This panel is dedicated to a comprehensive analysis of the 30-year development of the legal clinic movement in Ukraine — from its historical origins and initial methodological developments to the establishment of an extensive network of legal clinics and the identification of prospects for its further development. In 2026, the legal clinic movement in Ukraine will mark the 30th anniversary of its revival, providing an opportunity to reflect on the path taken, the results achieved, and the current role of legal clinics in the legal education system.

The relevance of this panel stems from the fact that legal clinics have gradually established themselves as a stable institution for the practical training of future lawyers, capable of adapting to large-scale societal challenges. The pandemic and full-scale war have demonstrated their ability to simultaneously fulfill educational and social functions: providing practical training for students and offering legal assistance to internally displaced persons, military personnel, veterans, and their families, as well as participating in the documentation of war crimes.

The panel will systematically examine four interrelated dimensions of the legal clinic movement’s development: its origins and institutionalization; the experience of international partners; the current state of the movement and the role of key stakeholders; and future prospects. Participants will discuss the historical background of the movement’s formation, the influence of foreign models, and the experiences of international partners, as well as contemporary innovative approaches used by legal clinics and their contribution to students’ practical training and ensuring access to justice.

The main issues to be discussed during the panel include: the sustainability of legal clinics in times of war and crisis; their role as crisis-response legal centers; the development of partnerships with government and professional institutions; as well as stakeholders’ expectations and visions regarding the future operation of legal clinics and the future employment of student clinicians. Key topics include the strengths and weaknesses of the modern legal clinic movement, opportunities for international cooperation, the use of online and hybrid formats, mentoring, digital tools, and artificial intelligence, as well as the potential of legal clinics as hubs of civic engagement.

The goal of the panel is to develop a shared vision for the future development of legal clinics as independent and mature institutions of practical legal education. The practical outcome should be the identification of specific areas for institutional development, the strengthening of partnerships, the implementation of innovative educational approaches, and the utilization of the practical potential of legal clinics to improve the quality of the legal profession in Ukraine.