SMU Legal Aid Clinic offers services to persons who do not afford to pay for legal services. The dual objectives of the Clinic are the provision of community services and the enhancement of the lawyering skills of students.During the two years from January 2009 to December 2011, the Clinic has provided forty-six service sessions which include family law, successions, labour law, property law, and other cases.
Fourth year students are registered for the course and they offer services at the Moot Court Room (Building 2, Second Floor) three days a week during the afternoons.Head of the SMU Legal Aid Unit who is a senior staff member and practicing lawyer coordinates the activities of the Legal Clinic and supervises the services rendered by the students. Three students are assigned for each session and they conduct client interviews and they draft the legal advice to be provided to the client after which Head of the Unit makes the necessary review before they are given to the client two days from the date of interview.
The services include writing statement of claim, statement of defence, appellate brief, draft contracts, etc. The supervisor gives preliminary introduction before students are assigned to offer services and he has so far represented one client in court which included appellate litigation at the Federal Supreme Court.The supervisor and other academic staff members also offer services in the Legal Aid Clinic.
