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National Pro Bono Week 2010
This year, National Pro Bono Week will start on November 8th and end with the LawWorks Student Conference to be held in Birmingham on Saturday November 13th.
2010 LawWorks Student Pro Bono Conference
The 2010 LawWorks Student Pro Bono Conference which will take place on Saturday, 13 November at The College of Law, Birmingham.
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OUR SPONSORS
Its name may conjure up images of a gripping, prime time, vigilante-based soap opera, but Streetlaw is in fact an ever more popular form of pro bono work, most often undertaken by law students.
The concept came from the USA where it is run by Street Law Inc. www.streetlaw.org, and activity dates back to 1972.
What?
An interactive presentation to educate an identified group about their legal rights and responsibilities in relation to a particular issue or area of law.
Why?
• Lawyers and law students can use their time and legal expertise to benefit the community without needing to give specific legal advice.
• The target audience gains a better understanding of their rights and responsibilities in relation to the identified issue and are less likely to develop legal problems and more likely to seek help where required.
• A Streetlaw session also provides an opportunity for those delivering it to understand more about a particular area of law as well as those delivering it (this is why it is particular popular with law schools as part of clinical legal education).
• Streetlaw sessions can be easier to organise than clinics as there's no individual legal advice given so no indemnity insurance issues.
Who?
Law students usually deliver Streetlaw sessions with the support of academic tutors and/or qualified lawyers, however Streetlaw sessions can also be delivered or supported by qualified lawyers. It is crucial that appropriate supervision is provided to students and trainees by tutors and/or qualified lawyers.
The audience for Streetlaw sessions can vary immensely; from primary and secondary school children to senior citizens to residents’ associations.
How?
The Streetlaw model has been used to look at many different issues including sessions for teenagers regarding the law on ‘stop and search’ or in relation to DJing, or working with resident associations on housing issues.
By speaking to local advice agencies such as Citizens Advice Bureaux and Law Centres, it is possible to get an understanding for which particular issues are relevant to the local community and, therefore, to whom, and on what topic a Streetlaw session would be delivered most effectively.
Once the target group is identified, they should be consulted on the issues they face and most appropriate Streetlaw session for them. The topic and the surrounding law should then be researched and an interactive presentation prepared, which encourages the audience to engage and think about the concepts and, as a consequence develop a better understanding of their rights and responsibilities under the law.
A very popular form of Streetlaw which follows a slightly different model is a ‘mock trial’ which uses a script to recreate an authentic glimpse of courtroom exchanges in criminal cases in the crown or magistrates courts. As well as people taking the roles of judge, advocates, witnesses and the accused, a jury can be appointed to ‘decide’ the fate of the accused at the end of the process.
There are a number of materials to support Streetlaw sessions which you may find useful as follows:
Resources
• College of Law: Further information on Streetlaw
• BPP sample lesson plan: Crime and Punishment
• BPP tips on contacting schools to arrange Streetlaw sessions
• BPP feedback form for Streetlaw audiences
• Citizenship Foundation: Running a mock trial
• Advicenow: Seven Steps to Solving a Problem
• Advicenow: Practical problem solving skills guidance