On October 18-20, 2024, the XXXVI International Legal Clinics Conference titled “New Technologies – Interdisciplinarity – Evaluation in Clinical Education” took place at the Faculty of Law and Administration of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. The event was organized by the Legal Clinic of the Faculty of Law and Administration at AMU. Fifteen academic centers from Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Sweden, Spain, Moldova, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Georgia, and Indonesia actively participated in the conference.
The ceremonial opening of the Conference took place at 4:00 PM on October 18, 2024, in the Aula named after Professor Zbigniew Radwański at the Faculty of Law and Administration of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. The event was chaired by Professor UAM dr hab. Barbara Janusz Pohl, Head of the Legal Clinic at AMU and a member of the Department of Criminal Procedure at AMU. The conference was inaugurated by Professor Maxim Tomoszek, a Member of the Board of the European Network of Clinical Education, who welcomed the speakers and attendees, connecting with participants online. The official inauguration of the event concluded with a speech by the Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration at AMU, Professor dr hab. Tomasz Nieborak, who emphasized the significance of providing pro bono legal assistance by students within clinical activities, addressing the potential perspectives and challenges that the use of artificial intelligence tools might introduce.
Following the formal opening of the conference, the first panel began around 4:30 PM, moderated by Professor Elżbieta Hryniewicz-Lach, supervisor of the Criminal Law Section in the Legal Clinic at AMU and a member of the Department of Criminal Law at AMU. The panel focused on issues related to providing legal assistance in academic centers in Europe and worldwide, evaluating clinical activities, and how to effectively enable student engagement in these endeavors while aligning them with the university curriculum.
The first speaker was Professor Ion Danoi, coordinating the North Legal Clinic in partnership with the Alecu Russo Baltic University, who presented a paper titled “Pro bono Legal Services Provided by Legal Clinics in Moldova.” In his presentation, he introduced participants to the realities and operational aspects of legal clinics in Moldova, outlining the forms of their activity and perspectives for student development. This led to a discussion about the differences and similarities in managing clinical activities across various countries in Europe.
Next, Martyna Kłujsza, a third-year law student at AMU and a member of the Media Team of the Legal Clinic at AMU, delivered a speech titled “Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property Rights: The Issue of Copyright in Algorithm-Generated Content in Light of CJEU Case Law and Countries’ National Regulations.” The central theme of her presentation was the issue of attributing copyright to content generated by artificial intelligence. The analysis was based on CJEU case law regarding the definition of a “work,” as well as extralegal considerations regarding the “creative” actions and decision-making processes of AI. Following her presentation, a lively discussion ensued regarding the practical application of AI within clinical activities and the associated potential challenges and threats.
After the presentation, a short break took place, allowing the speakers to exchange valuable thoughts and personal impressions regarding the talks they had heard.
After the brief intermission, Kinga Kania-Królak, President of the Board of the Academia Iuris Foundation named after Maciej Bednarkiewicz, a non-governmental organization providing pro bono assistance in Warsaw, presented her speech. The presentation focused on the issue of conducting clinical activities by non-governmental organizations, highlighting the similarities between such activities and the functioning of student legal clinics. Both forms of activity share a common goal: providing legal assistance to those who need it most.
The next presentation addressed the issue of animal rights protection as a potential area of activity for student legal clinics. The paper was delivered by Dr. Julia Berg-Bajraszewska from the University of Warsaw, who presented the perspectives, opportunities, and potential challenges of engaging in such activities, considering the legal status of animals under currently applicable law in Poland. The presentation concluded with a fruitful exchange of views, comparing the solutions adopted in this area in Poland, France, and Spain.
Next, lawyer Dr. Łukasz Stępkowski from Opole University took the floor, beginning his speech titled “On the Need to Amend Article 87 of the Civil Procedure Code and Article 117 § 5 of the Civil Procedure Code Regarding the Establishment of a University Legal Clinic to Represent a Party ex officio in Civil Proceedings.” In his presentation, the practitioner emphasized the importance of increasing access to legal assistance in procedural matters, highlighting the need to amend the regulations to allow university legal clinics to act as procedural representatives. Such a solution would enable real representation for those in need of legal support who lack the means for professional legal services. This presentation concluded the first panel of the conference.
The last panel of Friday’s Conference was opened by doctoral student at WPiA UAM, Michał Wawrzyńczak, whose central theme was moot court competitions as a practical model for educating students.
The discussion began with Kamila Morawiec, a third-year law student at WPiA UAM and the Press Spokesperson for the Legal Clinic at WPiA UAM, who presented a paper titled “The Impact of Moot Court Competitions on Law Students’ Rhetorical Skills.” The speaker shared her knowledge and experience regarding moot court competitions, referencing her personal impressions from participating in CEEMC Prague 2024, where she and her team had the opportunity to represent the University on an international scale. She also addressed the need for law students to develop rhetorical skills, which are crucial in legal practice.
The next speaker was Dominika Moravcová, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Trnava, who delivered a presentation on the impact of moot courts on the development of future generations of legal practitioners. In her presentation, she emphasized that participation in such court simulations allows students to acquire practical skills that will be invaluable in their future professional careers. The speaker also noted that moot court competitions not only develop legal skills but also teach teamwork and strategic thinking.
