Strengthening the role of legal clinics as a basis for practical training of workers in the context of legal education reform

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the current state of development of the institute of legal clinics in Ukraine, the study focuses on its historical aspects, it is noted that in 2021 the Ukrainian clinical movement is fulfilled 25 years old, as one of the criteria of periodization the dynamics of legal (normative) regulation of activity of legal clinics is analyzed. There are five main stages in the formation of the clinical movement in Ukraine. Special attention is paid to the analysis of features of activity and prospects of development of legal clinics in the conditions of modern reforming of system of education in Ukraine, further institutionalization of legal clinics as an integral component of legal education. The state of development of legal clinics in recent years under the influence of such factors as: European integration processes, informatization of society, change of formats of activity in the conditions of pandemic of 2020–2021 is estimated. Focused on the role and importance in the system of clinical movement of the Association of Legal Clinics of Ukraine, it is concluded that it is the Association that applies the vector of development of the entire system. There is an increase in the level (according to different criteria) of legal clinics in Ukraine due to the popularization of the movement itself, its gradual institutionalization, improvement of monitoring systems with the provision of expert assistance and the like. The practical aspects of the activity of legal clinics during 2020–2021 are analyzed on the example of the legal clinic “Exaequoetbono” of the National University of Shipbuilding named after Admiral Makarov. Fruitful participation in AllUkrainian and international events organized on the initiative of the Association of Legal Clinics of Ukraine is noted. As a result of the study, conclusions were made about the current state of development of legal clinics in Ukraine as a well-established institution, with a legal framework (which still requires some changes), forms and methods of activity, a clear practical orientation in the training of specialists in law. This gives grounds to say that we have excellent prospects for the development of the legal clinical movement, especially in the context of gradual integration into the European community, within the course chosen by Ukraine in 2014 and adequate funding. Further development of separate directions of activity of legal clinics with use of information and communication technologies (on-line, off-line) is forecasted. The most effective is the use of such forms for legal education and legal assistance