Bringing Legal Services Closer to Community: Strengthening the Role of Legal Laboratories and Clinics at Higher Education Institutions

摘要

A laboratory at a higher education institution can be assumed as a kitchen that can process and provide a variety of new knowledge and practice the skills to apply that knowledge. So far, most laboratories are only used by the academic community for educational purposes. While based on the Indonesian Tri Dharma Perguruan Tinggi principles (three obligations of higher education), the campus is also obliged to conduct research and service that is beneficial to the development and life of the community. This article aims to encourage the use of Legal Laboratories and Clinics to further optimize their services to local governments and the community. One of the strategies is to use technology in providing online legal consultation and services. The method used through empirical research by conducting study visits to several legal laboratories and clinics at the Faculty of Law at several Universities in Yogyakarta. Based on the learning experience, several focus group discussions were conducted with peer groups and multi-stakeholders, so that it was agreed to increase the role of Legal Laboratories and Clinics to external parties through legal services and assistance. Online Legal Consultation is a follow-up from previous studies which show that there are still limited services that can be provided by Legal Laboratories and Clinics if they only rely on conventional face-to-face meetings. The evaluation process shows that services are only accessed by people around the campus, the services provided are still partial, not comprehensive and are still handled individually. On the other hand the existence of Law Number 16 of 2011 concerning Legal Aid, provides opportunities for Laboratories and Legal Clinics in Higher Education institutions to enhance their role. The law requires that legal aid institutions that can provide services and will get support from the government are legal aid agencies with Legal Entity and must be accredited. Legal Laboratories and Clinics in Higher Education certainly fulfill these requirements. This strategy is expected to bring universities closer to various parties.