Induction and training for law student clinic volunteers

Our work in the legal education sector aims to foster an enduring pro bono culture amongst law students and law schools. We hope this induction page will give students a brief overview and introduction. 

Contents

• Welcome
• Introduction from LawWorks
• Client confidentiality and GDPR
• Regulation and supervision
• Professionalism
• Commercial awareness
• Volunteering in the not-for-profit sector
• Student wellbeing
• Conflicts of interest
• Working with vulnerable clients
• Interviewing and note taking skills
• Letter writing and legal research skills
• Sharing documents and document security (Clio) 
• Case and matter analysis
• Rule of law
• LexisNexis resources 
• Equality, diversity and inclusion
• Litigants in Person Support Strategy

Welcome with Alasdair Douglas, Chair, LawWorks

 Introduction from LawWorks

Clare Johnson provides a general overview of LawWorks, demonstrating LawWorks online resources, training, podcasts, webinars, template docs including our Student Handbook.

Client confidentiality and GDPR

Vicky Ling, legal services consultant introduces the importance of client confidentiality, data protection and the basics of what students need to know about GDPR 

Regulation and supervision

Professionalism

An in-house banking solicitor introduces professionalism with reference to codes of conduct, the Pro Bono Protocol, and ethics: what students need to know and be aware of now and throughout their careers as lawyers.

Commercial awareness

Students need an understanding of the nature of business, good working relationships, business reputation, sustainability. Hannah Frost, Solicitor from Shoosmiths, Birmingham, introduces how the law works in a commercial context. 

Volunteering in the not-for-profit sector

Judi Lincoln, Norwich Community Law Services talks about volunteering in the not-for-profit sector

Wellbeing

Richard Owen, Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law, will introduce issues of student wellbeing, resilience, safeguarding issues. 

Conflicts of interest

Amy Tabari, Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham discusses conflicts of interest in a free legal advice clinic setting.

Working with vulnerable clients

Eleanor Barrow, LawWorks talks about working with vulnerable clients.

Interviewing and note taking skills

Laura Hyde, Aston University, gives an introduction about how to interview clients and take effective notes. 

Letter writing and legal research skills

Matthew Gray, University of Law - Manchester, introduces students to letter writing and legal research skills.

Sharing documents and document security

Monika Danielska, University of Manchester introduces students to a system for managing documents, using Clio.

Case and matter analysis

Matthew Gray, University of Law - Manchester, introduces case and matter analysis, and provides a method for reviewing a file.

Rule of law

James Harper, Executive Sponsor, Rule of Law and CSR for LexisNexis UK & Ireland talks about the principle of The Rule of Law and its fundamental significance in the context of pro bono volunteering.

LexisNexis resources 

Mary Abidakun provides an introduction for students to Lexis Nexis’ resources.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Sibon Phiri from United Legal Access provides an introduction for students to equality, diversity and inclusion, including unconscious bias issues.

Litigants in Person Support Strategy (LiPSS)

This video introduces the partners in the Litigants in Person Support Strategy, includes guidance on how to refer to Advocate, explains what Support Through Court does, and gives an introduction to AdviceNow resources.