Transcript Document

International Conference on the Future of Legal
Education, Georgia State University College of
Law, 20-23 February 2008
Council of Australian Law Deans and Carrick
Institute Discipline Based Initiative in Law:
Goals, Plans and Progress
Professor Gary Davis (Flinders University)
Project Director
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Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in
Higher Education: Objectives
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promoting and supporting strategic change
raising profile of importance of teaching
fostering and acknowledging teaching excellence
disseminating and embedding good teaching and
learning practices
• encouraging sharing and benchmarking
• identifying issues and facilitating national approaches to
resolving them
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Carrick Institute: Values
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inclusiveness
long-term change
diversity
collaboration
excellence
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Carrick Institute: Programmes
• Carrick Awards for Australian University
Teaching
• Carrick Fellowship Scheme
• Grants Scheme
• Promoting Excellence Initiative
• Discipline-Based Initiatives Scheme
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Discipline Based Initiatives Scheme
(DBI)
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system-wide
future-oriented
sustainable developments
curriculum regeneration
productive engagement
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Pilot Discipline Based Initiatives
• Science
• Information and Communication
Technology
• Law
– AUTC: Johnstone & Vignaendra, Learning
Outcomes and Curriculum Developments in
Law (2003)
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Learning and Teaching in the Discipline
of Law: Achieving and Sustaining
Excellence in a Changed and Changing
Environment
Diversity
– proliferation of law schools & students
– professional training vs intellectual discipline
– “selling” of Law as prep’n for non-law careers
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Goals
G1 Create, among key personnel in Australian
Law Schools, greater awareness of and
engagement with the Learning Outcomes and
Curriculum Developments in Law Report
•http://admin.carrickinstitute.edu.au/dspace/handle/10006/3492
•Conduits: Associate Deans (Teaching & Learning)
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Goals (cont)
G2 Map the current diversity of student
profiles and legal education programs in
Australia
•student characteristics
•law course direction & focus
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Goals (cont)
G3 Identify workable infrastructure for
current and ongoing consultation and
engagement with key stakeholders in legal
education
•students; teachers; administrators;
employers; government; practising
profession; judiciary
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Goals (cont)
G4 Develop law graduate attributes
templates
• end product orientation
• regional forums Apr - May
• national: ALTA Conference July
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Goals (cont)
G5 Explore the issue whether formal
standards for Australian law schools ought
to be adopted and present options for
consideration by the Council of Australian
Law Deans
•CALD Meeting 3-4 March in Sydney
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Goals (cont)
G6 Develop effective means to inculcate in
Australian law students the values of
professionalism, ethics and service
•personal interest vs professional
responsibilities
•stakeholder expectations of law school
leadership
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Goals (cont)
G7 Develop baseline data regarding the mental wellbeing of law students including their understanding of
relevant issues, personal experiences and knowledge
of assistance mechanisms which are in place
•prevalence of stress & depression
•Sydney Uni research study: “Lawyers are human too:
Investigating why those who speak out for others in
need feel they must remain silent about their own
needs?”
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Goals (cont)
G8 Commence a process for re-designing the
law curriculum and approaches to the delivery
of legal education so that they will be sufficient
to meet the needs of the coming generation of
law students
•agreed framework for revision of current
mandatory requirements for professional
accreditation
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Ethics & Prof Conduct Teaching
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preliminary stocktake
website info
almost all law schools: 30 / 32
universal: all law schools teach ethics and
professional conduct
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Uniform Admission Rules: Professional
Conduct (including basic Trust Accounting)
“Professional and personal conduct in respect of
practitioner's duty:
(a) to the law;
(b) to the Courts;
(c) to clients, including a basic knowledge of the
principles of trust accounting; and
(d) to fellow practitioners.”
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Content Associations
• legal professional identity
– history, nature and structure of legal institutions and
the legal profession
• practical legal and generic skills
– Negotiation; drafting; interviewing; advocacy
• contextual approach
– social; political; economic; access to justice
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Content Associations (cont)
• generic professional identity
– “professionalism” or nature of a “profession”
• development of an ethical disposition
– recognise ethical dilemmas + tools to resolve
– “framework of ethical analysis”
– “ethical evaluation process”
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Methodology
• compulsory or elective
• curriculum location: first; last; embedded
• mode of delivery : lectures; tutorials;
workshops; on-line; placement
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Assessment
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exams
research assignments
quizzes (in-class & on-line)
class participation
oral presentations
practicum assessment
role plays
reflective journals
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Conclusion
Legal academics driving discipline
of law forward
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