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Legal Clinics in the Czech Republic Maxim Tomoszek Martin Kopa Michal Urban

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Legal Education in the Czech Republic 4 public law faculties, no private, except for PanEuropean University 5 years Masters programme Charles University very long tradition (1348); Brno - Masaryk Law 1919-1950, 1969-; Olomouc 1991-; Plze 1993-; Very conservative environment

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History of legal clinics in Olomouc 1st clinic in CEE 1996 in Olomouc (Ford Foundation, Hofstra, prof. Stefan Krieger) Went on only to 1998, then restored in 2001, but with poor methodology Serious re-start in 2006 live-client clinics (the only in Czech Republic), specialized simulation clinics, street-law, moot courts, skills development

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Prague Law School conditions Largest Longest tradition Lazyness caused by reputation

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Prague Law School humble beginnings Asylum seekers clinic Legal skill courses Externships courts, NGOs Student law societies Street Law, life-client

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Prague Law School after 2010 EU funded project Law for Practice Legal skill courses Externships Legal literacy courses Life-client clinics challenge

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Brno (Masaryk University) Fall 2002 Fall 2004: clinic focused on international protection of children Fall 2006 onwards: clinic focused on asylum and refugee law 2011 onwards: Theory-skills-practice: innovation of law studies ECOP project (Institute of Legal Skills and Innovation Studies) 35 skills-oriented courses (6 clinics) Co-operation with NGOs, Ombudsmans Office, International Law Firms etc. in the form of externships no classical live-client clinic at the law school Best law school from the academic perspective in the judicial capital of the Czech Republic idle clinical potential?

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Pilsen (West Bohemian University) 2013/2014 (probably) the first clinical course entitled Clinical Legal Practice at the Department of Forensic Psychology and Sociology Live-client clinic led by two attorneys Following Olomoucs path (a married couple pioneering legal clinics at a law school with uncertain accreditation)?

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Important factors Insiders Students International support Persistance ESF Enthusiasm

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Specific elements of Czech situation Low appreciation of social element of CLE High appreciation of skills development Concentration on legal professions only Low sensitivity to professional ethics Clinics are considered an experiment (just the form) Opposed by the bar association Unique situation in Olomouc is influencing other faculties

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Questions? martin.kopa@upol.cz martin.kopa@upol.cz maxim.tomoszek@upol.cz maxim.tomoszek@upol.cz urban.michal@centrum.cz urban.michal@centrum.cz