Book review : 'Community engagement in contemporary legal education : Pro Bono, Clinical legal education and services learning'

摘要

The result of a forum on community engagement held in November 2008 at Bond University,udCommunity Engagement in Contemporary Legal Education is a compilation of papersudpresented at the forum by academics and professionals throughout Australia. Although foundudinitially to be a topic of legal interest, it was not until the reviewer came across the Council ofudAustralian Law Deans (CALD) “Standards for Australian Law Schools” (adopted 17udNovember 20093) then the full importance and potential of this book was revealed.udClause 2.2.4 of the CALD Standards recognises the importance of “experiential learningudopportunities” for law students and cites examples such as clinical programs, internships,udpractical experience and pro-bono work. Clause 2.3.3 acknowledges the need to developudprofessional ethics and again cites pro-bono obligations as an example. Clause 9.6.2udencourages interaction of law schools with the profession and the community and again,udpro-bono community service is identified as one method of doing so. Yet nowhere in theuddocument are there any uniform standards or binding obligations that law schools mustudcommit to. In the current climate where the importance of practical experience is continuallyudemphasised and student numbers exceed the number of available paid legal positions, thereudshould be more focus on the details of how these commitments should be converted to beudincluded in a law school’s curriculum.