Global Mapping of Research and Curriculum for Paralegal Related Legal Education

Prof. Srikrishna Deva Rao

Professor of Law & Registrar

National Law University, Delhi, India

Email:

Prof. David McQuoid- Mason

Professor of Law

Centre for Socio-Legal Studies

South Africa

Email:

Mr. Zaza Namoradze

Director, OSI, Budapest office

Email:

Paralegal education is an important method and tool to meet the ‘unmet’ legal needs of the people. It will enhance the overall quality of professional legal education while expanding the access to justice for marginalized communities. The Paralegal Education will empower the poor and vulnerable populations by assisting the community by providing legal advice, assistance, and promoting the community dispute resolution. It is emerging as an important aspect of higher education in India with the support of Ministry of Higher Education and University Grant Commission of India. There is an effort in India in strengthening the curriculum pedagogy/research and institutionalizing it at the Under Graduate level India.

The global mapping exercise intends to rethink on curriculum patterns, strengths and weakness, areas of over-and-under focus etc. It aims to analyse research and curriculum initiatives all over the world in paralegal education. The information and analysis will help to fine tune the curriculum. The overall objective is to map and analyse the space of paralegal related legal education in the context of increasing importance given for legal empowerment of the poor and the National and International Level.

We would like to take the benefit of the sixth World Conference of GAJE to conduct the essential mapping and analysis on the following issues:

·  Mapping the space of paralegal related legal education.

·  Information about the course outline, pedagogy, imparting skills and other activities.

·  Curriculum: course structure, thematic priorities and emphasis.

·  In-class pedagogy: Use of case material and other pedagogical resources

·  Classroom teaching (lecture/ workshop formats), assignments given to students

·  Out-of-class learning: Moots, symposia, conferences, and other research, co-curriculum and extension activities.

·  Enumerating research including that emerges from co-curricular and extension activities.

·  Examining the changing trends in curricula and research, and contextualizing them in light of the various vision documents and trend-reports.

PATTERN OF PRESENTATION

·  Brainstorming on Paralegal and Law Related Education – 15 minutes

The brainstorm on paralegal and related education will discuss the following issues.

1.  What is meant by a paralegal – a focuser at the beginning

2.  What paralegals do.

3.  What sort of training paralegals need.

4.  What kind of curriculum should be developed

5.  What kind of materials do paralegals need

·  Presentation on Curriculum Initiatives in India – Prof. Srikrishna Deva Rao, 15 minutes

·  Presentation by Prof. David about the Paralegal Course at the Institute of Professional Training at the University Of KwaZulu- Natal South Africa – 15 minutes.

·  Presentation by Mr. Zaza Namoradz on the New Manual on Paralegals Developed by Open Society Institute – 15 Minutes.

·  Interaction and discussion with the group – 20 minutes

·  Summing up and taking it forward - Prof. Rao, Prof. David & Mr. Zaza – 10 minutes.