My Teaching Philosophy

Who I am:

Hello my name is Marcus and I teach law.

What I Believe about Teaching and Learning the Law:

As an educator in the field of law, I have come to realise that the main determinants of the future success of learners consist not in their understanding of the law as it currently is, but rather reside in their mastery of the skills needed to adapt themselves to the dynamic nature of ever-evolving legal frameworks, whether they choose to enter the practice of law or related fields, or engage with it in the context of academia.

As I have undertaken my general and professional studies, I have had occasion to observe that the most masterful practitioners and commentators of the law are those who are most attune to and empathetic with the human condition—specifically, the myriad of ways in which humans interrelate with one another and the equally diverse ways in these relationships can falter or break down entirely, leading on occasion to legal disputes. The cultivation of emotional intelligence has been identified as an advantage in terms of legal education and practice (Douglas, 2015).

Legal professionals, whether practitioners or academics, must be able to separate the elements of complex factual scenarios and synthesise large volumes of legal cases and academic commentary, in order to reach justified conclusions regarding how the law should settle disputes, and, in turn, convey these conclusions effectively and ethically through coherent analysis. The consideration of ethics in advocacy has increasingly gained recognition as an integral component of legal studies (Askins and And Others, 1995).

In addition to conveying the current state of the law, I am also cognisant of my duty to accompany students as they engage with questions the depths of which are more profound than the immediate cases offered for their consideration—those which involve critical reflection of the law, the origins of our legal system, and its propensity to change over time. In a collaborative learning environment, I encourage learners to voice their opinions and exchange ideas in a respectful environment and to consider how our legal system, though it may seem so imposing, is in essence so fragile.

Indeed, our legal system requires constant re-evaluation and reimagination with reference to changing social and political circumstances; I urge learners to realise their own agency in this regard as stewards of our legal system. Most importantly, I invite students to appreciate the need our legal system has for safeguard from who would seek to divert it from its core functions—to discover truth in the service of justice, to protect the innocent and downtrodden, and to restraint the arrogant or malevolent.

This in mind, my teaching philosophy incorporates three modes of learning—critical/theoretical studies, practical legal education, and clinical legal education, each of which I will discuss in turn. Critical or theoretical legal studies engage the ability of learners to conduct meta-analysis of the law, unbounded by the law as it stands, and to assume a critical distance from the legal system in which they operate, in order evaluate the principles and policy considerations underpinning that system and to imagine new horizons for and structuring of that system. By contrast, practical legal education involves discovery of how the law operates in everyday interactions and how effectively to structure arguments which are consonant with the law and best practice; this may also involve work placement opportunities for learners or classroom group evaluations of hypothetical scenarios where they are asked to assume roles or advise clients. The value of studying the theory and practice of law is well-documented (Jones, 2000). Finally, clinical legal education permits students to work with actual clients on their legal cases in a structured, clinical environment, under the supervision of qualified legal professionals and thereby foster civic engagement among learners without sacrificing academic integrity (Allen, Parker and DeLorenzo, 2012).

The above-mentioned modes of learning have not only proven useful in the formation of future legal professionals, but, and more importantly, they contribute to individual well-being. Where historically detached, analytical approaches to legal education have been favoured, evidence suggests that clinical legal education can provide a safe space to encourage learners to develop their emotional intelligence (Douglas, 2015). Accordingly, I view the critical, practical, and clinical dimensions as interrelated and necessary dimensions of a complete legal education. As an educator, I constantly seek new ways of addressing legal materials through mixed media such as podcasts to engage with legal issues. By offering materials in different, more current formats, learners are often more willing to engage with these materials outside of the classroom (Lower, Thomas and Ho, 2010), by simply switching on a podcast on their morning commutes.

Allen, M. D., Parker, S. A. and DeLorenzo, T. C. (2012) ‘Civic Engagement in the Community: Undergraduate Clinical Legal Education’, Journal of Political Science Education, 8(1), pp. 35–49.

Askins, B. E. and And Others (1995) ‘Identifying the Need for Teaching Ethics in Professional Legal Education’.

Douglas, S. (2015) ‘Incorporating Emotional Intelligence in Legal Education: A Theoretical Perspective’, e-Journal of Business Education and Scholarship of Teaching, 9(2), pp. 56–71.

Jones, P. A. (2000) ‘Theory and practice in professional legal education’, International Journal of the Legal Profession, 7(3), pp. 239–259. doi: 10.1080/096959500750143043.

Lower, M., Thomas, K. and Ho, A. (2010) ‘Using Podcasts to Support Students in a Land law Class’, Proceedings of the European Conference on e-Learning, pp. 230–237.