Rebecca Samaras
Director of Clinical Legal Education and Pro Bono
LLB (Hons) (Edin), LLM (Prague), DipLP (Edin), Solicitor and Notary Public
Tel: +44 (0)131 650 6524
Email: rebecca.samaras@ed.ac.uk
An Edinburgh law graduate and solicitor, Rebecca was appointed to a newly established role of Director of Clinical Legal Education and Pro Bono in July 2019. She is responsible for developing and leading the Edinburgh Law School’s pro bono activity. The role includes coordinating and managing the award winning Free Legal Advice Centre module (Diploma) as part of the Professional Skills and Responsibility Course and expanding the activity of that unit to provide clinical legal education opportunities for students at all levels of study.
Rebecca holds an LLM in Experiential Learning and Teaching in Law and is a keen advocate of clinical legal education which she sees as a major, integral part of legal education.
She is a Trustee of the Access to Justice Foundation (ATJF) and a Trustee of the Clinical Legal Education Organisation (CLEO). Additionally, she sits on the ATJF Scotland committee and is a member of The Law Society of Scotland’s Access to Justice Committee. She is also Chair of the Scottish University Law Clinic Network (SULCN). Rebecca is a regular contributor and presenter at national and international conferences on access to justice and clinical legal education.
She received the Principal’s Medal for Community Service in 2013 for her contribution as the then Pro Bono Coordinator for Edinburgh Law School.
As Director of the former Edinburgh Centre for Professional Legal Studies, Rebecca led the co-ordination and delivery of professional (including the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice) and associated CPD programmes from March 2014 until June 2019.
She has extensive experience in teaching legal and core skills and is an alumnus of Core Solutions Group where she undertook training in mediation, negotiation and conflict management.
Courses Taught:
- Street Law: Public Legal Education in the Community (Honours) (Course Organiser)
- Restorative Justice: Principles and Practice (Honours) (Course Organiser)
- Free Legal Advice Centre module (Diploma) as part of the Professional Skills and Responsibility Course
Twitter : @RebeccaSamaras
LinkedIn : Rebecca Samaras
