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School of Law

Volunteering Opportunities and Skills Activities at Essex

Employers increasingly demand a wider range of skills from law students.  So why not expand your horizons and skills by getting involved in volunteering opportunities and activities organised by the Law School and student Law Society.

Develop or Improve skills such as:

  • Team Work
  • Oral communication skills
  • Written communication skills
  • Organisation skills
  • Legal research
  • Legal drafting
  • Coaching, teaching
  • Professionalism
  • Problem-solving
  • Legal analysis

Click on the videos below of students in action and to hear their thoughts on the importance of participation in volunteering and skills-based activities.

Law Society Pro Bono-Street Law

Street Law is the Essex Student Law Society's Pro Bono division.  Street Law has won national awards for its work in the local community.

The Street Law team organises an annual inter-schools mock trial competition.  Through coaching teams of local school children through the competition the student volunteers demonstrate the fun and competitive side to legal argument.

Thanks to the pupils of Colchester Grammar School. Mock Trial video

Street Law volunteers teach in local schools subjects such as citizenship, human right law. Thanks to the pupils of Colchester Grammar School.  Teaching video

Children's Legal Centre Volunteer

The Children's Legal Centre is a national charity based at the University of Essex Campus offering free initial legal advice in child-related matters. Children's Legal Centre volunteers are trained to provide telephone advice and to make referrals to the Centre where appropriate.  Volunteers provide legal and policy-oriented guidance on real issues. Volunteers in Action video

Student Mentoring

All first-year law students at Essex are welcomed by a team of two student mentors and a personal tutor from the staff.  Student mentors are second and final-year students trained to play a vital role in providing academic, welfare and personal support to those new to University Life. Mentoring video

Negotiation

In the negotiation competition teams of negotiators seek to obtain the best solution for their client. Points are gained for teamwork ability, professionalism, problem-solving, working within the legal brief and on the spot thinking. Negotiation video

Mooting

Mooting involves researching, drafting and presenting legal argument before a judge. The Essex Law Society runs an annual internal mooting competition and the mooting  winning team is sponsored to take part in national (external) competitions. Teams are judged on their oral presentation skills, legal analysis, argumentation structure, and professionalism. Mooting video

Arbitration

Similar skills are gained by participating in arbitration exercises to those obtained in mooting and negotiation. Arbitration is a method of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and involves presenting a case before an arbitrator or panel of arbitrators in a tribunal.

Legal Journalist

Working for the Law Society’s Newsletter, Inter Alia includes scoping out interesting news items, research, writing and editing. Inter Alia video

Essex Law Clinic

The Essex Law Clinic is located on the University of Essex Colchester campus but holds sessions at the Loughton and Southend campuses. The Law Clinic provides pro bono legal advice to the local community. Student Clinic Advisers work with a qualified solicitor to interview and draft legal advice on real client problems.

 

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