The first day of the conference concluded with a presentation by Adrian Kaczmarek, a doctoral student at the Faculty of Law and Administration at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and the Coordinator for Organizational Affairs at the UAM Legal Clinic. He shared his experiences related to coordinating teams in moot court projects conducted within the International Law Section of the WPiA UAM Legal Clinic. The speaker discussed the challenges and benefits of leading student teams and how collaboration and planning help effectively prepare teams for competition in simulated trials.
The second day of the conference was opened by Dr. Paweł Klimek, who delivered a paper titled “New Technologies and Evaluation in the Experience of the Dean’s Representative.” The speaker addressed the dialogue between the supervisor assessing a student’s work within the Legal Clinic and the author of the evaluated work. He drew on his experience from handling a case related to tax law, specifically gift tax. He indicated that the best way to avoid mistakes is to maintain an open mind and utilize available tools, including new technologies.
Professor Pilar Lopez de in Club de la Os. Escribano, in her speech titled “Evaluating Clinical Education: Social Goal Achieved?” discussed the development of legal clinics over recent years and the challenges that today’s law clinics face, such as working with individuals at risk of social exclusion. She also talked about new, innovative teaching methods through clinical education, projects focusing on assisting a broad audience, and the principles by which students participate in the life and community of the legal clinic.
Hanna Plotnikova from the European Humanities University presented a paper titled “The Interdisciplinary Business and Legal Clinic Incorporation and Realization in the Educational Process.” She spoke about the history of the clinic, which began in Minsk, Belarus, and now operates in Vilnius—currently, it is the only Belarusian university promoting democratic values. She addressed the problems entrepreneurs faced as a result of political changes in Belarus and how the Legal Clinic offered them assistance. She also highlighted the clinic’s goals: preserving its history and heritage and fostering collaboration between legal branches at the European Humanities University. The clinic deals with a wide range of issues, including assistance in registering businesses, financial analysis, and helping immigrants. Its mission is to continue its activities and engage students in collaboration.
Maciej Czerwiński from Lazarski University delivered a paper titled “Bridging Borders for Social Justice and Human Rights: Unique Collaboration of the Student Legal Clinic at Lazarski University in Warsaw, Poland with the Women’s Law Clinic at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.” He discussed how his initial interest in clinical activities arose and the creation of an agreement between Lazarski University and the Women’s Law Clinic at the University of Ibadan. These institutions collaborated on projects concerning human rights and corruption. He also described the meetings organized between the mentioned universities focusing on social justice.
After the presentations in the panel, a roundtable discussion took place regarding the operations of law clinics, engaging students in the clinic’s activities, and collaboration between clinics. The discussion also addressed the challenges faced by members and supervisors of law clinics. Conversations revolved around training, courses, and events organized as part of clinical activities.
Professor Marta Albert spoke about the operation of the Spanish Legal Clinic at Rey Juan Carlos University in her presentation titled “Evaluation in Legal Clinic Education.” She highlighted the goals the clinic aims to achieve in the near future. She discussed the tools used in clinical education and the benefits that students can derive from their involvement in the clinic, such as acquiring essential skills for practicing law.
Professor Elena C. Diaz Galan, also from Rey Juan Carlos University, focused on the clinic’s online operations in her presentation titled “Activities of the Jean Monet Chair and Clinical Education.” She discussed information available to potential clients and collaboration with other organizations and universities, including those in Madrid and Valencia. She also mentioned the internal development of the clinic through training courses, seminars, meetings, and practical work.
Kristijan Panev, a doctoral student at Goce Delcev University, presented a paper titled “Clinical Legal Education and Free Legal Aid: The Macedonian Perspective,” outlining the principles governing law clinics in Macedonia. He emphasized the connection that must exist between the practical skills possessed by law students and the real needs of clients to create a harmonious organization beneficial for both parties. The Macedonian Clinic also boasted a significant number of cases and clients who received assistance across a wide range of legal areas.
The next speakers were Professor Joanna Kuźnicka Sulipowska and Dr. Monika Trela from the University of Wrocław. Their paper was titled “Example Problems in Communication with Clients of University Legal Clinics – A Legal and Psychological Analysis with Suggestions for Approaching the Discussed Situations.” The presenters discussed the operational conditions of the Wrocław legal clinic and the real problems its members face in their work, such as clients’ lack of trust in the clinic’s activities or students’ lack of engagement due to the free nature of legal advice. The presenters also offered recommendations on what steps law students and clinic supervisors should take to communicate effectively with clients and avoid potentially dangerous situations.
The paper titled “Potential Threats of AI Usage in Clinical Legal Education: Examining Data Privacy and Intellectual Property Law” was presented by Monika Stanisławska, a student at WPiA UAM and coordinator of the Media Team of the WPiA UAM Legal Clinic. She addressed the topic of client data protection during potential use of artificial intelligence models in the activities of law clinics, as well as copyright ownership of works created by artificial intelligence and the differences between a “work” and a “product” under copyright law. She also highlighted the potential threats that clinic members would face when using artificial intelligence models.
