Teaching Law Students to Practice Social Justice: An Interdisciplinary Search for Help Through Social Work's Empowerment Approach

47 Pages Posted: 1 Dec 2006

See all articles by Spencer Rand

Spencer Rand

Temple University - Beasley School of Law

Abstract

In clinical classes, students should learn that working toward social justice in their practice is both good and possible. After looking at the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct's lack of a clear definition of social justice and the way that this can hamper teaching students about social justice, this paper looks at social justice definitions from other professions and how social work in particular has demanded that their definition of social justice be actualized in practice. Discussing social work's "empowerment approach," the paper describes the way it develops social work's definition of social justice and demands that social workers practice toward it. The paper suggests ways that we can adapt the empowerment approach to law practice so that our students will develop a strong sense of social justice toward which they can strive and by which they can evaluate their work.

Keywords: clinic, social justice, empowerment, professional conduct, poverty

JEL Classification: I31, K40

Suggested Citation

Rand, Spencer, Teaching Law Students to Practice Social Justice: An Interdisciplinary Search for Help Through Social Work's Empowerment Approach. Clinical Law Review, Vol. 13, p. 459, 2006, Temple University Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2007-11, NYLS Clinical Research Institute Paper No. 06/07-7, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=948419

Spencer Rand (Contact Author)

Temple University - Beasley School of Law ( email )

1719 N. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
United States

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