Helsinki Law Clinic organised a seminar on 11 May 2017 on the topic of Access to Justice: Legal Clinics and Legal Aid (programme). The purpose of the seminar was to discuss how legal clinics can usefully complement public legal aid especially in countries, such as Finland, that in principle have a broad and inclusive legal aid system in place.
The seminar was opened by Tuomas Ojanen who framed the question of legal aid in terms of constitutional and human rights law. International guests Tamás Barabás and Dmitry Shabelvikov addressed the question of international legal aid, and Tonje Lilaas Larsen and Marita R. Matthews Holmeset-Varpe brought experiences from very well established legal clinic in Norway. Finally, Minna Sipola introduced the Finnish legal aid system to the audience. The presentations were followed by lively discussion and further questions.
We hope the seminar gave participants a good understanding on the limits of public legal aid and on what legal clinics can do to cover the gaps. For Helsinki Law Clinic the discussion gave many ideas on how to find its niche and better target services.