Legal Clinics’ Engagement with Internally Displaced Persons: Implementing Trauma-Informed and Victim-Centred Approaches

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the activities of legal clinics as an important component of the system of free legal aid provided to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the context of the full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine. The authors emphasize that mass internal displacement has created an unprecedented demand for systematic legal protection, which traditional state institutions are not always able to address on their own. In this context, clinical legal education is viewed as a dual-purpose instrument: an effective methodology for training future lawyers based on the principle of “learning by doing”, and a practical mechanism for protecting the rights of vulnerable groups.
The study provides a detailed analysis of the legal nature of legal clinics as structural units of higher education institutions operating at the intersection of educational and human rights activities. Particular emphasis is placed on the fact that working with IDP communities requires student clinicians not only to possess in-depth knowledge of national and international law, but also to develop specific communication (soft) skills necessary for interacting with individuals who have experienced trauma.
A central focus of the article is the justification for the implementation of trauma-informed and victim-centred approaches in clinical legal education. Drawing on international standards, in particular the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and the Riga Principles, the authors argue that communication with affected persons must be based on a thorough understanding of the psychological and social consequences of conflict.
The authors propose structuring the interaction between legal clinics and IDPs around the following principles: participation (active involvement of the client in shaping the legal strategy), accountability (understanding state authorities as duty-bearers), non-discrimination (ensuring equal access to assistance), empowerment (legal awareness to enable self-protection of rights), and respect for the rule of law. The conclusions highlight that such a comprehensive approach allows legal clinics to become a safe and supportive environment where future lawyers develop value-based professional ethics, while affected individuals receive high-quality assistance grounded in respect for human dignity.