| Abstract [eng] |
Clinical legal education originated in United States of America as a balance for Langdell and Socratic methods. Though first steps were taken in the begging of the 20th century, it took nearly 50 years to gain its recognition. The main reason was the uncertain content of this education method. However, emerging in various parts of USA in different ways, it has reached a quality in content and in outcome. Clinical legal education consists of number of factors, therefore it is essential to modify clinics taking in account all of them. The factors include: the content of education, the structure of clinic, the personnel, the financial aid and attitude in society (both law school and outside), traditions and others. It should be stated that actualization of these factors is a guarantee to qualified integration of clinical legal education to legal studies programs. During the Third wave of clinical education, the method spread to the other countries and created a worldwide family of legal clinics. Regrettably, not every country managed to adopt clinical education to their legal education systems. Firstly, because educators were inflexible with the systems, they tried to implement their way of education. Secondly, number of circumstances: political, cultural, social, ethnical – were too influential to confront. Though in Lithuania clinical legal education method was adopted only in 1998, it was successfully integrated with support from Open Society Institute and clinicians from the USA. It surely needs further adjustments, but at the moment it is a satisfactory example. Seeking the quality of gained education as well as insurance of free legal aid, clinical legal education should seek for a closer cooperation with law schools and develop clinical traditions. |
