Thinking Outside the Disciplinary Box: Building Better Lawyers to Solve Wicked Problems

Abstract

The paper aims to bridge a gap in the Australian law curriculum by presenting an interdisciplinary pedagogical approach designed to improve students’ transition to post-university life. Implemented within a university pro-bono health-justice legal clinic affiliated with the University of Canberra Medical and Counselling Centre, this experiential design has a dual purpose. It not only brings together lawyers, health professionals, and students to achieve optimal outcomes for patients and clients, but also focuses on enhancing students' competencies, confidence, and interprofessional collaborative skills through three key initiatives:

a. client interviews – engaging students in client-interview role-plays and actual client interviews to concentrate on developing essential lawyering skills;
b. a well-being program – under the guidance of an in-house psychologist using a coaching and performance psychology framework to foster students' confidence and resilience by providing crucial support for their transition from academic to professional environments; and
c. interprofessional teamwork immersion – providing opportunities for students to observe, reflect, and actively assist lawyers and health professionals in a real-world team environment.

This paper discusses the teaching methods used in an interdisciplinary law clinic to help students improve their competencies, confidence, and interprofessional collaborative skills. It also demonstrates that such an approach better equips students for professional environments, enhances their social justice awareness, and improves their capacity to deal with complex and wicked problems. This innovative methodology offers both professional and personal development opportunities which other law schools seeking to improve educational outcomes could easily replicate.