In this session, we will explore creative ways to introduce the concept of community lawyering and teach with a community lawyering lens in the clinical setting. We are particularly interested in ways to integrate community lawyering into clinics that may not currently include this as a component of their clinical work. We will begin by providing an overview of community lawyering principles. Participants will then have the opportunity to break into small groups to brainstorm (1) ways to incorporate a community lawyering lens into their clinic’s practice, and (2) ways to incorporate the importance of community lawyering into their clinic’s seminar. Topics for these small groups may include:
• Identifying community needs through avenues that develop local leadership and institutions to continue to address community needs.
• Encouraging students to address client needs holistically by working with community partners.
• Addressing challenges with fostering community relationships with student-led work in a short-term clinical setting.
• Finding opportunities to incorporate a critical analysis of the structural forces affecting communities into the classroom setting.
We will end by coming together as a large group to share how different types of clinics might implement the ideas generated during the small group discussions. Our students have reported an appreciation for the introduction of community lawyering into clinics that are not solely focused on this work, so we hope other clinics can benefit from integrating principles of community lawyering into their work.