Clinical Legal Education in the Czech Republic (Palacky University Olomouc)

Abstract

This article is a brief introduction to the Czech Clinical Legal Education (“CLE”), espe-cially to the CLE at the Faculty of Law of the Palacky University in Olomouc. Clinical Legal Education is a relatively new access to legal education and all the Czech faculties of law are on the beginning in comparison with states like USA, Great Britain, India and other more. The Faculty of Law of the Palacky University has the longest tradition of the CLE in the Czech Republic. Just like other Law Faculties in the Czech Republic and all over the world, the Faculty of Law of the Palacky University in Olomouc puts emphasis on its fundamental aim: to provide its graduates with high–quality professional knowledge. However, the Faculty of Law of the Palacky University in Olomouc also endeavours to prepare its graduates to use acquired knowledge in practise by the time they graduate and leave the law faculty ready for practice. We´ll describe the ways how the teachers try to achieve the mentioned aim, how the CLE works, which learning goals we have.

The CLE in Olomouc is realized thanks to the project “Development of Practical forms of Education at the Faculty of Law of the Palacky University, Olomouc” which provided significant support in reaching this particular aim. The most important effect of this project was the doubtless progress in enriching Master Study Programme in Law and Jurisprudence with practical aspects. Thanks to this project the faculty has managed to continue the founded tradition and to further develop this unique educational method. Last but not least valuable impact of this project is the introduction of the new compulsory Legal Skills Course which has no equivalent within the system of the Czech legal education. At present, the project “Law for Life” aims to improve existing study programs via integration of new educational methods to daily legal education.