The National Justice Project’s partnership with Monash Law Clinics began in 2020, during COVID lockdowns, and we have just celebrated the 100th student completing a clinic. These inspiring students have been engaged in practical legal work, including working directly on our strategic cases providing essential research and assistance for our solicitors and barristers and clients across all our matters.
Led by National Justice Project Chair Steven Castan, the clinic students have also provided vital research into new areas of law that will change the lives of our clients in the future and assist us in our mission to eradicate systemic discrimination and make Australia a fairer and more equitable nation.
“Students have had their eyes and ears opened to legal and social issues facing First Nations peoples in Australia such as structural and institutional racism, health bias and our nation’s disgraceful high incarceration rates,” he said.
Many of the students have stated that working in the National Justice Project clinical program has been a transformative experience.
“The twelve weeks I have spent with the National Justice Project have been the most formative and practically significant weeks of my degree. I began as a student focussed on a ‘black-and-white’ application of the law, yet I emerge ready for a social justice legal career. I now understand the role of strategic litigation as a tool to achieve large-scale justice, how to think creatively to develop innovative law reform solutions, and how crucial preparation is for the future success of a case.”
Ashton Sly, Monash Clinic student
“We look forward to continuing our partnership with Monash Clinics and training up the next generation of social justice advocates with the skills and experience they need to pursue human rights throughout their careers,” Mr Castan said.
