This exciting international seminar focuses on law and social justice and will explore ways in which lawyers can contribute to social inclusion and the realisation of human rights through their engagement with local communities and socially excluded groups. There will be an examination of the different international models of achieving equitable access to justice, with a strong focus on the delivery of legal services at the grass-roots level and the celebration of civil society. The seminar will look at how justice activism projects seek to bring lawyers and communities closer for collective benefit, and at the role of civil society in facilitating and encouraging young lawyers to play active roles in the community.

The main topics will include:

• 'Pro bono' practice and representing minority and socially excluded groups
• The development of legal practice course curricula to include 'pro bono' principles in the education and training of young lawyers
• The work of law centres, citizens advice bureaux and university law clinics
• Comparative models of mediation and the value of traditional non-formal law systems
• Civil society and justice activism projects  
• Managing on-line legal information and advisory services

The seminar will offer participants the opportunity to share with one another information, knowledge and experience from their own countries. The format of the seminar will include presentations followed by small-group work, and there will be opportunities for participants to facilitate discussion. The seminar structure is highly interactive and should foster the exchange of practice and experience between participants and contributors.

During the seminar there will be a number of site visits to see local organisations working in this field in action.

Who should attend this seminar
This seminar is aimed at lawyers or mediators working in the community, staff working in legal advice centres, lawyers attached to NGOs and those working to achieve justice for women or minority or socially excluded groups. The seminar will also be of interest to legal policy makers, district judges and magistrates, legal education and training providers and lawyers' professional associations.

This seminar explores ways in which lawyers can contribute to social inclusion and the realisation of human rights by engagement with local communities and socially excluded groups through the examination of different models of achieving equitable access from other countries.