Uganda Christian University School of Law Clinical Legal Education I Course
Clinical Legal Education I
A Course of Study
Class Blog Address: http://ucucle.blogspot.com/
WELCOME:
Welcome to Clinical Legal Education I. This course is designed to provide you with practical skills and “hands on” experiences concerning both the practice and business of law. It covers many of the practical “soft skills” that you need to develop in order to be an effective advocate and legal counsellor.
A major substantive component of this course is legal ethics and professionalism. Ethical concerns and requirements are an important part of the day-to-day practice of law. This course will provide you with a firm foundation in legal ethics and professionalism in the Ugandan context.
In addition, this course presents the possibility of the practice of law as a Christian calling. We hope this class can encourage you to see the practice of law as an opportunity to serve the Kingdom of God.
This class is a prerequisite to the Clinical Legal Education II. Clinical Legal Education II will focus on the actual provision of clinical legal work and the improvement of legal writing and advocacy skills. We hope that you will participate in clinical opportunities in this present class, but the actual provision of clinical work will not be the primary emphasis of this course. This class is designed to prepare you to be an active and effective clinical participant in the Clinical II class.
SHORT DESCRIPTION:
This course includes lecture components, experiential components and project components. The lecture material will be assessed through the final exam. The experiential component will be assed through journal entries, presentations, class participation. The project-based component of your grade will be assessed through project evaluation
CLASS GOALS:
At the conclusion of this class students will:
- Become familiar with basic practical concepts concerned legal practice addressed at Law Development Centre in its Clinical Legal Education unit
- Be introduced to key concepts of legal ethics and professionalism in the Ugandan context
- Think critically about the purpose and policy behind the legal rules and regulations concerning professional ethics in place in Uganda
- Be exposed to the concept of intentional integration of faith and personal beliefs within the vocation of legal practice
- Develop presentation skills
- Be exposed to personal and team management concepts
- Gain experience working with teams
- Realise the relevance of management practices and marketing strategies in legal practice
- Practically engage with the challenge of effective and ethical legal marketing in Uganda
- Be prepared to perform meaningful legal service projects that will benefit the community
TUTORIALS AND PROJECT TEAMS:
The tutorial periods will be dedicated to training students for clinical project work. You will not be graded for clinical project work this semester. You will only be assessed for you clinical project work if you choose to take Clinical Legal Education 2 next semester.
However, the all the time that you spend this year working on clinical projects will be credited to you next semester. You will be asked to keep “time sheets” that you will use to memorialize the training you receive and the work you perform in connection with your project team. Careful record keeping in your time sheet will enable you to use this semester to build up your clinical project work portfolio for next semester.
This semester is also a time for team training and team formation. Therefore, if you are interested in a certain project you should attend the training and formation sessions for those project teams. Here are some of the project teams that will be conducting clinical work over the next year:
Community Empowerment Team: This team will be working along with the judiciary to begin the an initiative to create “Community Impact Statements” for the purpose of presenting to courts at the sentencing phase of criminal matters.
International Justice Mission Team (IJM): This team will work with IJM in the provision of will writing clinics, community sensitisations regarding property grabbing, client intake interviews and related legal research.
JFASTER Team: Team members will assist advocates from Uganda Christian Lawyers Fraternity in their representation of indigent juvenile defendants in criminal matters.
Child Empowerment Team: This team is responsible for developing a programme of legal and civic education that UCU students can implement and deliver in schools.
Justice River Team: This team is responsible for improving the content associated with the Justice River community justice leaders training projects. This will include making short films, drafting guidance materials and translating guidance materials into local languages.
Land Equity Movement Uganda Team: This team will be trained to work with LEMU as they mediate land disputes in Northern Uganda and conduct other research and project work pertaining to customary land law.
Barefoot Lawyers: This team will work with Barefoot Lawyers to provide research and writing support for its electronic legal information and sharing initiative.
Mukono Courts and Town Council: The local government and courts of Mukono have indicated an interest in engaging law students at UCU in the provision of basic legal counselling for the poor.
Additional clinical project teams may over the course of the year. In addition students are welcome to present their own clinical project concepts to the lecturer for possible implementation.
CLASS ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION POLICY
In accordance with University guidelines, this class has an attendance policy. If you fail to attend 75% of the lectures in this course you will not be entitled to credit for this class.
All absences are counted toward the 25% maximum of missed lectures. Note that you will not be credited as being present if you are not present when attendance is taken. Please do not put yourself in a position where a circumstance beyond your control will prevent you from receiving credit for this class.
In addition to attending class, you need to come to class prepared and willing to participate. This course has a number of exercises that you will be called upon to participate in. You will be expected to do so with willingness and enthusiasm. You will be receiving a mark equal to 10% of your final grade that will be based on your attendance and participation in class.
COURSE GRADING:
Redeeming Law Journal Portfolio: 20%
Team Business Style Presentation: 10%
Class Participation: 10%
Law Firm Profile: 10%
Final Examination: 50%
READING MATERIALS:
Legal Ethics and Professionalism in Uganda, Brian Dennison and Pamela Tibihikirra-Kalyegira eds.
Redeeming Law, Christian Calling and the Legal Profession, Michael Schutt, InterVarsity Press, USA, 2007.
Redeeming Law: Uganda Readers Guide, Brian Dennison and Patricia Johnson
Clinical Legal Education Trainers’ Handbook, by Mary T. Ocheng Kagoire et al.
Making the Law Work for Everyone, UN Commission for the Legal Empowerment of the Poor
JOURNAL ENTRIES:
Students are required to submit a portfolio of five journal entries concerning the readings from Michael Schutt’s Redeeming Law.
