We need community lawering to promoting social justice

Community lawyering involves working alongside community members to address their legal needs, advocate for their rights, and create lasting social change. This form of lawyering is important for Bangladesh, because by involving community members in the legal process, it ensures that legal solutions are tailored to their specific needs. It also helps build trust, foster collaboration, and strengthen community resilience.

Community lawyering has roots in various social justice movements and has been practised in different forms around the world. The concept of community lawyering did indeed grow from the ideas of community organising, which was pioneered by Saul Alinsky in the 1930s and 1940s in the US. The main goal of community lawyering is to empower members of a community to address issues and create positive change. It's all about promoting grassroots involvement and giving people the tools and resources they need to advocate for themselves and their communities.

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Community lawyering continues to evolve and be adapted to different contexts globally. In various African countries, community lawyering has been a powerful tool used by Black movements to challenge racial discrimination, fight for civil rights, and promote social justice. Community lawyers have worked alongside activists and community members to provide legal support, representation and advocacy. They have played a crucial role in addressing systemic racism, advocating for policy changes, and empowering marginalised Black communities. Through their collaborative efforts, they have made significant strides in advancing equality, dismantling oppressive systems, and creating positive change. Together, they continue to work towards a more just and inclusive society.

The main goal of community lawyering is to empower members of a community to address issues and create positive change. It's all about promoting grassroots involvement and giving people the tools and resources they need to advocate for themselves and their communities.

As a participant in my law club's Street Law & Community Lawyering Chapter 2 event, I realised how great it would be if a university in Bangladesh offered a facility similar to the Community Lawyering in Education Clinic (CLEC) of UCLA. Such a facility could help address certain issues and work towards having a more equitable education system in Bangladesh.

In a CLEC-like community lawyering centre, students can take on the role of first chair for a select number of cases. They can engage in client interviewing, investigation, counselling, legal research and writing, oral advocacy, and direct and cross-examination. It would be a comprehensive project that provides students with hands-on experience in various aspects of the legal process. Students would also have the opportunity to enhance their research skills, memo-writing skills and oral advocacy skills through extensive memo-writing and client meetings. At the centre, they will not only conduct thorough research, but also effectively communicate their findings to clients, making for a valuable experience that could help students develop essential skills for their future legal careers. Additionally, students who are interested in community education campaigns can design and execute training from well-trained trainers.

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Not only is community lawyering important for students, it could also benefit from the participation of all citizens. Community lawyering unites communities to fight against injustice and inequality. This form of lawyering promotes independence and reduces the risk of vulnerable clients being taken advantage of or betrayed. It empowers marginalised communities, acting as a shield against injustice and inequality. Essentially, community lawyering breaks down the barriers that hinder people's access to justice.

Shrabani Paul is student at the Department of Law of North South University (NSU).

Views expressed in this article are the author's own.

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