Traveller Equality and Justice Project – A Module for Final Year Law Students

5 Oct 2023

A Conversation with Dr Samantha Williams on the Traveller Equality and Justice Project.

During her PhD, Samantha worked with Traveller community groups and became aware of the gap in legal provisions for Traveller rights and discrimination. Not only were members of the Traveller community experiencing racism and discrimination regularly, but they had very few places to turn to for legal advice and information. Samantha and her colleagues, namely Dr Fiona Donson, wanted to address this. To bring some order to the inaccessible and unjust environment in which individuals from the Traveller community had to navigate. Initially, Samantha developed outputs including a ‘Know Your Rights’ workshop and guide (kindly supported by Former Senator Colette Kelleher) to help the Traveller community learn about the various forms of discrimination and how people can take cases. It became clear that more needed to be done. Specifically, to gather an all-Ireland understanding of what Travellers were experiencing, what their needs were and how they could be better supported in the area of equality law.  

Samantha, Fiona and her colleagues called a round table meeting of all relevant stakeholders to see how Ireland (with UCC School of Law playing a key role) could better respond to the acute challenges experienced by Travellers. In creating this stakeholder engagement, they were initially supported by an IRC New Foundations Award. They wanted to see: what was possible, what is done in other countries, and to respond to needs more efficiently and cohesively. They were successful in securing funding from the REC (the EU Rights Equality and Citizenship Programme). From here, The Traveller Equality and Justice Project was established. The project is comprised of many stakeholders such as the UCC School of Law, FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres), and 6 Traveller representative groups in Cork and Kerry including Travellers of North Cork, Kerry Traveller Health and Community Development Project, and Cork Travellers Women’s Network. The TEJP partnership runs a Traveller-specific legal clinic which provides legal information and representation for Travellers who have experienced discrimination in Cork & Kerry, while accessing goods and services (e.g., schools, shops, bars and hotels). The TEJP responds to significant unmet legal need for the Traveller Community, allowing them to challenge the deep daily-discrimination experienced.  

Within UCC, Samantha and Fiona wanted their students to gain experience working with a minority group on their unmet legal needs and acquire a real understanding of the everyday discrimination experienced by Travellers in Ireland. Based within the Traveller Equality & Justice Project Clinic, the module provides a valuable first-hand opportunity to conduct supervised casework and associated research, working under the close supervision of TEJP Staff and expert qualified lawyers (FLAC) supporting Traveller clients who have experienced discrimination in accessing goods and services. The TEJP module was designed in partnership with their Traveller Research Advisory Board and sits within the broader FLAC partnership within the TEJP Clinic. It began as a voluntary module for students to undertake in their own time during 2021-2022 but is now a listed elective of the BCL undergraduate degree and takes place across two semesters. It is currently the only ‘live-client’ clinic module operating within an Irish Law School. To secure a place on the 10-credit module, students must apply, fill in an online form and do an interview. This is to ensure that students are sensitive to the community they are about to work with and to alert students to what is expected of them.  

Upon commencing semester 1, students undertake training in areas such as Traveller Culture Awareness Training (provided by Traveller advocates), bias training, and advocacy training – most of which is delivered by or in partnership with Traveller groups such as the Traveller Visibility Group and Travellers of North Cork. Students hear from individuals who have taken a case with the TEJP and key partners FLAC, and if there is a case that is currently ongoing, students will study that case and assist with case triage and observe court proceedings. Towards the end of the semester, students undertake an end of semester advocacy exercise and are required to reproduce a WRC and District Court hearing. Students take turns to be on the defense of the applicants (a member(s) of the Traveller community) and the respondent (the business). This exercise challenges students to argue the legal point using culturally sensitive language and to tap into their culture awareness, advocacy and bias training. Although moot court opportunities are provided on many law programmes in Ireland, in UCC BCL language students cannot take the moot module, similarly, students rarely have the opportunity to engage in substantial court observation and training, so students appreciate this opportunity to put what they have learned into practice.  

For semester 2, students have a more hands on approach with the daily work of the clinic. Students receive induction training from the FLAC solicitors and UCC staff in how the clinic workflow and case triage systems operate. Students will put their cultural awareness and equality law training from semester one to use, supporting TEJP clinic staff with case-work and client communications. Although the work can vary depending on case load, students' work may include court visits, point of law research and general tasks associated with the day-to-day operations of the clinic and litigation. Students will also assist with filing,FOI requests and management.  

On completion of the module, students will have worked alongside Traveller clients, experienced lawyers and Traveller Community groups, gaining understanding of novel areas of law, not ordinarily available to them during the course of their BCL undergraduate law degree. In particular, students will develop an in-depth understanding of the Irish equality system in relation to access of goods and services and approach of adjudication bodies to claims of discrimination. They will also understand the remedies that can be granted to applicants to enforce fundamental rights and the contribution and limitations of law in addressing minority group client needs  

In terms of community engagement and social justice values awareness, students will see first-hand the core barriers to justice including, exclusion from the legal process, lack of awareness of rights and lack of trust in the legal system experienced by minority groups such as Travellers. While gained indepth knowledge of the inter-relationship between law and social justice issues and the importance of social justice and public interest lawyering to respond to inequality and unmet legal need. It is hoped that students working within the TEJP will carry this with them into legal practice and will consider careers in human rights advocacy on behalf of minority groups and socially excluded litigants.  

Upon completion of the TEJP module, students will have opportunity to complete placements and internships with our Traveller community group partners: Travellers of North Cork, Kerry Travellers, Traveller Visibility Group, West Cork Travellers, East Cork Travellers and Cork Traveller Women’s Network. Community engaged research is central to the TEJP and we are very fortunate that our wonderful students will be able to continue this, supporting our community partners and seeing the value of community-led work themselves.  

This Practice Insight is published by @UCC_CIRTL and @UCC_Civic as part of the CE Toolkit for embedding civic and community engagement in the curriculum. Discover more about How to Enhance Partnerships.  

For more on this project follow @tejpucc