D4J Live Legal Clinics Kicks Off in Four Law Schools

October 2017 – Following the success of Live Criminal Law Clinics at the University of Peja “Haxhi Zeka” and the University of Prizren “Ukshin Hoti”, the Demand for Justice Program (D4J) rolled out the second phase of the Live Legal Clinic. This time D4J Live Legal Clinics are also introduced at the University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina” and University of Mitrovica “Isa Boletini” as well.

D4J and Kosovo Bar Association (KBA) signed Memoranda of Understanding with Law Faculty of the University of Prishtina, University of Mitrovica, University of Prizren and University of Peja to establish the Live Criminal Law Clinics as a fully sustainable approach directly under the leadership of KBA and Universities.

The expansion of D4J Live Legal Clinics Program aims to improve legal education by providing an opportunity for students to practice lawyering skills such as interviewing, negotiating, legal research, legal writing and presentation, topics previously absent from the curriculum which allowed students to graduate with no or little practical experiences.

As a method of teaching, the Clinics will give students the opportunity to assist KBA advocates in their pro bono representation of indigent and vulnerable criminal defendants. In this way, the creation of clinics and clinical courses in four public universities in Kosovo will help to promote equal access to justice to the disadvantaged groups in society and, at the same time, complement students’ theoretical learning with practical skills as they embark on their legal career paths.