Overview

This commemorative volume marks the 50th anniversary of the ongoing Monash Law Clinical Program, a pioneering initiative in clinical legal education undertaken by the Faculty of Law at Monash University. What began in 1975 as a modest effort to train the next generation of lawyers and provide free legal advice to the local community has evolved into a globally recognised program that – through work by Faculty staff, students and our partners – delivers critical legal services to society’s most vulnerable and contributes to legal reform on the international stage. This book provides a rich collection of alumni reflections, from the 1970s through to today. Alumni recount how their experiences in the clinical program shaped their professional journeys and personal values. Supporters and collaborators also share their enduring commitment to the program and the reasons they continue to invest in its future. 50 Years / 50 Voices is both a tribute to the program’s remarkable legacy and a testament to its ongoing impact on legal education, access to justice and the broader legal landscape.

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9781923451070

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Emeritus Professor Adrian Evans has over 40 years of experience as a clinical educator, solicitor and researcher at La Trobe and Monash universities. As coordinator of the then Springvale Legal Service Inc. from 1988 to 2000 – then Australia’s largest clinical legal site – he helped to embed the structural analysis of injustice into student learning, within the Monash clinical program. Adrian has taught legal systems, legal ethics and clinical case supervision, and published widely on strengthening lawyers’ values, ethical best practice, and the role of legal education in achieving social justice. Melissa Fletcher is the Senior Manager, Partnerships and Clinics at Monash University’s Faculty of Law. She has been instrumental in expanding the clinical legal education program, creating opportunities for students to engage in client-facing legal work, collaborating with in-house teams, and contributing to legal reform both locally and internationally. Melissa also leads strategic partnerships and secures funding to support the program’s growth and sustainability. With a background in business development, service design and consumer behaviour, Melissa brings a unique perspective to legal education – one that centres on student experience, innovation and community impact. Associate Professor Ross Hyams is a long-standing contributor to clinical legal education in Australia, with more than 35 years of experience as a practising solicitor (since 1987) and educator at Monash University (since 1990). He has played a central role in shaping work-integrated learning in legal education, coordinating the Monash-Oakleigh Legal Service from 1990 to 2000 and directing the Springvale Monash Legal Service from 2001 to 2005. As Director of Work Integrated Learning in the Faculty of Law, Ross has guided generations of students through real-world legal practice. His contributions to the profession and the community were recognised with the Law Institute of Victoria’s inaugural Community Lawyers’ Award in 2004.

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