Legal clinic as an institution of legal education and legal aid in martial arts condition

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive study of legal clinics as an important institution of modern legal education and an effective mechanism for providing legal assistance to the population under martial law in Ukraine. It is substantiated that during the period of armed aggression and the introduction of a special legal regime, legal clinics acquired special importance as centers combining educational, human rights and social functions. It has been determined that the activities of legal clinics are aimed not only at forming practical professional competencies of future lawyers, but also at ensuring citizens access to qualified primary legal assistance, legal information, and legal educational services.
The main directions of transformation of legal clinic’s activities under martial law were analyzed, including the introduction of remote forms of consulting, the use of digital communication platforms, flexible organization of the work of student consultants and curators, changing the thematic spectrum of citizen’s appeals, as well as strengthening interaction with state authorities, local governments, centers for providing free legal aid, and public organizations. It has been established that during the war, the population’s need for legal advice regarding social security, labor relations, the status of internally displaced persons, restoration of lost documents, receiving compensation for damaged or destroyed property, family disputes, mobilization obligations, and protection of the rights of servicemen and their family members has significantly increased.
Particular attention is paid to the educational mission of legal clinics, which consists of practice-oriented training of legal education applicants by acquiring skills in consulting clients, analyzing legal situations, preparing procedural and other legal documents, communicating with various categories of persons, and adhering to standards of professional ethics and principles of confidentiality. It was emphasized that working in a legal clinic under martial law contributes to the formation of a high level of legal awareness, stress resistance, responsibility, the ability to work in crisis conditions, and an orientation towards public service among students.