All journal entries should be at least 2 pages in length (hand-written or typed — double-spaced). There is no limit on the length of your journal entries, but students are not rewarded on the basis of volume. Instead you are rewarded based on the quality of writing and the quality of thought that went into your entry. The journal entry should reflect serious contemplation of the issues presented in the exercise. Originality of thought and relevant personal reflection are also appreciated.
STATEMENT REGARDING THE INCORPORATION OF CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES AND DOCTRINE INTO COURSE
This course incorporates Christian principles and doctrine in many ways.
First, the students are assigned readings that are based in the Christian faith. Students are assigned readings and scripture concerning God’s heart for justice.. Students also read and discuss chapters from Michael Schutt’s book entitled Redeeming Law, Christian Calling and the Legal Profession.
Students are engaged in the provision of clinical legal services in conjunction with Christian organisations such as International Justice Mission and Uganda Christian Lawyers Fraternity.
WEEK-BY-WEEK COURSE SCHEDULE:
Week One:
Reading Assignment: Preface to Legal Ethics and Professionalism in Uganda (hereinafter “LEPU), By Benjamin Odoki; Class Activities: Class Introduction; Review of Course Outline; Introduction to the Philosophy of Clinical Legal Education.
Week Two:
Reading Assignment: Ethics: The Heart and Soul of the Legal Profession by James Munange Ogoola (from LEPU); The Lost Lawyer by Michael Schutt; Introduction to Legal Aid and Clinical Legal Education from Clinical Legal Education Trainers’ Handbook (hereinafter “CLE Handbook”); Making the Law Work for Everyone by the UN Commission for the Legal Empowerment of the Poor
Class Activities: Lecture on Legal Ethics and Redeeming Law; Lecture the LDC Chapter and “Making the Law Work of Everyone.” Form Small Groups for Redeeming Law.
Week Three
Reading Assignment: The Duties of the Ugandan Advocate by Winifred Tarinyeba Kiryabirwe (from LEPU); The American Law School Experience by Michael Schutt.
Class Activities: Lecture on Legal Ethics and Redeeming Law small groups; Lecture on Business Style Presentations; Form Presentation Teams.
Week Four:
Reading Assignment: Advocate Client Relationship in Uganda by Brian Dennison and Winifred Tarinyeba Kiryabirwe (from LEPU); Vocation and the Local Church by Michael Schutt; Client Centeredness (from CLE Handbook)
Class Activities: Lecture on Legal Ethics and Redeeming Law small groups; Lecture on LDC Client Centeredness and student teams develop and present short skits on client centered practice.
Week Five
Reading Assignment: Confidentiality and Privilege in the Ugandan Legal Profession by Patson Arinaitwe (from LEPU); Thinking About Lawyering by Michael Schutt; Interviewing (from CLE Handbook)
Class Activities: Lectures on Legal Ethics and Redeeming Law small groups; Lecture on LDC Interviewing and Client Interview Exercises
Week Six: Communication and Marketing by Advocates in Uganda by Hope Atuhairwe (from LEPU); Integrity and Unity and the Integrated Lawyer by Michael Schutt; Interviewing and Listening (from CLE Handbook)
Class Activities: Lecture on Legal Ethics and Redeeming Law small groups; Lecture on LDC Interviewing and Listening with related exercises; Introduce “Firm Profile” Exercise.
Week Seven
Reading Assignment: Advocates and Money in Uganda by Samuel Kiriaghe (from LEPU); Community and Trinitarian Lawyering by Michael Schutt; Communication (from CLE Handbook).
Class Activities: Lecture on Legal Ethics, LDC Communication and Redeeming Law small groups; Team Presentations on Management, Leadership or Personal Development Book
Week Eight
Reading Assignment:
Ethics in Alternative Dispute Resolution in Uganda by Sarah Taboswa Chemonges (from LEPU); Truth and the Integrated Lawyer by Michael Schutt; Interviewing a Child Victim or Witness (from CLE Handbook).
Class Activities: Lecture on Legal Ethics, LDC Child Interviews and Redeeming Law small groups; Team Presentations on Management, Leadership or Personal Development Book
Week Nine
Reading Assignment: Admission to Legal Practice, the Unauthorised Practice of Law and Legal Specialisation in Uganda by Brian Dennison (from LEPU); Integrity in Practice: Spiritual Disciplines by Michael Schutt; Records and File Management (from CLE Handbook)
Class Activities: Lecture on Legal Ethics, LDC Records and File Management and Redeeming Law small groups; Team Presentations on Management, Leadership or Personal Development; Submit Law Firm Profile
Week Ten
Reading Assignment: Discipline and Whistle Blowing in Uganda by Tibaijuka Ktozaire Ateenyi (from LEPU); Professional Identity, Integrity, and Modernity by Michael Schutt
Class Activities: Lecture on Legal Ethics, Redeeming Law small groups; Team Presentations on Management Concepts; Submit Redeeming the Law Journal Entry Portfolio.
Week Eleven:
Reading Assignment: Access to Justice and Pro Bono Legal Services in Uganda by Anthony Conrad Kakooza (from LEPU); Lawyers’ Vices––Lawyers’ Virtues by Michael Schutt; Materials on Accounting and Finance for Lawyers; Counselling (from LDC CLE Materials)
Class Activities: Lecture on Legal Ethics and Redeeming Law small groups; Lecture on LDC Counselling and Counselling Exercises
Week Twelve:
Reading Assignment: The Future of Legal Ethics in Uganda by Pamela Tibihikirra-Kalyegira (from LEPU);; Law and Truth by Michael Schutt
Class Activities: Lectures on Legal Ethics and Redeeming Law; Class Review
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