New UKC Law Building Planned for 2015

A new law building is to be built next to the current law school. Kent Law Campaign are holding a 5km Fun Run on the 3rd of November to fundraise in support.

The Kent Law School are planning to build a new centre for their Law Clinic and Mooting Programme to coincide with the University of Kent’s 50th anniversary in 2014. The building is scheduled to start in 2014 and is planned to finish by September 2015.

Plans include a mooting chamber on the top floor, which will be built in the style of a courtroom and face the Canterbury Cathedral. The building will also have several interview rooms and a foyer for students and staff. It will be located next to the Law School on campus, with a walkway from the main path through campus to the first floor of the building. You can view images of the proposed centre here.

The Law Clinic is a campaign to help local people who aren’t able to afford representation with legal advice and help, as well as to educate students through this practical experience. The Mooting Programme is a simulated courtroom in which students debate in front of a judiciary. The programme provides a wealth of essential experience for law students.

The entire project has a budget of £5 million, which the Kent Law Campaign are £1.7 million short of. The campaign have therefore launched a 5km Fun Run to raise funds for the new building. Emily Smith, the chair for the Kent Law Campaign Student Group, has said of the new building for the Law Clinic and Mooting Programme that “it will not only benefit students but also the local community through the services they receive.”

Emily said that the event “will have lots of different elements to the day: the runners will receive goody bags and medals, whilst the spectators will be entertained by lots of different societies from the University.”

While the Kent Law Campaign Student Group continues to garner funds for their new building, other buildings on campus are being continually worked on, including the new student media centre above The Venue, and a large extension to the Templeman library. The new Law School building will be one part of a fast growing university campus in Canterbury.

The Kent Law Campaign have limited spaces left for people to sign up to run. Please contact Emily on ejs41@kent.ac.uk for more information. The Fun Run is scheduled for the 3rd November on campus.