5. Working with a Supervisor

Introduction

Students in a law-related placement always work under the direction of a supervisor. In virtually all cases, the student will be practicing under that lawyer’s licence. Supervision is one of the most important ways students learn in clinical and applied experiential environments. Adapting to close supervision can be challenging. As one former student noted, “[y]ou have to embrace being supervised in the sense of not feeling like it’s an imposition. Getting supervision is in service of the client and ensuring that they’re receiving competent legal services. That is the fundamental responsibility [of a lawyer] and you can’t do that without accessing supervision.” (Buhler & Smyth, participant 17, forthcoming 2025).

Unfortunately, there is very little research or education provided for supervisors regarding this role, and even less for students working under lawyer supervision. This chapter sets out definitions of supervision and mentorship and proposes some key approaches to working effectively with a supervisor. Throughout, we include quotes from former Canadian clinic students who participated in a research study about supervision (see Buhler & Smyth, 2025, forthcoming). All quotes are from this study unless otherwise noted. We also include reflective submissions from students on their experiences with supervision.

This portion of the text was funded by the Law Foundation of Saskatchewan’s Legacy Grant program.