Perceptions of the Impact of clinical legal education on employability

The employability imperative in legal education is part of the more general landscape in the UK where Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are placing increasing emphasis on the employability agenda and the “skills” that can be transferred from degree-level study into the workplace. Certainly, current political and business discourse has very firmly positioned the responsibility for employability with HEIs. They place great emphasis on “employability” though make no attempt to describe what that might be or how it can be achieved. This paper outlines findings from a qualitative study into perceptions of the role clinical education plays in influencing employability. The context of this research is focused on law students operating within a Law Clinic where we consider how clinic is perceived by employers, alumni, staff and students and whether students are clearly articulating the opportunities and perhaps limitations of clinic when applying for graduate employment.