Is the Lecturer in the Room? A study of Student Satisfaction with Online Discussion in Practical Legal Training

Abstract

The recently established Legal Clinic at Hebron University is already having a profound impact upon legal education on the campus and beyond. Originally established to train students in the provision of pro bono services to marginalised groups and in the practice of law before graduation, the Clinic has become the hub of rights activism, policy-making, curricular development, practical training and conferencing. The staff and students of the Clinic have networked with governmental bodies and civil society as well as international organizations. The Clinic now operates as a research and practical legal training centre, a law office, an NGO, and an external relations forum. Using the Hebron University Legal Clinic as an example, this article describes the enormous capacity for legal clinics to advance legal education as well as the factors threatening the sustainability of legal clinics in Palestine and the Middle East.