Helping Australia's most vulnerable people
Macquarie Social Justice Clinic provides much-needed help to some of Australia's communities that experience systemic discrimination and a powerful learning opportunity for our students.
The Social Justice Clinic’s innovative model offers students hands-on legal experience under the supervision of experienced human rights and public interest lawyers.
Our current partners are Refugee Advice and Casework Services, and the National Justice Project, which each run a satellite office at Macquarie Law School one day a week.
Taking a lead from the United States-style clinical education model, the University appoints lawyers from the partner organisations as academic staff, placing the emphasis on students’ education rather than on caseload and clients.
Students can expect to work on real-world social justice cases, undertaking a range of activities including legal research and writing, client interviewing and non-legal advocacy. Placements are run on campus at Macquarie Law School in partnership with leading Australian public interest legal practices. With a focus on hands-on practical training, the experience prepares students for work in the social justice advocacy area.
Our mission
- Teaching law students lawyering and advocacy skills through practical experience in the provision of legal assistance to communities that experience systemic discrimination and broader advocacy for issues concerning public interest.
- Providing legal assistance to those who may otherwise have no means of accessing it.
- Acting as a vehicle for progressive social, political and legal change through the running of test cases and broader advocacy and policy work.
It is vital that young lawyers should get experience in the challenges of social justice that arise in police stations, courthouses and tribunals. The problems change (today many will involve refugee applicants); but some of them remain the same. Reminding law students, whilst they undertake their studies at Macquarie Law School, of the realities of injustice and inequality in Australia is not only helpful for those in need. It is also a big motivator for what originally inspired most of the law students to get involved with the law.
Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG, past Justice of the High Court of Australia, and Chancellor Emeritus of Macquarie University