LLAW6232 & JDOC6232

General Course Information

1.1 Course details

Course code: LLAW6232 / JDOC6232
Course name: CLE – Refugee and Human Trafficking Stream
Programme offered under: LLM Programme / JD Programme
Semester: First and Second
Prerequisites / Co-requisites: No
Credit point value: 9 credits / 6 credits

1.2 Course description

CLE – Refugee and Human Trafficking Stream is offered to undergraduate and post-graduate students in the Faculty of Law at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) in partnership with Hong Kong Dignity Institute (HKDI) (https://www.dignityinstitute.com). HKDI provides integrated legal, mental health and social work assistance to vulnerable populations, including asylum seekers, refugees and victims of human trafficking in Hong Kong.

This year, the Clinic programme will address the issue of how asylum seekers are involved or become victims of human trafficking in Hong Kong. You will have an opportunity to provide assistance and legal advice to claimants seeking non-refoulement protection and victims of human trafficking, and in particular find out how this can be done through an interdisciplinary and holistic approach.  Some students will also be conducting research and analysis into the legal issues involved in this field.

Students will also have opportunities to develop professional judgment through encounters with real legal and ethical dilemmas. Students will learn to take a human rights-based approach to legal work, to recognize challenges, to creatively identify options, and to diligently and ethically assist protection claimants.

Students are expected to gain some frontline experience as the programme will involve working with practising lawyers, counsellors, and social workers.

1.3 Course teachers

Name E-mail address Office Consultation
Course convenor Patricia Ho measorho@hku.hk CLE By email

Learning Outcomes

2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course

CLO 1 Communicate with protection claimants in a professional manner, including those with particular vulnerabilities.

CLO 2 Explain the caseworker-claimant relationship, confidentiality and other ethical concerns; explain the non-refoulement claim process in the Unified Screening Mechanism; explain the law and legal concepts in plain English, including the definitions of refugee in the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, of torture under the Immigration Ordinance, Cap. 115 and Convention Against Torture, or Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and of torture/cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment under the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance, Cap. 383 and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

CLO 3 Work with interpreters to ascertain the facts relevant to a protection claim in an ethical and efficient manner.

CLO 4 Write a detailed summary of claim, identify and analyze the legal and factual issues related to a claim, gather evidence and conduct legal and fact-based research related to a claim.

CLO 5 Prepare a formal claimant testimony[1].

CLO 6 Write a detailed country of origin information (COI) or legal research memorandum or analysis.

CLO 7 Reflect critically on the theory and practice of human rights legal services in the Hong Kong protection claim context.

[1] Not all Clinic participants will prepare a formal claimant testimony. This will depend on the availability of claimants and cases as well as each student progress and level of expertise, engagement and professionalism.

2.2 LLM and JD Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Please refer to the following link:

LLM – https://course.law.hku.hk/llm-plo/

JD – https://course.law.hku.hk/jd-plo/

2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course

PLO A PLO B PLO C PLO D PLO E PLO F
CLO 1
CLO 2
CLO 3
CLO 4
CLO 5
CLO 6
CLO 7

Assessment(s)

3.1 Assessment Summary

Assessment task Due date Weighting Feedback method* Course learning outcomes
The Clinic is a pass/fail course. There are two components to the assessment: 1) preparation, and participation in group seminars and clinical sessions; 2) written work. TBC 100% 1 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
*Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher)
1 A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle
2 Individual feedback to be disseminated by email / through Moodle
3 Individual review meeting upon appointment
4 Group review meeting
5 In-class verbal feedback

3.2 Assessment Detail

To be advised by course convenor(s).

3.3 Grading Criteria

Students will be assessed on a pass/fail basis.

Learning Activities

4.1 Learning Activity Plan

Professional skills meeting and client advice session: TBA
Private study time: TBA

Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 5 hours (ie. 150 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.

4.2 Details of Learning Activities

To be advised by course convenor(s).

Learning Resources

5.1 Resources

Reading materials: Reading materials are posted on Moodle
Core reading list: TBA
Recommended reading list: TBA

5.2 Links

Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/