I am sure that I felt the same degree of nerves as a perfectly plump turkey would on Christmas Eve. Unlike many a turkey, I am relieved to say that I did come out at the other end of the meeting and, after discussing with the client and finding out what his objectives were and what he wanted out of his case, I felt motivated and driven to make progress for him. I do not know what I was so worried about.
Workplace realities
The Law Clinic in Medway assists clients with a variety of legal issues, ranging from property issues, such as boundary disputes to employment issues including unfair dismissals. During my time on this module, I took on the responsibility of numerous cases, one of which was a landlord and tenant dispute, and the other an employment case, more specifically, dealing with the enforcement of a court order that had been granted to our client. These two cases in particular were incredibly different, not only in terms of the law that was relevant but in relation to their pace. Taking on these cases gave me the opportunity to experience the realities of legal work. At times, there would be a great deal of urgency on one case and, frankly, things would be hectic. However, often while one case was busy, the other would be comparatively quiet. It was during these quieter times that I had the opportunity to research the procedure that I would most likely have to pursue once things picked up again. This brings me on to my next point: organisation. I have never been the model student for organisation, which is a skill that I have acquired while on the Law Clinic module, by necessity rather than choice! Having the responsibility for more than one case at any one time meant that I always had to be thinking one step ahead so that I knew the legal route I would need to go down to make progress – which meant making the Civil Procedure Rules my new best friend.
Enforcement and evasion’Briefly, in order to make progress on my employment case, where I was trying to enforce a court order granted the previous term, I researched the various methods of enforcement and then arranged a meeting with my client to discuss and agree which method they thought would be most suitable, given both their and the defendants’ circumstances. As time went on, it became clear to both myself and my supervisor, Francis Wildman, that this was not going to be a simple case of asking for a settlement and closing a lid on it. This became a case of perseverance, which at times became frustrating. This is because, unlike another student on the option who had the unenviable task of trying to co-ordinate a complicated case involving a whole street of neighbours, my case in terms of procedure was relatively simple. The frustration arose when all the additional factors were poured into the mix, such as delays at the local court and the main problem: the defendants did not want to pay! However, through frustrations and hard work, this case provided me with valuable legal knowledge and the experience of dealing with a case with all of its twists and turns along the way!
I found that the Law Clinic module provided unparalleled opportunities to research and learn about specific areas of law and apply them to real life situations which, for aspiring lawyers is a priceless experience. Another unexpected advantage to this module was the unique balance between individual work and group support. Although each student is responsible for only their cases, the knowledge that one student gained from a case they were working on was regularly helpful to another. Someone once told me that law, when stripped of unnecessarily complicated language, is basic common sense. I must say that, during the Law Clinic module, I found that to be the case. There are no red herrings or trick questions to catch you out in this module. The Law Clinic module is a perfect demonstration of aspiring lawyers using common sense and legal knowledge to make a difference to someone’s life. Now, what other module can boast that?
Jo Wilson is in the third year of a Law LLB

The Argument » Kent law clinic at medway

Medway: the Clinical Option module revealed