New subject on offer for UNSW students

Date published

1 May 2012

Redfern Legal Centre and the University of New South Wales will be teaching a new subject in Semester 2, 2012.

The Administrative Law (Housing) Clinic LAWS 3300/ JURD 7400 is an experiential learning program in which students will gain oral and written advocacy skills, learn about tenancy and housing law and gain practical experience at a Community Legal Centre while reflecting on social justice and human rights issues affecting disadvantaged clients.

We encourage existing volunteers of Redfern Legal Centre to apply.

Subject information

Faculty: Faculty of Law

School: Faculty of Law

Campus: Kensington Campus

Career: Undergraduate / JD

Units of Credit: 6

Indicative Contact Hours per week: 9

Course objectives

The clinic is intended to fulfil the following objectives:

To instruct students in the theory and practice of administrative law, particularly in housing law
To develop effective litigation and advocacy skills
To give students an opportunity to develop and apply their professional skills and professional ethics
To encourage critical analysis of the law, the legal system, clients' place in the legal system and the lawyer's role
To provide service for unmet legal needs of vulnerable members of the community demonstrating appropriate cultural sensitivity
To cultivate a pro-bono ethic and long-term commitment to public service
To apply research, writing and problem-solving skills in formulating policy, educational and legal responses to current housing law programs.

Classroom

Students will need to attend two block teaching days. Seminars will cover asepcts of relevant law, advocacy, Tribunal procedure, legal aid services, communication skills including interviewing and drafting and current issues in administrative law, including housing law.

Work undertaken by students

Students will spend one day at Redfern Legal Centre each week for 12 weeks. The focus of the clinic will be reflection on human rights and social justice issues around housing and developing oral and written advocacy skills.

Students will be assisting and advising disadvantaged people who have housing law problems. The work will involve interviewing clients under the supervision of RLC staff, preparing cases for the Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal and appearing for clients in the Tribunal in these cases. Students will also be undertaking research and policy work and community legal education.

Assessment

This subject will be a pass/fail course.

Students will be required to:

Demonstrate satisfactory performance in placement through an evaluation report from their Redfern Legal Centre supervisor
Produce a 3,000 word article designed for publication on some aspect of the Centre's administrative law work
Present a joint presentation on their placement.

Selection of students will be made on the basis of their statement of interest and academic merit.