Next, Dr. Bertot Triana Harold from Rey Juan Carlos University delivered a paper titled “Transforming Clinical Legal Education: Combining Clinical Practice, Digital Learning, and Modern Needs of Society.” He discussed the right to education in conjunction with the use of artificial intelligence in clinical education. He considered how access to artificial intelligence should be regulated concerning the processing of sensitive data by students working in law clinics. He emphasized the necessity of controlling these tools and ensuring transparency in their operation.
The next paper, titled “Transforming Clinical Legal Education: Combining Clinical Practice, Digital Learning, and Modern Needs of Society,” was presented by Yullya Khalsik, an assistant professor at Jönköping University. She discussed how law clinics operate in Australia and the types of cases they handle. She also spoke about what positively influences students’ willingness to engage in clinics, using the example of the Swedish Law Clinic, as well as the challenges that clinics face.
Peter Gee and Ewelina Gee-Milan from Lazarski University delivered a speech titled “Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT as a Tool for Assessment and Critical Thinking in Clinical Education.” They discussed the importance of critical thinking skills in the age of AI development, particularly concerning law students volunteering in legal clinics. They outlined the process a student undertakes when preparing a legal opinion using ChatGPT. When entering commands into such an artificial intelligence model, special attention and caution must be exercised, and the provided responses should be verified.
Dr. Gerkin Berisha from the University of Prishtina then presented a paper titled “Can AI Transform Legal Clinics by Streamlining Case Analysis and Improving Access to Justice?” The speaker discussed the results of a survey conducted on the potential challenges and benefits of using AI in legal practice. He also examined the opinions of law clinic members regarding AI and how this tool might be utilized in the future. Topics discussed included ethical concerns about the use of AI, competition among professional firms specializing in legal assistance, and cybersecurity threats.
The final speech of the second day of the conference, focusing on the prospects of using AI in clinical education, was delivered by Dr. Katarzyna Syroka-Marczewska from the University of Warsaw. She talked about the history of artificial intelligence and the provisions of the AI Act, which came into effect in July of this year, along with the potential impact of the regulations. She also indicated how artificial intelligence could be used in clinical education as a helpful tool for students. Potential best practices for using AI in student legal clinics and in future legal careers were highlighted. Additionally, the risks associated with providing sensitive data to legal clinics, which could later be fed into artificial intelligence models, were discussed.
The third day of the Conference began with a panel on data protection in university Legal Clinics, moderated by Ms. Katarzyna Paździorko. The first presentation was given by Dr. Ewa Pietrzak from SWPS University. Titled “Collection and Processing of Personal Data of Clients of Student Legal Clinics,” her speech addressed the legal regulations concerning personal data protection and the principles of their processing, as well as how these regulations impact the operations of Law Clinics and the obligations they impose on students.
This issue was also discussed by Dr. Aleksandra Klich from the University of Szczecin in her presentation titled “Data Protection in Law Clinics – Legal Issues.” She also covered the challenges and risks that arise from the collaboration between students and clients of Law Clinics in the context of personal data processing. Additionally, she proposed solutions that would allow student legal clinics to more effectively protect the personal data of those seeking their assistance, while also addressing the ethical aspects of data processing in clinics.
After discussing the topics raised during the first panel, Dr. Ketevan from Alte University in Georgia took the floor. Her presentation, titled “Emotional Intelligence in Clinical Legal Education,” explored not only the essential skill of empathetic communication with clients for lawyers but also the teacher-student relationship, in which emotional intelligence plays a key role. The benefits of developing interpersonal skills among future lawyers were also highlighted.
Next, Mr. Dawid Szulc from UAM delivered a speech titled “The Role of Law Clinics in the Propedeutics of Legal Education.” He pointed out the possibility of conducting classes in high schools as part of students’ participation in student legal clinics, where students could become familiar with the basics of legal studies. The presentation also addressed the challenges of collaboration between students and schools in light of new legal regulations.
The conference concluded with a presentation by Weronika Miara and Jan Ostrowski, who discussed the issues related to the use of chatbots by Law Clinics and the potential consequences of their use. They pointed out the advantages of utilizing AI technology in the context of student legal clinics, such as improved access to information and proposed solutions to legal problems, as well as clients’ 24/7 access to the chatbot. However, they also noted the risks, such as the lack of a personalized approach from AI to clients.
The conference was closed by Prof. Barbara Janusz-Pohl, who summarized the last three days of meetings in her speech. Speakers and participants of the conference unanimously emphasized that clinical education represents an invaluable platform for practical legal learning and is crucial in the process of providing legal assistance to individuals with limited access to professional support. At the same time, much attention was devoted to the role of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, which can both support the activities of law clinics and present new challenges. The importance of developing interdisciplinary methods and modern teaching tools was also underscored. The XXXVI International Conference of Legal Clinics titled “New Technologies – Interdisciplinarity – Evaluation in Clinical Education” created a unique platform for exchanging experiences and perspectives among academics, legal practitioners, and students from around the world.