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This course will provide learning and teaching on key legal practice areas in which regional and rural legal practice is different to metropolitan legal practice. The typical law school curriculum does not actively deal with preparing graduates for employment within regional and rural community contexts. Currently, throughout Australia, there are recruitment and retention problems facing the rural and regional legal profession. At present, it is evident that there is a role for law schools, particularly regional and rural law schools, to use their curriculum more effectively to prepare students for employment as legal professionals in rural and regional contexts. This course provides a curriculum in which the theoretical components of the legal education curriculum can be utilised to ‘sensitise’ law students to the realities of rural and regional legal practice, better equipping them to serve these communities in the long term.

The practice of law in small rural settings is apt to be significantly different from the practice of law in large urban contexts. One of the variables is that it includes a unique client mix that is person-intensive; practice style is likely to be more entrepreneurial; and there is an emphasis of individual clients within a small intimate setting that would lead to a higher level of accountability. Within this context, the course will focus on introducing students to the institutions that are important for regional and rural legal practice; the diversity of legal practice and the need for innovative and entrepreneurial business models that may promote sustainable regional legal practice. Regional legal practice also involves particular ethical dilemmas for lawyers, as well as the need for adapted skills and sensitivities for the regional context. This course provides content on these aspects. The School of Law and Justice is situated amongst many regional law firms and community legal organisation, some of whom will be invited to speak directly to students on access to law and justice within the regional context.

On successful completion of this course students should be able to:

1. demonstrate knowledge on the links between rural context and the importance of professional service and community engagement;
2. demonstrate knowledge and skills needed to maximize some of the unique opportunities and challenges faced in regional legal practice, including strategic management knowledge, entrepreneurship, and the innovative use of information technology;
3. demonstrate knowledge on the substantive areas of law and professional skills that have particular relevance to regional legal practice;
4. identify and address ethical issues that may be distinctive to regional legal practice;
5. demonstrate knowledge and self-awareness in terms of the individual and personal traits that can influence sustainable regional legal practice;
6. demonstrate knowledge of resources and pathways to strategically develop a regional legal career.