Understanding the Scope of Business Law Clinics: Perspectives from the United Kingdom, Israel and the United States

The impetus for the emergence of business law clinics across jurisdictions is remarkably similar: commercially orientated education and development of students combined with a reconceptualised social justice agenda which embraces entrepreneurial activity in all forms. Business law clinics face the challenge of balancing the interests of students and clients,of service provision versus learning environment, within a distinctly entrepreneurial environment. To achieve this, we must enter into a dialogue and embrace a common mission. This article addresses the gap in the literature with a comparative analysis of the Business and Commercial Law Clinic at Northumbria Law School, England; The Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya Legal Clinic for Start-Ups at Radzyner Law School, Israel; and BrooklynLaw Incubator & Policy Clinic at Brooklyn Law School, United States. We posit that business law clinics should be valued for their rich educational experience, the important assistance they provide and the wider benefits they bestow on teaching institutions.