Chapter 6: Bridging the Clinical-Doctrinal Divide: Clinician and Student Views of Teaching and Learning in Clinical Legal Programs

The initial purpose of this study was to examine the educational needs and perceptions of students and clinicians in Canadian legal clinics.

The author conducted a literature review of leading educational materials in Canada and the United States focusing on required or preferred competencies for law students. The author then interviewed law students, clinicians, social workers, and community legal workers from across Ontario, Canada, all of whom were working or studying at law school-affiliated legal clinics. Interview subjects were asked a series of questions about their learning experiences in hopes of informing the creation of clinical teaching and learning materials.

The data revealed an under-reliance of the affective elements of teaching, learning, and practice in both existing literature and current teaching practices. The data also revealed deep structural divides between doctrinal and clinical teaching and learning approaches.

Without further integration between these two approaches, students and, ultimately, communities and clients will not reap the benefits possible from an integrated curriculum.