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Legal Clinics in the Czech Republic. Maxim Tomoszek Martin Kopa Michal Urban. Legal Education in the Czech Republic. 4 public law faculties , no private , except for PanEuropean University 5 years Masters programme
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LegalClinics in the Czech Republic Maxim Tomoszek Martin Kopa Michal Urban
LegalEducation in the Czech Republic • 4 public lawfaculties, no private, exceptforPanEuropean University • 5 yearsMastersprogramme • Charles University – very long tradition (1348); Brno - Masaryk Law – 1919-1950, 1969-; Olomouc – 1991-; Plzeň – 1993-; • Very conservativeenvironment
Historyoflegalclinics in Olomouc • 1st clinic in CEE – 1996 in Olomouc (Ford Foundation, Hofstra, prof. Stefan Krieger) • Went on only to 1998, thenrestored in 2001, but withpoormethodology • Serious re-start in 2006 – live-clientclinics (theonly in Czech Republic), specializedsimulationclinics, street-law, mootcourts, skillsdevelopment
Prague Law School – conditions • Largest • Longesttradition • Lazynesscaused by reputation
Prague Law School – humble beginnings • Asylum seekers clinic • Legal skill courses • Externships – courts, NGOs • Student law societies – Street Law, life-client
Prague Law School – after 2010 • EU funded projectLaw forPractice • Legal skill courses • Externships • Legal literacycourses • Life-client clinics – challenge
Brno (Masaryk University) • Fall 2002 – Fall 2004: clinic focused on international protection of children • Fall 2006 – onwards: clinic focused onasylum and refugee law • 2011 – onwards: “Theory-skills-practice: innovation of law studies” ECOP project (Institute of Legal Skills and Innovation Studies) 35 skills-oriented courses (6 clinics) • Co-operation with NGOs, Ombudsman’s Office, International Law Firms etc. in the form of externships no “classical” live-client clinic at the law school • Best law school from the academic perspective in the judicial capital of the Czech Republic – idle clinical potential?
Pilsen (West Bohemian University) • 2013/2014 – (probably) the first clinical course entitled “Clinical Legal Practice” at the Department of Forensic Psychology and Sociology • Live-client clinic led by two attorneys • Following Olomouc’s path (a married couple pioneering legal clinics at a law school with uncertain accreditation)?
Importantfactors • Insiders • Students • International support • Persistance • ESF • Enthusiasm
Specificelementsof Czech situation • Low appreciation of social element of CLE • High appreciation of skills development • Concentration on legal professions only • Low sensitivity to professional ethics • Clinics are considered an experiment (just „the form“) • Opposed by the bar association • Unique situation in Olomouc is influencing other faculties
Questions? • martin.kopa@upol.cz • maxim.tomoszek@upol.cz • urban.michal@centrum.cz