Access to Justice Through Clinical Legal Education: A Case Study of the Faculty of Law, UKLO Bitola, North Macedonia

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Published: Jul 12, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.47305/JLPE2411019shl
Keywords:
Access to Justice, Legal Education, Free Legal Aid, Law, Students, Legal Clinic

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Ivona Shushak Lozanovska
Faculty of Law, University “St. Kliment Ohridski” - Bitola, North Macedonia
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5467-2281
Angelina Stanojoska
Faculty of Law, University “St. Kliment Ohridski” - Bitola, North Macedonia
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0587-1222
Ice Ilijevski
Faculty of Law, University “St. Kliment Ohridski” - Bitola, North Macedonia
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8515-2032
Goran Ilik
Faculty of Law, University “St. Kliment Ohridski” - Bitola, North Macedonia
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3501-1386

Abstract

Clinical education in law schools is a pivotal mechanism for enhancing access to justice, particularly for marginalized populations. This educational model combines theoretical learning with practical, hands-on experience, enabling law students to engage with real cases under the supervision of experienced practitioners. Like many law faculties, the Faculty of Law at the University “St. Kliment Ohridski”- Bitola (UKLO) in the Republic of North Macedonia traditionally relied on lecturing methods to impart legal education to students. This approach predominantly emphasized theoretical teaching with minimal attention to practical aspects. However, clinical legal education at this faculty started in 2017 by establishing a legal clinic for free legal aid. This clinic operates within the faculty premises, aiming to provide legal services to marginalized groups, thereby improving their lives, ensuring justice, and advancing civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. The article examines the concept, activities, and challenges faced by clinics like those analyzed at the Faculty of Law, mainly due to clinical legal education not being a compulsory module in their bachelor’s curriculum. Finally, it can be concluded that clinical legal education is one of many institutional innovations and reforms that will progressively enhance the legal system.

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How to Cite
Shushak Lozanovska, Ivona, Angelina Stanojoska, Ice Ilijevski, and Goran Ilik. 2024. “Access to Justice Through Clinical Legal Education: A Case Study of the Faculty of Law, UKLO Bitola, North Macedonia”. Journal of Legal and Political Education 1 (1):19-34. https://doi.org/10.47305/JLPE2411019shl.
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Vol. 1 No. 1 (2024): Journal of Legal and Political Education
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Articles
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Ivona Shushak Lozanovska, Faculty of Law, University “St. Kliment Ohridski” - Bitola, North Macedonia

Ivona Shushak Lozanovska completed her PhD studies in 2020 at the Faculty of Security in Skopje and her undergraduate and master studies at the Faculty of Law "Iustinianus Primus" - Skopje. Ivona Shushak Lozanovska has been part of the team of the Faculty of Law-University St. Kliment Ohridski – Bitola for many years, currently as an assistant professor in the scientific field "Criminology" and "Juvenile Delinquency" and currently she is Vice Dean for Academic Affairs. As part of her professional development, she passed the bar exam and participated in numerous scientific conferences and gatherings in the country and abroad. She has published her papers in foreign scientific journals and participated in the realization of several international projects. She is a member of the International Programme Committee or Organizing Committee of several international conferences and a reviewer for journal scientific papers.

Angelina Stanojoska, Faculty of Law, University “St. Kliment Ohridski” - Bitola, North Macedonia

Angelina Stanojoska, PhD is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, “St. KlimentOhridski” University – Bitola, Republic of North Macedonia. She graduated at the Police Academy - Skopje (2008), obtained her MSc in Criminology and Criminalistics at the Faculty of Security - Skopje (2011) and her PhD in Security Sciences also at the Faculty of Security - Skopje (2014). During 2016 she received staff mobility grant from the Erasmus Mundus Basileus V Program and used her mobility at the Faculty of Law, Lund University. From May 2018 she continued her postdoctoral research in the area of female criminality at the Max Planck Institute for Crime, Security and Law, Department of Criminology. Her expertise is in the area of criminology, especially female criminality, violent crimes and human trafficking. The latest researches she has conducted are directed towards the analysis of the Agnew’s General Strain Theory and female criminals and inmates which has won the Young Criminologists Award from UNODC and ISC in 2019; and strain and negative emotions in connection to murders committed by women.

Ice Ilijevski, Faculty of Law, University “St. Kliment Ohridski” - Bitola, North Macedonia

Ice Ilijevski is born on 29.06.1986 in Bitola. He has finished security studies, has defended his Master's thesis titled „Sources of financing terrorism - criminalistics, criminological and criminal-legal characteristics“ and has defended his doctoral thesis titled „Control and oversight of the security system in the Republic of Macedonia - with particular reference to Ministry of Interior“ at the Faculty of security - Skopje, University "St. Kliment Ohridski" in Bitola and gain the scientific title doctor of sciences in the field of security. Ice Ilijevski has worked at the Faculty of Security – Skopje for 10 years. Now, he is an associate professor at the Faculty of Law, University "St. Kliment Ohridski" in Bitola. Ice Ilijevski has written several books, handbooks, papers, and articles in the field of security as an author and co-author and has participated in many national and international scientific conferences, seminars, symposiums, etc. Also, he was a member of several teams for conducting surveys and research on citizens' perceptions about security, safety, and the rule of law in the country. He is an expert witness and a former member of the Council for Civil Supervision established by the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia. His field of interest is control and oversight of the security sector and the fight against different types of illegal trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and organized crime.

Goran Ilik, Faculty of Law, University “St. Kliment Ohridski” - Bitola, North Macedonia

Dr. Goran Ilik is a full professor and Vice-Rector for Science at the University St. Kliment Ohridski in Bitola (North Macedonia). From 2012 to 2016, he served as a Senator in the Senate of the University St. Kliment Ohridski in Bitola, and from 2013 to 2017, he held the position of Vice-Dean for Science and International Cooperation at the Faculty of Law - Kicevo. In 2017, Prof. Dr. sc Goran Ilik was elected Dean of the Faculty of Law - Kicevo for the first time, while on January 15, 2021, he was re-elected as Dean of the Faculty of Law - Kicevo for the second time. The academic background includes BA in Law, MA in Political Science, and PhD in Political Science.

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