2026 Access to Justice Exchange

Fundamentals of Clinical Legal Education:

Goals, Models and Shared Practices

BABSEACLE, in collaboration with GAJE and the Japanese CLE Association Network, will organize the Fundamentals of Clinical Legal Education: Goals, Models, and Shared Practices Workshop as part of the 2026 Access to Justice Exchange, to be held in Fukuoka, Japan on December 2-3, 2026. The workshop expands beyond supervision-only focus to examine the foundational goals, diverse institutional models, and shared practices that underpin effective, ethical, and sustainable CLE programs across different jurisdictions in Asia and beyond. 

The Fundamentals of Clinical Legal Education: Goals, Models, and Shared Practices Workshop is a two-day, in-depth program designed to strengthen understanding of Clinical Legal Education as a key mechanism for advancing access to justice and reinforcing the rule of law. The workshop will explore the goals and principles of CLE, examine a range of institutional and pedagogical models, and highlight shared and emerging practices that support ethical, effective, and sustainable CLE programs across different jurisdictions. 

Grounded in comparative and practice-based learning, the workshop will bring together participants from Japan, across Asia, and other regions to exchange experiences and perspectives on experiential & justice focused legal education. Particular attention will be given to sharing and strengthening Japan-based CLE experiences and initiatives, while situating them within wider regional and global CLE developments. This approach supports mutual learning and enables participants to reflect on how CLE principles are adapted to different legal, educational, and community contexts. 

Through facilitated discussions and interactive sessions, participants will explore experiential and interactive teaching and learning methodologies used in CLE programs, and examine how CLE differs from traditional legal education. The workshop will also emphasize why experiential learning is essential for preparing justice-oriented legal professionals, and why effective supervision remains a mandatory, cross-cutting element of high-quality CLE programs—regardless of jurisdiction or model. 

The workshop will further provide a practical roadmap illustrating how CLE contributes to improving access to justice, particularly for marginalized and vulnerable populations, through community engagement, legal empowerment, and collaboration with legal service providers and civil society organizations. In doing so, it fosters Japan–Asia–Global peer learning that supports continued collaboration and innovation in CLE beyond the workshop itself. 

Workshop Highlights:

• Exploring core CLE goals and principles and their relevance across diverse legal education systems
• Examining a range of CLE models, including community legal education clinics and mobile outreach, as applied across Asia and globally
• Sharing and strengthening Asia-based CLE experiences and initiatives, through regional, global and comparative perspectives
• Highlighting effective supervision as a mandatory, cross-cutting component of ethical and high-quality CLE programs
• Strengthening Japan–Asia–Global peer learning through exchange of practices, challenges, and lessons learned
• Reinforcing the role of CLE in advancing access to justice and the rule of law in varied institutional and community contexts 

Date: 2-3 December 2026

Venue: Seinan Gakuin University, Centennial building (Multipurpose Rooms A & B), Fukuoka, Japan 

Presenters