Pedagogy of CLE and CLE as pedagogy: An interview with Ved Kumari

Abstract

In this conversation with Ved Kumari, Professor and Former Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, we navigate through different conceptions and practices of Clinical Legal Education (CLE), practical and ethical challenges in the implementation of CLE, and the importance of critical theory and jurisprudence to achieve the pedagogical goals of CLE. Drawing on her experience as a feminist clinical law professor, she critically approaches the twin goals of CLE — social justice and professional legal skills — on the one hand, and flags affective concerns which arise in live-client and community-based clinics, on the other. The conversation centres on the importance of the values of sustainability, professionalism, empathy, and critical self-reflection in conceptualisation and incorporation of CLE in the legal curriculum.