Law school staff and students showcased research from the University of Bristol Law School on how law shapes health and everyday life, as well as the vital work our Law Clinic contributes by providing free advice to support members of our local community.
The CHLS exhibit ‘Health, Law, and Society: Stories from Bristol to the World’, presented four research stories exploring the relationships between law, health, and social justice, drawing on the work of some CHLS members. Covering organ donation, homelessness, mental health, and tobacco control, the exhibit invited visitors to consider how law influences our lives in ways we may not always recognise, for better, or for worse. At the heart of the exhibit was a provocative question: how does law contribute to ill health and social injustice, and how might it also be part of the solution?
Professor John Coggon and Dr Bonnie Venter, Co-Directors of CHLS, together with PhD researcher Patty Miranda (pictured here), presented their research as part of the exhibit and spent the day speaking with visitors. Their conversations highlighted the value of bringing legal research into public spaces, where people can engage with the questions and contribute their own perspectives.
The University of Bristol Law Clinic also had a well-attended stand in the Great Hall to highlight the wide range of Law Clinic work, which was staffed by clinic staff and students throughout the day. Clinic representatives also ran a number of sessions during the day for visitors to the event, to explain the work of the law clinic and the role of the law clinic student. Visitors were invited to reflect on what the role of a law clinic student entails and the opportunities and challenges it presents for students to gain real world experience of law to complement their academic study. Law Clinic members gain an invaluable insight into how the practice of law can impact on people’s lives and this enhances their legal knowledge and skills.
About the Law Clinic
The award-winning Law Clinic offers free legal advice to members of the public. Students work with qualified solicitors to help clients with a range of legal issues. The clinic can assist in areas such as housing, employment, and welfare benefits.
In addition to the law clinic office in central Bristol, students have the chance to work with partners across the city, helping more people access legal help. The clinic also accept referrals from local charities and organisations.
To find out more about the Law Clinic and the important work it does, please visit the website here.
About the Centre for Health, Law, and Society
The Centre for Health, Law, and Society was launched in 2017 as a transdisciplinary centre of research and teaching excellence, to examine differing roles for law and governance as mechanisms to address health and well-being. Research and teaching spans broad-ranging topics, including reproductive justice, mental health and well-being, health and climate change, organ donation, the development and governance of new technologies, and public and global health. For more information about the Centre, please click here.
About the LLM in Health, Law, and Society
To find out more about the University of Bristol’s distinctive postgraduate LLM in Health, Law, and Society programme, please click here.