Reflection and clinical legal education: how do students learn about their ethical duty to contribute towards justice

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article analyses teaching reflection skills as a means to inculcate students’ capacity to contribute to justice. Arising out of understandings of professionalism, the rule of law, as well as model codes of conduct for solicitors, lawyers have an ethical duty to contribute to building the justice of law and the legal system. Learning how to reflect is an essential part of being able to fulfil this duty, and clinical legal education as a method within legal education is an effective means to teach students how to reflect. They learn how to deal with ‘disorienting moments’ and to make sense of the complexity of legal practice through a process of self-reflection and reflection on law and the legal system. The article discusses the range of ways in which reflection can be taught to emphasise the integration of values, emotions, thinking and analytical skills in forming lawyers who are well- rounded lawyers. A growth mindset which recognises the ability of brains to constantly change and grow is a radical and positive development in our understanding of intelligence which supports the nurturing of lawyers’ ability to reflect and continue to fulfil their ethical duty to work towards justice in some form.