RULES FOR CLIENT COUNSELLING COMPETITION

Purpose:

The

Client

Counselling

Competition

promotes

greater

knowledge and interest among law students in the preventative law and
counselling functions of law practice. It also encourages students to
develop interviewing, planning, and analytical skills in the lawyer-client
relationship in the law office. Interviewing and advising are a significant
part of most lawyers work.
Team Composition: Each should consist of 2 members.
I. COMPETITION FORMAT
Each

Team

will

participate

in

only

one

Counselling

Session.

Counselling Session will be divided into:

1.) Consultation
2.) Post-Consultation
3.) Critique
A. TIME

ALLOCATION PER TEAM:

Consultation Period:
i. The consultation period shall be of 15 minutes.
ii. The time period is meant to be used for inter alia consultation with the
client during which participants are expected to elicit the relevant
information, outline the problem, find the clients expectations and
propose a solution or other means of resolving the problem.
iii. At the Judges Discretion, an additional time of extra 2 minutes maybe
provided in case of any reasonable circumstances.
iv. Judges may, in their discretion, penalize teams that allow the
interview session to run longer than the stipulated time period.

Post-Consultation Period:
i. In the post-consultation period the participants may talk to each other
loudly so as to be audible to the judges or may indirectly address them
in any other manner.
ii. Participants may summarise the interview, indicate the scope of the
legal work to be undertaken, and state the legal issues that should be
researched. Explanation of the position or attitude taken by the
students may be useful.
iii. The time period for the post consultation is 3 minutes.
iv. At the completion of the allotted time for post-consultation, the judges
shall stop the participants.
v. Failure to comply with the above rule will attract negative marking by
the judges.
Critique Period:
i.

After the completion of the Post-Consultation period the judges may

question the participants on matters deliberated upon or mentioned
by the participants or the client during the consultation of post-

ii.

consultation period.
The period for this session is 3 minutes and the judges nay extend it
by another 2 minutes at their discretion.
Note: During the consultation and post-consultation, the team
may use books, notes and other materials. The team may also use
office props (Dictaphones, Files, desktop, furnishings, bookshelves
etc.) and any other material to furnish their consultation room or
for other relevant purposes.
B. MISCELLANEOUS

i. The number of teams to qualify from each courtroom, the number of

courtrooms and allocation of courtrooms and other incidental matters
shall be specified by the organising committee after the registration
depending upon the number of participants and other relevant
considerations.
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ii. In all matters relating to the interpretation and violation of these

Rules & Regulations the decision of the organising committee would
be final.
iii. Participants are expected to be dressed in formal attire.
iv. Use of any unfair means may result in disqualification and other
penalties.
v. Any participants found to scouting or aiding or abetting any such act
will be penalized.
II.

JUDGING CRITERIA

i. Alternative Courses of Action: Consistent with the analysis of the

clients problem, developed a set of potentially effective and feasible
alternatives, both legal and non-legal.
ii. Clients Goals and Expectations: Learned the clients goals and
initial expectations; modified or developed these as necessary.
iii. Clients Informed Choice: As appropriate, assisted the client in his
or her understanding of problems and solutions and in making an
informed choice, taking potential legal, economic, social psychological
consequences into account.
iv. Description of the Problem: Learned how the client viewed his or
her situation, using a combination of listening and questioning,
drawing out both information and emotions of the client, as
appropriate, to develop a reasonably complete and reliable description
of the problem.
v. Effective Conclusion: Concluded the interview skilfully and left the
client with a feeling of reasonable confidence and understanding, with
appropriate

reassurance,

and

with

clear

sense

of

specific

expectations and mutual obligations to follow.

vi. Moral and Ethical Issues: Recognised, clarified and responded to
any moral or ethical issues which may have arisen, without being
prejudicial in judgments.
vii. Overall Rating: Synthesising the above criteria as relevant in an
overall rating, how do you rate the client counselling?
viii. Post-Interview Reflection: During the follow up phase, gave
evidence of having recognised their own and the clients feelings, the
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strengths and limitations of their interviewing and counselling skills,

their handling of the substantive aspects of the clients problems
(legal and non-legal), provided for an effective follow-up.
ix. Problem Analysis: Analysed the clients problem with creativity and
from both legal and non-legal perspectives, resulting in a clear and
useful formulation of the problem.
x. Teamwork: As collaborating counsellors, worked together as a team,
with flexibility and an appropriate balance of participation.
xi. Working Atmosphere and Professionalism : Established the
beginning of an effective professional relationship and working
atmosphere and, if and when appropriate, oriented the client to the
special

nature

of

the

relationship,

including

confidentiality,

explanation of fees and responding to clients concerns, mutual

obligations and rights, duration and plan of the consultation, etc., in a
courteous, sensitive and professional manner.