Project
The aim of this UL Engage Project was to establish a pilot Street Law programme at UL where four final year Law Plus students would teach law at a local secondary school, CBS Sexton Street, over the Spring semester 2017/18. Before commencing their teaching, the law students were provided with training in the learner-centred, non-directional teaching methods used in Street Law. The training was provided by Dr Lydia Bracken, School of Law, who organised and supervised the Project. The students subsequently worked in pairs to deliver Street Law classes at the secondary school over a five-week period. During the final week of the programme, the secondary school students visited the UL campus for their final class, which was delivered by all of the law students working together to prepare the secondary school students to undertake the roles of lawyers, judges, jury and witnesses as part of a hypothetical court case, known as a “mock trial”. The secondary school students subsequently ran their mock trial in UL’s purpose-built moot court room. This exercise allowed the secondary school students to apply the skills they learned over the course of the programme in a practical and realistic manner.
Street Law provides a unique opportunity for law students to advance their legal knowledge and to develop their clinical legal skills while at the same time providing a valuable service to the outside community. By teaching others about legal topics, the law students enhanced their knowledge of substantive law and legal procedure; improved their communication and advocacy skills; and developed their organisation and time-management skills. The project also benefitted the secondary school students as they learned about the legal system; about their rights within that legal system; and had the opportunity to practice their own presentation, advocacy, team-work and problem-solving skills.
The UL Street Law Project was organised and supervised by Dr Lydia Bracken, School of Law, in collaboration with the UL Access Office. The teaching sessions were delivered to fourth and fifth year students at Coláiste Mhichíl, CBS Sexton Street, Limerick. Four final year Law Plus students delivered the teaching sessions. The law students were Clodagh Dunne, Emmet Collopy; Nicole Cumiskey, and Niamh Kennedy. Dr Lydia Bracken received her initial training in Street Law as part of the Law Society of Ireland’s Street Law Orientation weekend which was facilitated by Freda Grealy and John Lunney of the Law Society of Ireland, Professor Richard Roe of Georgetown University and Dr Sean Arthurs of Harvard University. The project would not have been possible without the guidance and support of these individuals and we are very grateful to the Law Society of Ireland for the training opportunity. The project was funded by the AHSS Faculty Teaching Board Fund.
The project was evaluated through submission of written lesson plans, teaching and participation, and submission of reflective essays.
Learning
Students will plan and deliver a Street Law teaching session at a local DEIS secondary school. You will also deliver a class explaining the elements of a mock trial to the secondary school students and subsequently run the mock trial with the secondary school students in UL’s purpose build moot court room. You will be required to engage in legal research of your chosen legal topic, plan, deliver and document your teaching session in line with the non-directional, learner-centred teaching methods used in Street Law, and organise a mock trial. Students will maintain a reflective journal throughout the process which is submitted at the end of the project.
Street Law allows you to develop clinical legal skills that will be of benefit in your future legal career. For example, by engaging in this project, you will enhance your knowledge of substantive law and legal procedure by teaching about specific legal topics; you will develop your communication and advocacy skills through presentation and interaction in the teaching environment; you will be required to explain the law in a plain-English and accessible manner to the non-legal audience which will be a central aspect of your future career; and you will have to plan and prepare for teaching sessions which will enhance your organisation and time-management skills through planning and preparation for teaching. You will also give the secondary school students a valuable opportunity to learn about their legal rights.
You will be working with your supervisor Dr Lydia Bracken, School of Law in collaboration with the UL Access Office. You will deliver your teaching sessions to fourth and fifth year students at Coláiste Mhichíl, CBS Sexton Street, Limerick.
Your work will be evaluated through the submission of written lesson plans, your teaching and participation, and submission of reflective essays.
Research
Students will engage in significant legal research on substantive legal topics in order to create and conduct lessons. Students will also research the trial process and courtroom procedure in order to teach the secondary school students about the elements of the mock trial. Students will also engage in pedagogic research on appropriate student-centred teaching methods to incorporate into the Street Law lessons.
The project is necessary to allow students to advance their legal knowledge and to develop their clinical legal skills while at the same time providing a valuable service to the outside community
The project is evaluated through submission of written lesson plans, teaching and participation, and submission of reflective essays.