Credit Points 10

Coordinator Jennifer Whelan Opens in new window

Description In the First Nations Peoples’ Access to Justice Clinic you will gain real life lawyering experience, working under the supervision of the Clinic solicitor one day a week for the semester. You will work collaboratively with students from other disciplines on advice, casework, policy or project work shaped by community stakeholders and you will critically reflect on the role of law, and of lawyers, in advancing social justice for First Nations Peoples. You will work with individual clients on their legal and non legal issues to provide assistance to resolve these issues. You will consolidate your existing legal knowledge, learn new areas of law, develop key professional and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work in inter-disciplinary collaborative teams. You will gain an understanding of your ethical and professional responsibilities as a lawyer in legal practice. You will learn practical legal skills through the seminar program and assessment items as well as your participation in direct legal service delivery. As a condition of enrolment, students must be available to attend a twelve day placement.

School Law

Discipline Legal Practice

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 4 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 4 subject

Pre-requisite(s) LAWS 2015 AND
LAWS 2004

Restrictions

To enrol in this subject, students must have successfully passed 180 Law subject credit points. This subject is not available for self-select enrolment. In-take will be by EOI to ensure students are aware of the cultural competencies expected and required to undertake the subject.

Learning Outcomes

1. Analyse issues faced by First Nations’ Peoples accessing justice in the Australian legal system. 
2. Examine legal and non-legal problems within prescribed areas of law including family law, care and protection, housing, criminal and civil law relating to Indigenous Peoples to enhance Indigenous access to justice.
3. Engage with cultural sensitivity in interdisciplinary therapeutic initiatives identified by stakeholder partners to facilitate access to justice of First Nations Peoples. 
4. Reflect on, and propose solutions, strategies and/or initiatives to promote First Nations’ Peoples access to justice and equality before the law.
5. Collaborate professionally with others within and across disciplines in addressing legal and non-legal problems faced by Indigenous Peoples including therapeutic approaches identified by stakeholder partners
6. Demonstrate professional skills to a level of competency expected of a junior legal professional
7. Demonstrate their understanding of their ethical and professional responsibility to individual clients in their client work. 

Subject Content

1. Cultural competency and cultural safety
2. Reflective skills and practice
3. Legal Professional skills
4. Therapeutic and wholehearted lawyering jurisprudence
5. Access to justice issues impacting First Nations’ Peoples
6. Intersectional impact
7. Case studies
8. Pathways to promote First Nations Peoples’ access to justice and equality

Note: Subject content will be taught by First Nations persons except for specific law related content. 

Work integrated learning

Students gain real life lawyering experience, working under the supervision of the Clinic solicitor one day a week for the semester. Students work collaboratively with students from other disciplines on advice, casework, policy or project work shaped by community stakeholders

Special Requirements

Legislative pre-requisites

Students will need a Working With Children Check consent declaration if working with minors during their placement.