PROFESSIONAL ETHICS OF STUDENT CLINICIANS IN LEGAL CLINIC ACTIVITIES: PROBLEMS OF COMPLIANCE AND WAYS TO IMPROVE

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of compliance with the norms of professional ethics by student clinicians in the activities of legal clinics. The relevance of the topic is обусловлена the growing role of clinical legal education in the system of training future lawyers and the need to develop not only professional competencies but also high standards of ethical conduct. The authors emphasize that legal clinics ensure the integration of students’ theoretical training with practical activities, enabling future lawyers to gain experience in legal counseling, interaction with clients, and decision-making in real legal situations.

The article analyzes the content and significance of professional legal ethics as a system of moral principles, norms, and rules of conduct that regulate legal practice and aim to ensure public trust in the legal profession. Particular attention is paid to the specific application of ethical standards in the activities of student clinicians who, although they do not yet formally have the status of practicing lawyers, are actually involved in providing legal assistance to individuals.

The main ethical risks that arise in the practical activities of student consultants in legal clinics are identified. Among them are violations of the principle of client confidentiality, possible situations of conflict of interest, as well as failure to comply with the standards of professional communication. It is substantiated that the reasons for such violations are primarily the insufficient practical experience of students, limited skills in ethical analysis of professional situations, and the insufficient level of institutional regulation of certain aspects of legal clinic activities.

Special attention is paid to the role of academic supervisors and internal organizational mechanisms of legal clinics in ensuring compliance with ethical standards. The need to strengthen the ethical component of legal education, introduce practice-oriented teaching methods, analyze ethical situations, and improve internal procedures of legal clinic work is emphasized. It is concluded that the development of students’ ability to independently assess ethical aspects of professional situations is an important prerequisite for training responsible and ethical legal professionals.