Law Clinics

Law Clinics is a practical training model developed for law school students.

Özyeğin University Faculty of Law Law Clinics, which has been operating since 2014, has been a 2-credit elective course since the 2017-2018 academic year.

Through clinic practice, it is aimed that students work to strengthen citizens' remedies and gain the knowledge, skills, and values they will need in their professional lives.Through clinic studies, students are provided with the ability to apply the theoretical knowledge they have learned at the faculty in the real life and to provide free legal information to people who have legal problems.

At the end of the course, students will be able to analyze the functioning of the judicial field, identify the difficulties in access to justice. Adopting the principles of legal ethics, it is aimed for students to be able to prepare written and oral legal opinions, to have knowledge about legal problem solving, and using effective communication techniques.

Law Clinics enable students to identify and contact individuals with special needs in society before they complete their education, and to take responsibility for strengthening their access to justice.

In 2017, at the World Economic Forum, the Global University Leaders Forum (GULF) and the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) shared exemplary campus sustainability case studies of 42 leading universities in the world focusing on sustainable development. Özyeğin University Law Clinics that took part in the report was the only study from Turkey.

Two important protocols have been signed between OzU Law Clinics and Istanbul Bar Association. On November 1, 2017, the cooperation protocol on Legal Clinics was put into practice in order to improve the professional knowledge and skills of our Faculty of Law students and to contribute to the solution of legal problems faced by individuals who have difficulties in accessing justice.As part of the protocol; our students, who have chosen the Law Clinics course, participated in the Istanbul Bar Association Legal Assistance Office services as an observer and followed the legal processes under the supervision of the relevant lawyer.Our students who have the opportunity to participate in the work of the centers, commissions, and boards established within the Istanbul Bar Association, attend meetings such as seminars, symposiums, panels, on-the-job training seminars, cases followed as observers or interveners, publication activities, legislation, judicial decisions, and can be involved in studies that follow current developments.Scientific and professional activities can also be organized within the Clinic Course with the participation and support of Istanbul Bar Association lawyers. With the protocol, our students can gain important experiences for their professional lives before they graduate.

With the protocol signed with the Istanbul Bar Association on 24.09.2018, it is aimed that our Clinic students will be able to follow up Pro Bono (for the benefit of the community) through real cases.The students who will take part in the OzU Pro Bono Law Clinic studies and the volunteer lawyers determined with the support of the Istanbul Bar Association are matched for the real case processes so that the students and volunteer lawyers are able to follow the 'Pro Bono' case files together without any income.With this cooperation, it is aimed to contribute to the formation of professional ethical values as well as the knowledge and skills that students need professionally.

In the OzU Law Clinics, Real Case Clinic, Street Law Clinic, Probono Law Clinic, Mediation Clinic models are applied, and many activities are carried out within the scope of the Law Clinics course.

Real Case Clinic: Students, accompanied by the coordinator of the law clinics, interview the applicants who have legal problems, prepare legal opinions with the support of the lecturers for the solution of the legal problem and share the result with the applicant. Until this time, nearly 50 applicants have been supported within the scope of Clinic studies. Confidentiality and volunteerism are essential in Real Case Clinic work.

Probono Law Clinic: It is the first study where the bar, lawyer, law faculty, law clinics and students will serve for the benefit of the society in cooperation. The main headings of the services are areas such as "Human Rights, Women’s Rights, Children’s Rights, Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Animal Rights, Consumer Rights". In Probono Law Clinic, lawsuits for the benefit of the society are followed in the presence of lawyers in accordance with the cooperation protocol signed with the Istanbul Bar Association.

Street Law Clinic: It is ensured that students transfer legal information by moving away from the technical language of law by using interactive education methods on issues that concern all segments of society, such as human rights, women's rights, children's rights, rights of persons with disabilities, animal rights, consumer rights.

On March 28, 2018, within the scope of the Law Clinic activities, a law workshop activity was organized for high school students at Çevre College with the voluntary participation of 12 students.

Mediation Law Clinic: It is aimed to introduce the mediation practice to the citizens by taking part in the stand set up in the courthouse.

Mediation Law Clinic was implemented in Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse between 15 February - 15 May 2017. In the study, in which 14 students participated, the students took part in the stand set up in the courthouse and provided the introduction of the mediation practice and provided legal support to the citizens who had legal problems in the presence of the Law Clinics Coordinator.

Extracurricular Activities: In terms of extracurricular activities, students who take the course can attend courthouse, prison, etc. and learn about the functioning of judicial institutions.

In each term period, students are provided to go to courthouses in Istanbul and prepare observation reports by watching a hearing.

In accordance with the protocol signed with the Istanbul Bar Association, students listen to dozens of real case applications from their interlocutors at the Istanbul Bar Association Legal Assistance Office and observe the legal solutions that the lawyers on duty bring to the application. During each education period, students are provided to prepare observation reports by keeping watch at the Istanbul Bar Association, Ümraniye Legal Assistance Office.

On 08.11.2017, within the scope of the Law Clinics course, a visit was organized to Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse and students were allowed to participate in the experience sharing meeting with the reconciliation office prosecutors in the courthouse environment.

A visit to Ümraniye T Type Closed Prison was organized on 20.12.2017 with 34 students and 21 students on 21.12.2018.

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CONTACT
Law Clinics Coordinator
Attorney Selmin Cansu Demir
cansu.demir@ozyegin.edu.tr
Telephone No: 0216 564 98 33
Email: hukuk.klinikleri@ozyegin.edu.tr