Learning private law through clinical legal education.

 The Department of Private Law is responsible for teaching nearly half of the core subjects in the LLB curriculum. The subjects under the Department include Tort, Intellectual Property Law, Family Law, Civil Procedure, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Customary Law of Kenya, and Law of Succession. Commercial law units are also currently being taught under the department.

The department adopts the clinical legal education mode of instruction to ensure that learning is learner-centred as opposed to teacher centred. In this regard, the lectures are very active and interactive.

The goal of the programme is to produce lawyers of sound legal knowledge, conscience, competence, and compassion with the ability to serve any community around the world, and to meet the challenges of leadership and the administration of justice in their endeavours.

The department follows the Vision, Mission and Philosophy of the School of Law.

Vision-: A Premier Law school educating legal entrepreneurs of conscience, competence, and compassion with the ability to meet the challenges of leadership and the administration of justice in Africa and beyond.

Mission-: To provide legal education and scholarship of the highest standards through developing cutting edge professional competencies, promoting entrepreneurship, and increasing sensitivity to community needs in order to ensure global competences.

Philosophy-: The School philosophy draws from the elements and logic of the University Philosophy and consists of the following three elements:

Core Functions

a) Teaching
We believe that legal education should employ robust theoretical inquiry, doctrinal and policy analysis and professional skills. Because the law is dynamic, students need to be equipped to deal with change and to exercise sound judgment and creativity in offering solutions for problems of individuals, institutions, and nations. As such, and also as part of a sterling research university, our programme progressively will integrate opportunities for interdisciplinary study.

b) Scholarship
We believe that all faculty should be committed to the broader mission of education that is accomplished through exploration, discussion and dissemination of ideas. This will entail among other things seeking a better understanding of existing law, to develop and test new ideas and approaches, to challenge status quo, and to convey our research and ideas to lawyers, academics, policy makers, and the wider world. The philosophies and approaches of faculty can and should vary widely in pursuing this mission, but all are expected to produce notable work.

c) Public Service
For the privilege of being part of an honored profession, we believe that our faculty and students all have obligations to the Department, School, University, the profession, and local and global communities. Moreover a commitment to service is an ingredient of a full and satisfying life. Accordingly, members of the department will contribute their time and talents in pursuit of the department’s mission in ways that match their individual interests and abilities. As part of a public institution committed to public service, the department strives to instil in students an awareness of a lawyer’s civic responsibilities, and the need to create opportunities to serve and lead.

Commitment

In our service delivery, the department will ensure that

• Orientation of new students will be conducted on the second week of beginning of semester.
• Teaching shall commence on the first day as per the timetable.
• Students shall be issued with course outlines within the first week of commencement of lectures.
• Teaching shall be conducted on time as per the approved teaching timetable.
• Teaching materials shall be provided e.g. projectors, whiteboard markers, speakers, lab top etc.
• Examinations setting, administration and processing of results shall be undertaken on or before the approved University Semester Dates.
• Students’ academic advice, recommendation/confirmation letters and clearance from the department shall be provided immediately on request.