LAW589
Low Income Individuals & the Law
(Lund & Weaver)
Prerequisite courses:
Prerequisite for:
Instructor(s): Professor Anna J. Lund and Katherine Weaver
Course credit: 3
Method of presentation: Seminar/Other
METHOD OF EVALUATION
Clinical component (pass/fail):
Participation in the mandatory four day (25-30 hour) pre-clinical orientation and training program in September; mandatory participation in 4 or 5 one and half hour group sessions on journaling, interviewing, professional responsibility and other topics (September, October, November and December); completion of 98 clinical hours per term (total 196 hours) as scheduled in consultation between students and individual placement coordinators (pass/fail based on a learning plan developed in collaboration with placement coordinators and three self/placement evaluations); clinical law experiential journal (pass/fail based on weekly journal entries with a pass meeting the minimum standard as set in the clinical orientation program); individual and mandatory group meetings with the academic supervisors first and second term.
Seminar Component (second term):
Attendance at a three-hour seminar every week; team preparation and presentation of student-led seminar topics; individual research paper on seminar topic; continuation of reflective journal, now incorporating theoretical/substantive topics covered during the term. Evaluation will be allocated as follows:
• 40% for seminar, journal and participation; and
• 60% for research paper (includes submission of: initial paper outline in accordance with required template; and final paper).
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course consists of three parts: (i) pre-clinical orientation, (ii) first term group seminar meetings and clinical placement (3 credits in the Fall Term) and clinical second term (3 credits in the Winter Term) (iii) second term seminar evening weekly seminar (3 credits winter term). These components are designed to provide substantive and procedural information necessary to commence clinical placements with the ECLC and Legal Aid Alberta in Edmonton; develop some of the skills necessary in the practice of law, particularly as it applies to low income individuals and other marginalized groups; connect case work, advocacy, and other forms of experiential learning with substantive and theoretical knowledge of legal issues faced by low income individuals; encourage professional responsibility; and share information necessary for a critical understanding of the social, economic, and cultural context of law and legal service delivery.
SPECIAL COMMENTS
An information session on this course will be held in March. Students will be selected for this course through an application and interview process. Priority will be given to students that have some previous experience working with low-income communities or other marginalized groups in service capacity, which may include Student Legal Services or other volunteer work.
Applicants will be required to submit their resume and a letter of intent outlining their experience and how it has prepared them for the program. Selected applicants may undergo two interviews. The first interview with the academic supervisors of the program and a second interview with a placement agency to assess fit with the agency. Selections will be made in April or May so that students can make alternative arrangements if they are not selected for this course. Students may wish to register for 9 credits in other courses and then drop those courses if admitted to this clinical program
We will also maintain a waiting list of five students in the event some students drop from the course. However, students who wish to be placed on the wait list must attend the Pre-Clinical Orientation and Training Session. Course registration will occur once the interview process is complete. For further information contact ajlund@ualberta.ca
Description updated 2021-22. Please contact the instructor for any specific questions you may have related to this particular course section.
REQUIRED TEXTS (IF ANY):
TBD