Digitalization and legal clinical education

Abstract

The article focuses on the development of legal clinical education under the influence of various innovations and changes taking place in the legal arena in the context of digitalization. The author examines the scientific positions on the development of legal clinical education, including in the context of digitalization. The development of legal clinical education is briefly described. It is noted that historically, the presence of a «real client» in the activities of a law student has been an important component of legal clinical education. However, the author emphasizes that, in today’s environment, the main focus of legal clinical legal education has shifted towards a greater emphasis on the student’s learning experience. Practical skills of a future lawyer can be practiced not only while working with «real clients» but also through «simulation», namely: debates, mock trials, tournaments, competitions, etc. It is argued that the contents of legal clinical education programs have common features, such as: training of professional skills, experiential learning, and inculcation of professional values of social responsibility and social justice. The article emphasizes that the development of digitalization opens up new opportunities for legal clinical education. It is noted that various forms of legal skills training, including with the help of modern technologies, allow maximizing the potential of legal clinical education, which is fully consistent with the concept at the global level. It is noted that the global movement of legal clinical education is confirmed by: a large number of transnational collaborations between clinicians from different parts of the world; the existence of international global organizations (e.g., the Global Alliance for Legal Education); inclusion of clinical teaching methodology in the curricula of law schools around the world; legal publications devoted to the development of legal clinical education around the world. It is concluded that due to the development of communication technologies, the boundaries of legal clinical education are blurred.