As Monash Law Clinics marks its 50th anniversary in 2025, the celebration is graced by the release of a significant new book by Professor Jeff Giddings, the Law Faculty’s Associate Dean (Experiential Education). Global Clinical Legal Education is a culmination of decades of research that shines a light on the evolution and impact of clinical legal education worldwide.
The Genesis of a Global Clinical Legal Education
Rooted in Professor Giddings’s PhD research, the seed of Global Clinical Legal Education was planted over 15 years ago, but it took the disruption of a hiking trip to trigger germination.
“The idea for this book really came about five years ago,” Professor Giddings recalls.
“I wanted to take that PhD research further and do some of the things I had identified as needing to be done.”
This vision was nurtured during a bushwalk with his partner Judith, where the concept of a collaborative, globally inclusive book started to take shape.
Clinical legal education began in the early 20th century in the United States, with law schools incorporating practical training to complement theoretical learning. The earliest programs focused on providing legal aid to underserved communities, allowing students to gain hands-on experience while serving the public. Many early programs were started and run by students who volunteered their time and energy.
Today there is an increasing trend towards global collaboration among clinical programs, such as sharing best practices, joint research projects, and international student exchanges.
Exemplifying this trend, Professor Giddings avoided the traditional path of a single author compiling research, and instead used the project to develop the capacity of clinic teachers worldwide.
“I wanted to take it beyond the focus on a small number of English-speaking countries and include stories and insights from places that are non-existent in the English language literature on clinics,” he explains.
This ambition led to the inclusion of material from 44 countries, highlighting the development of law clinics in regions like Pakistan, Bhutan, Turkey, and Francophone Africa.
Read more at
https://www.monash.edu/law/news/2025/exploring-clinical-legal-education
