UNSW Handbook Course - South African Human Rights Clinic and Practicum

South African Human Rights Clinic and Practicum - LAWS8218


	Faculty: Faculty of Law
	School: Faculty of Law
	Course Outline: See below
	Campus: Kensington Campus
	Career: Postgraduate
	Units of Credit: 6
	EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
	Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 24
	Enrolment Requirements:
	Prerequisite: Academic Program must be either 9200 or 9211 or 5211.
	CSS Contribution Charge:Band (more info)
	Tuition Fee:See Tuition Fee Schedule
	Further Information: See Class Timetable

Description

The course offers students an opportunity to engage in practical legal experience through working with human rights organisations in South Africa. There is a choice of two experiential learning opportunities:
• A five week supervised experiential learning clinic based at partner organisations in Johannesburg, South Africa OR
• A human rights practicum that does not involve travel, via a remote placement with a partner organisation in South Africa.

The clinic will take place during January and February 2013. The practicum will involve weekly attendance under the coordinator's supervision during semester 1. Students in both groups will attend a seminar program about South Africa, its history and legal system, and about the roles and responsibilities of interns. Students will work on a range of issues identified by the organisations and will gain practical experience in various legal approaches. Through work on specific litigation, advocacy and law reform projects students will deepen their practical skills in research, writing, advocacy, problem-solving and strategic thinking.

Any enquiries can be directed to Beth Goldblatt, b.goldblatt@unsw.edu.au.

LLM Specialisation

Human Rights and Social Justice

Recommended Prior Knowledge

There are limited places on this course so there will be selection criteria based on previous courses undertaken, work and volunteering experience, skills and qualities. Candidates will be expected to provide written applications and be interviewed by the convenor.

Course Objectives

To be able to identify and critically assess various legal and non-legal strategies that may be employed by human rights lawyers and advocates in different settings, with a focus on South Africa, and critically evaluate the role of law and lawyers in protecting and advancing human rights;
To apply research, writing and problem-solving skills in formulating policy and legal responses to current human rights problems;
To develop practical lawyering skills, including oral and written communication and drafting skills, while gaining experience in producing timely and professional written work that may be relied upon by other professionals;
To enhance skills required to engage professionally with a variety of stakeholders in international contexts, demonstrating appropriate cultural sensitivity and an understanding of ethical, political and professional accountability issues related to human rights work.

Learning Outcomes

A candidate who has successfully completed this course should be able to:

Apply an understanding of human rights law to the South African context;
Identify and critically assess legal and non-legal strategies that may be employed by human rights lawyers and advocates in various domestic and international settings;
Apply research, writing and problem-solving skills in formulating policy and legal responses to current human rights problems;
Employ basic lawyering skills, including oral and written communication and drafting skills, and the ability to produce timely and professional written work-product that may be relied upon by other professionals;
Engage professionally with different stakeholders in an international context, demonstrating appropriate cultural sensitivity and an understanding of ethical, political and professional accountability issues related to human rights work;
Work actively and collaboratively as part of a team;
Critically evaluate the role of law and lawyers in protecting and advancing human rights in different contexts.

Assessment

Seminar Participation 10%
Presentation 10%
Clinical Performance 70%
Essay on key content area of course (3000 words) 10%

Texts/Resources

There are no texts for this course.