2021 CLEAA Conference: Essential Reflection Skills – the What, Why and How
A spotlight on Session #1 of CLEAA’s upcoming annual conference Friday 15 Oct, 9am-4.30pm AEDT.
CLEAA’s annual conference provides a forum for learning specialists and teachers in the legal sector to explore ideas, exchange information, and showcase current thinking.
Who should attend? Legal Learning & Development Specialists, Legal Educators and Researchers, Professional Development program designers; Coaches, Trainers and Private course providers.
You can find more information about the online conference here 
Session 1: Essential Reflection Skills – The What, Why and How.
Research shows that experience alone does not produce competence or expertise and that instruction, guidance and reflection are essential to learning. This session will introduce you to the “what, why and how” of reflective learning, enquiry and practice. It will also dispel key myths about reflective learning and give you an insight into how it can benefit your organisation.
You will hear from experts from the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia involved in research and curriculum development in law schools about how to develop, support and encourage reflective practice in the workplace. They’ll also explain how to meet the challenges of maintaining reflective practices.
And you will get tips on what you can do to help foster reflection in the workplace and why it is important for the development of legal expertise and a healthy organisational culture.
Session Objectives
- Identify the real challenges to education engagement and information retention.
- Highlight how education technology is developing.
- Tips for pitching for buy-in, from funders and attendees.
Session Format: 50-minute Panel Discussion. This session will be recorded.
Speakers:
Jane Ching
Professor of Professional Legal Education, Nottingham Law School
Jane is a qualified solicitor and the Professor of Professional Legal Education at Nottingham Law School, working with colleagues in the Centre for Legal Education, of which she is the director. In 2019, she received the NTU Vice Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Academic Practice in recognition of her work. She supervises and examines LLM, PhD, EdD and D Legal Practice students working on projects in legal and professional education. She is also a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy; was a Visiting Professor at the University of Limoges; and a member of the International Advisory Board of the International Journal of the Legal Profession. She is currently a member of the Education and Membership Committee of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators; the Education and Training Committee of the Nottinghamshire Law Society and the steering group of the Legal Education Research network.
Michele Leering
PhD Candidate & Executive Director/Lawyer, Community Advocacy & Legal Centre
Michele Leering, BA, JD, M. Adult Ed. is a doctoral candidate in the Faculty of Law at Queen’s University in Ontario. As a lawyer and the long-time Executive Director (ED) of a non-profit community-based legal clinic she oversees staff, and articling, summer and interning law students, and healthcare students. Reflective practice is a core competency for the clinic’s staff. She has interviewed more than 50 legal educators who are thought leaders in the area of reflective practice in Canada and Australia. She has also reviewed developments in the US, UK and all the professions. She has presented internationally on her findings, offers reflective practice seminars, and has published peer-reviewed articles. She was the instigator and a contributor to the Canadian Bar Association’s guide to experiential learning for law students. She was recently awarded the Order of Canada for her work on access to justice.
Rachel Spencer
Associate Professor of Law and Director of Monash University’s Law Clinics
Rachel Spencer is an Associate Professor of Law at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. She is also the Director of Monash Law Clinics, a community legal service that provides free legal advice to disadvantaged members of the community and an experiential education experience for law students. Rachel’s diverse career has spanned over three decades and has included private practice, in-house practice, the community legal sector and legal education. Rachel has taught hundreds of law students across three universities and has published widely, most recently in the areas of legal ethics, the ethics of true-crime writing, access to justice, law and popular culture, legal education, and reflective practice. She has a doctorate in creative writing (combining the disciplinary literacies of narrative storytelling, true crime methodologies and law). Her current research is in the importance and diversity of story-telling in legal practice. Rachel is a regular speaker at legal conferences and seminars on topics ranging from interview skills, cultural competency and working with interpreters, to well-being in legal practice and a variety of other topics.
Heather Hibberd (Chair)
Chief Risk Manager, LPLC (Legal Practitioners’ Liability Committee)
Prior to joining the LPLC Heather practiced as a solicitor for 8 years in Insurance Litigation specialising in professional indemnity litigation, in particular acting for the LPLC in defending claims against lawyers. As a risk manager Heather leads a small team that focuses on educating lawyers and law firms about how to avoid professional indemnity claims and improve the practice of law. She has written many publications on a wide range of risk management topics for lawyers and has spoken at many forums for lawyers across Australia and internationally, giving practitioners insights into where and why lawyers make mistakes that lead to claims as well as practical tips on how to avoid falling into the same traps. She is soon to launch a new podcast series focusing on cultural issues in legal practice that affect risk. Heather has also contributed to the International Bar Association’s book, Risk Management in Law Firms, Strategies for Safeguarding the Future.
Registration
Registration for CLEAA members is AUD $129.
Registration for members of the Australasian Legal Practice Management Association (ALPMA), members of the Australasian Professional Legal Education Council (APLEC) or members of HR Minds is AUD $219. Contact your secretariat for the discount code.
Standard Registration is AUD $249.
CLEAA Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the field of continuous legal education. Membership is $90 per annum and you can >> subscribe here
