The 4th UK and Ireland Best Practice Street Law Conference 2019

Frances Ridout

doi:10.19164/ijple.v4i1.968

Abstract

The UK and Ireland Best Practice Street Law Conference has become a popular annual event on the UK clinical legal education calendar. Taking place in early autumn, the conference is unique in celebrating this area, which is often viewed as the smaller sibling of more traditional clinical legal education models. What started as a casual discussion between clinicians at an international Street Law conference, has developed to be a well-known conference attracting national and international delegates as well as input from NGOs and third sector organisations. The unique ethos of the conference is focused on interactivity, delegate contribution and sharing best practice (both theoretical and practical). It aims to be a truly collaborative initiative between the host institution, the oversight and steering committee, and most importantly the conference delegates. It is a valuable resource for those already experienced in Street Law and a helpful platform for those starting out on the journey.

Highlights

The UK and Ireland Best Practice Street Law Conference has become a popular annual event on the UK clinical legal education calendar
Taking place in early autumn, the conference is unique in celebrating this area, which is often viewed as the smaller sibling of more traditional clinical legal education models
What started as a casual discussion between clinicians at an international Street Law conference, has developed to be a well-known conference attracting national and international delegates as well as input from NGOs and third sector organisations

Summary

Introduction

The UK and Ireland Best Practice Street Law Conference has become a popular annual event on the UK clinical legal education calendar. The session highlighted some common traps that Street Law projects can fall into, such as placing too much focus on the students (both in terms of numbers and content), insufficient interactivity within workshops, and not selecting relevant and appropriate topics. The day continued with an interesting insight into the use of student committees to further Street Law initiatives delivered by a team from the University of East Anglia.

Results

Conclusion