Portsmouth Business School
Law students reach national final of client interviewing competition
Thu, Feb 24, 2011
Second-year students Robert Dalford and Harriet Needham worked together to interview and advise a ‘client’ – played by an actor – while being assessed on their interpersonal skills and ability to handle legal issues.
The client interviewing competition is an annual event which started in the UK in 1984, following its inception in the United States. Students are judged on whether they can establish a good working relationship with the client, recognise and handle legal problems, take into account ethical and personal issues and offer appropriate advice.
Robert, who is studying LLB Law, said: “Law is such a competitive discipline so it’s fantastic to be involved in a competition which helps develop employability skills and bolsters your CV. This is the first time Portsmouth has entered so Harriet and I are thrilled to have got through to the finals.”
The theme of the competition this year was ‘Privacy, defamation and confidentiality’. In one of their two simulated interviews Robert and Harriet had to talk to a journalist who was planning on printing a defamatory article about a businessman being involved with the Eastern European mafia.
Robert said: “The journalist thought publishing the article would enhance her career but had absolutely no idea of the legal ramifications. It was up to Harriet and me to acquire as much information as possible, assess the situation and then offer advice in layman’s terms.
“It was daunting to interview a client in an artificial environment with everything said being analysed but we worked well together as a team and the feedback afterwards was really positive.”
The final of the competition will take place at Oxford Brookes University in March. The winning team will receive prize money and a place at the Brown-Mosten International Client Consultation Competition in April in the Netherlands.
Head of the School of Law, Caroline Strevens, said: “To be a successful lawyer you need strong interpersonal skills as well as knowledge of the law. This competition allows students to practise engaging with clients in a professional and courteous manner whilst also applying their legal expertise. It’s an excellent opportunity and I am delighted our students have acquitted themselves so well.”
Related links are:
http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/faculties/portsmouthbusinessschool/latestnews/title,119596,en.html
http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/faculties/portsmouthbusinessschool/latestnews/newsarchive/title,114211,en.html
http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/faculties/portsmouthbusinessschool/latestnews/newsarchive/title,108712,en.html
http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/faculties/portsmouthbusinessschool/latestnews/newsarchive/title,107830,en.html