Building International Collaboration through a Disability Law Clinic : Experiences from Renmin University disability Law Clinic

Legal clinical education emerged in China in 2000 with the support of the Ford Foundation. The Committee of Chinese Clinical Legal Education (CCCLE) composed seven universities instituted legal clinics was founded as a national organization for legal clinical educators in China to promote the growth and development of clinical legal education. Renmin University is one of the founding seven law schools in China to incorporate legal clinic education and has been involved and played a leading role in the creation and development of legal clinic education. In 2006, Renmin Law School became the Chinese partner of the Harvard Law School Project on Disability (HPOD), and with the collaboration of the HPOD, Renmin Law School established a Center for Persons with Disabilities Law and Legal Service-China’s first public service organization that researches disability law and provides legal services specially for persons with disabilities. The Disability Law Clinic at Renmin Law School is designed to be one part of the curriculum of Comparative Law Program at the graduate level. The Renmin University Disability Law Clinic’s activities are diversified, as they include not only client representation but also the drafting of innovative legislation and policies. The main clinical activities are (1) Assisting and participating in training sessions sponsored by the HPOD at Renmin Law School (2) Developing advocacy skills and offering skills training for special groups (3) Working with government authorities to improve disability laws (4) Sponsoring regular roundtable discussions and international symposiums of issues relating to disabilities (5) Working with NGOs on a regular basis and providing legal services for them Through these activities, the Renmin Disability Law Clinic has gained various results and also establishes a platform to strengthen international communication and collaboration between Renmin University Law School and Harvard Law School. The clinic also advances the goals of training law students to master the domestic and international rules in the area of disability law, international communication skills, and advocacy skills for persons with disabilities. At the same time, the Renmin Disability Law Clinic - like other clinical programs in China - is also facing significant barriers and challenges. First, Renmin Disability Law Clinic seeks to provide diversified consulting services, but it is unable to representing clients in any litigation. Second challenge is how to integrate clinical courses with traditional curriculum. Third challenge is finding ways to interact with the international community and expand the influence of clinical work. For these things, Renmin Disability Law Clinic is looking forward to another international collaboration.