About the Law Clinic (LAWC 203)
Vision
Enhancing knowledge, skills, and values for a new generation of law students.
Mission
Establishing a program of clinical and experiential legal education that is designed to enrich the educational process through practical knowledge of the law and improved skills in analyzing, applying, and interpreting the law. Under the supervision of pro bono practicing attorneys, students perform the work of a lawyer. As a result, students provide effective, adequate, accessible, affordable, and sustainable legal aid to vulnerable populations in Qatar.
History of the Law Clinic
The Clinical Legal Education Program was started at Qatar University College of Law in the Spring semester of 2012 as a “Special Topics" course. In collaboration with the American Bar Association, the first year of the Law Clinic focused on domestic violence. Students were asked to conduct a Street Law initiative raising awareness about the risks of domestic violence. Additionally, students drafted a model law on domestic violence.
Over the next couple of years, Law Clinic addressed rights of domestic workers. Students worked to ensure compliance with the international standards embodied in ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers. The Law Clinic focused on practical skills of legislative drafting and client interview especially in the area of human rights. During this period, the Law Clinic worked closely with The Protection Project at The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
In subsequent years, the Law Clinic also signed an MOU with Qatar Foundation to combat human trafficking. Students were trained to provide legal services to victims of trafficking in accordance with Qatar Law No. 15 of 2011 regarding Combating Human Trafficking.
In 2013, QU College of Law proudly organized the second Regional Conference on Clinical Legal Education in Countries of the Middle East. During 2013 and 2014, QU also organized the Gulf Cooperation Council Meetings on Law Clinics on two occasions: first, with the law clinics of Kuwait University and Sultan Qaboos University; and second in cooperation with The Protection Project at SAIS.
Our Focus
The Law Clinic is particularly open for foreign and migrant workers. They present their cases to the Clinic in disputes that cover unpaid salaries, and end-of-employment compensation, and other employer-employee relationship disputes. The Law Clinic also receives cases in other areas of the law, including family law and criminal law. The Law Clinic works closely with representatives of the Ministry of Labor, as well as pro bono lawyers.
Our Activities
- Providing legal aid to the vulnerable groups in Qatari society through legal representation.
- Carrying out legal projects in legislative drafting and legal reform.
- Raising awareness about legal rights through a street law program.
- Reporting on human rights violations through fact-finding missions and monitoring mechanisms.
- Incorporating experiential legal studies in educational curricula in the different branches of law.
- Establishing partnerships and engaging national, regional, and international stakeholders.
- Releasing a series of publications to support the work of the law clinic and contribute to experiential legal scholarship.