The value of Street Law in developing effective solicitors perspectives from practice Dr Freda Grealy Head of Diploma Centre John Lunney Solicitor Course Leader Diploma Centre Street Law The Law Society ID: 762611
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The value of Street Law in developing effective solicitors - perspectives from practice Dr. Freda Grealy , Head of Diploma Centre John Lunney, Solicitor, Course Leader, Diploma Centre
Street Law @ The Law Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd6M-pYB5Qo
Aims of Street Law At its basic level the aim of Street Law is to; provide law-related education to the community, and; aid in the professional development of the law students involved in teachingSee more Arthurs, S., Cooperman, M., Gallagher, J., Grealy, F., Lunney, J., Marrs, R., & Roe, R. (2017). From Zero to 60: Building Belief, Capacity and Community in Street Law Instructors in One Weekend. International Journal of Clinical Legal Education, 24(2), 118-241Grimes, R. ( 2018 ). Evaluating legal literacy programmes – aims , challenges, models and a call to action, International Journal of Public Legal Education, 2(1) 28-45
Methods Shultz, M. M., & Zedeck , S. (2011). Predicting lawyer effectiveness factors: Broadening the basis for law school admission decisions. Law & Social Inquiry, 36(3), 620-661.Arthurs, S. (2015). Street Law: Creating Tomorrow’s Citizens Today, LEWIS & CLARK L. REV, 19 (4 ) 925 - 961 “this study focused on the benefits of Street Law to the high-school students. The effect of participation in the program on the law-student instructors is another important area of study. Of the 26 lawyering-effectiveness factors identified by Marjorie Schultz and Sheldon Zedeck, Street Law arguably helps law students develop their effectiveness in each of the 26.This type of research would help clarify Street Law’s value to two important constituencies—law students and law schools. ”
Lawyer Effectiveness Factors (Shutlz & Zedeck ) 1.Intellectual & cognitive 5.Conflict Resolution - Analysis & Reasoning - Negotiation Skills - Creativity / Innovation - Able to see the world through the eyes of others - Problem Solving- Practical Judgment 6.Client & Business Relations- Entrepreneurship - Networking & Business Development 2. Reasoning & Information - Providing Advice & Building Relationships with --- - Researching the Law others - Fact Finding - Questioning & Interviewing 7.Working with Others - Developing Relationships with the Legal Profession 3.Communications - Evaluation, Development & Mentoring - Influencing & Advocating - Writing/Speaking/Listening 8.Character - Passion & Engagement - Diligence 4.Planning& Organizing - Integrity/Honesty -Strategic Planning - Stress Management - Organising/Managing own work - Community involvement/Service - Organising/Managing other(staff/Colleagues) - Self Development )
Survey Results Trainee solicitor response rates 2013 = 37.5% 2014 = 30.95% 2015 = 40%2016= 35.89 % *Overall = 35.94% of participants responded
Top 10 individually ranked effectiveness factors
Coded for umbrella headings
Focus groups – why and who? Drill down into survey & piece together the data 2 x Focus groups Group 1: Newly qualified solicitors mostly from smaller firms and criminal defence. Group 2: Newly qualified solicitors all worked in corporate and commercial firms.
Direct Themes Planning and organising “It’s the first time I ever planned anything properly” Communication “…I thought the kind of skills in terms of setting out what the law is to someone who doesn’t understand the law, was a useful skill that I have had to use with clients in my work..” Working with others Team work, mentoring & training, community …”lacking in confidence and…bringing them our of their shell”Communityit got us meeting people we never would ordinarily meet, kind of, children or 16 year olds even, from disadvantaged backgrounds, Character
Character Educating Tomorrow’s Lawyers - The Whole Lawyer and the Character Quotient, p 2, 2016 They talk about the ‘sweet spot’ & educating the whole lawyer Character is hard to define but as trainees saw Street law…Challenged personal values and fostered moral growth “I took character to mean my own self-development, and developing what kind of principles I want to stand by”Pushed outside comfort zone “ it kind of gives you confidence which is a big thing. You kind of get rid of any inhibitions…one minute you could be hopping on one foot and the next minute you could be under the table” Helps discover altruism ‘solidarity with a community as well which is character building’ Opportunity to focus on something other than yourself “I found street law very grounding, you know that...and character building, and focusing on something other than yourself at that time”
Indirect themes I think it encourages participation in communities and creates awareness around social justice. I think that it creates awareness about solicitors as a professional body and opens the society I suppose to people with disadvantaged backgrounds that may never have thought about a career in law before. Professional & personal identity Values audit Change career path Motivated to set up CSR in their firm Absolving the guilt of their corporate career choiceAccess across the divides Fosters a sense of belonging with professional body
Indirect Findings Law Society Benefits Feel part of professional body Brings more people to the law (ACCESS ) Creates positivity towards solicitorsBetter educational experience for your students – teamwork “attracts talent, millennials and younger, looking for - they want skills in relation to CSR and their repertoire as they go forward, and it is really great to teach them this during their traineeship”Benefits To Community Participant Legal knowledgeCritical thinkingACCESSSocial good “breaking down the socio-economic barriers to entering to the legal profession because you get people thinking that actually anybody can do this if you have got the interest and the commitment to go through the training.”
What does the research tell us? Gap in legal education in Ireland Discerning trainees looking for purpose Professional identity formation Character Skills Power of providing interventions at pivotal stages for trainees
Q. What other studies can we draw on? Thank you! Comments or questions Do you know of other research on Street Law or CLE that focuses on character, values…..?