Preparing law graduates for rural and regional practice: A new curriculum-based approach

Abstract

This paper documents the development of a curriculum-based approach to prepare law graduates for employment in rural and regional areas in Australia. The project was prompted by survey data which indicates that there are widespread difficulties in attracting lawyers to rural and regional areas. Further literature research and assessment of current practice revealed that employment as a lawyer in a rural or regional context is characterised by distinct challenges and opportunities; however, the tertiary curriculum does little to prepare students for practice in these areas, despite being well positioned to do so. This led to the creation of a publicly accessible and fully customisable curriculum package, which seeks to sensitise students to the realities of rural and regional legal practice, and prepare them for such career pathways.