OzU and Istanbul Bar Association Sign a New Cooperative Protocol

The Faculty of Law has signed a new cooperative protocol with the Istanbul Bar to further develop the professional skill and knowledge of our students. The signing ceremony took place on September 24, 2018, in the Reşat Aytaç Auditorium. Signed by our Rector Prof Dr. Esra Gencturk and Mehmet Durakoğlu, attornery at law and President of the Istanbul Bar Association, the new protocol is intended to offer a series of law clinics that would give our Law students to perform pro bono work in the service of community.

Thus, from now on, in addition to performing client intake, the OzU Law Clinics will also give our Law students the opportunity to work on real cases under the supervision of practicing attorneys on a pro bono basis. Students volunteering for the OzU Pro Bono Law Clinic will be matched with pro bono attorneys with the support of the Istanbul Bar Association to assist them in performing pro bono service.

“Pro bono”, a Latin phrase which roughly translates to “for the public good”, is the provision of legal services at no charge to individuals who would not otherwise have access to those services. Pro bono work will help our student acquire and build on the professional skills and knowledge they need as well as shaping their professional values.
Pro bono legal services to be offered by the OzU Pro Bono Law Clinics will focus on “Human Rights”, “Women’s Rights”, “Children’s Rights”, “Rights of Disabled People”, “Animal Rights”, and “Consumer Rights”.

The OzU Pro Bono Law Clinics is the first of its kind in Turkey. The clinics bring together bar associations, attorneys, law faculties, law clinics, and students to collectively perform pro bono work in the service of society.