Welcome to Street Law at Swansea University!
Street Law is a free legal education programme delivered to schools and community groups. It empowers people by informing them about the law, legal systems and human rights through the delivery of fun and interactive sessions.
Street Law Inc. was originally founded in 1972 at Georgetown University by a group of four students, a lecturer and a policeman. Street Law emerged in the UK when the University of Derby set up a pilot scheme in 2000.
The Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law launched Street Law as a module in 2017 and after a two-year break due to the Covid 19 pandemic, Street Law returned as a voluntary project within the Swansea Law Clinic in 2022-23. Read the Street Law Autumn Update 2022.
Student Benefits
Students are supported to conduct legal research on community legal need. They also develop and deliver accessible sessions on human rights-related legal topics.
Student benefits:
- Skills and confidence in communicating complex areas of law in ways which are accessible
- Understanding why law is sometime perceived negatively & about barriers to access to justice
- Develop strategies to challenge negative perceptions of the law and human rights
- Practise and improve interpersonal skills, lawyering skills and service delivery abilities
Societal Benefits
Street Law provides a pro bono legal service to the local community, and makes a positive impact on the lives of clients and communities.
Societal benefits:
- Knowledge of the topic and of law, legal systems and access to justice
- Better informed citizens, which can lead to more active roles in the democratic process
- Understanding of Swansea University, legal education and how to access it
