Unpacking Clinical Scholarship: Why Clinics Start and How They Last

Abstract

This article details a qualitative approach in which textual data from a selected batch of 91 papers on clinical legal education were analyzed to identify factors that have been influential in the establishment and sustainability of clinical programmes in different jurisdictions. A systematic approach to literature review was conducted between January 2014 and April 2014 to aid an understanding of clinical legal education in Zimbabwe. Textual data analysis from each article was given a thorough fracturing through the use of grounded theory’s coding system which identified 20 influential factors to consider in the creation and sustainability of clinical programmes. For the purposes of a critical discussion of the reviewed literature, 20 themes were arranged into three main thematic topics: ‘resource’; ‘relational’ and ‘contextual’, where ‘resource’ was selected as a core category around which a storyline was built. The review indicated that there were various positive and negative factors influencing the creation and sustainability of clinical programmes. Enabling factors were most frequently related to positive intervening conditions such as the availability of a healthy financial base upon which a clinical programme was built. Impeding factors were most frequently associated with negative intervening conditions such as resistance to clinical pedagogy. Literature review revealed a wealth of knowledge on key aspects to consider while founding a clinical programme. However, there are still critical knowledge gaps requiring our attention. To fill in the knowledge gaps, this article proposes that empirical research on clinical legal education should be underpinned by a systematic review of literature and grounded theory nexus. In this way, we should be able to systematically generate substantive theories grounded in both textual and empirical data. Such an approach should encourage us to be objective in narrating the benefits of clinical legal education and help us foster more and effective strategies on the creation and sustainability of clinical programmes.