Law beyond the glass skyscrapers: Encouraging law students to embrace regional life and practice

The shortage of law graduates outside the city raises adverse implications for access to justice for Australian regional, rural and remote (RRR), and Aboriginal communities. This article discusses an extracurricular educational initiative implemented at the University of Adelaide Law School in 2021 and 2022 geared towards contributing to a solution for this problem. The initiative consisted of a series of immersion and exposure trips throughout regional South Australia for law students with interest in pursuing regional employment. This article discusses the initiative, the pedagogical rationale as well as the impact of the program, providing a blueprint for other universities considering similar initiatives.

Automated summary

The shortage of law graduates has negative implications for access to justice in regional, rural, remote, and Aboriginal communities in Australia. This article discusses an extracurricular educational initiative implemented at the University of Adelaide Law School in 2021 and 2022, which aimed to address this problem. The initiative involved immersion and exposure trips in regional South Australia for law students interested in pursuing regional employment. The article discusses the initiative's rationale, impact, and provides a blueprint for other universities considering similar initiatives.