(Re)telling stories: narrative theory and the practice of client counselling

Abstract

The field of narrative studies is currently influencing methodology in many areas of research and learning in the arts and social sciences - historiography, psychology, philosophy, theology, therapy and education amongst others. Researchers in these domains have used narrative theory to help them examine how narratives concerning professionals are constructed, and what this tells us of the professionals themselves, their view of their profession, their place within it, and their relations with clients. Most of these studies emphasise the teleological role that narrative inquiry can play in providing individuals with the opportunities to achieve new understandings about the nature and process of practice and the communities within such practice is enacted. This article describes the application of aspects of narrative theory to legal education. It describes the use to which narrative criticism was put in a third level module on clinical legal skills at Glasgow Caledonian University. Some key concepts in narrative theory were used in class discussion of videotaped client counselling interviews between solicitors and clients. The narrative concepts were also reinforced in other areas of the module dealing with negotiation and writing skills. Through the discussion of the videotapes and reflective practice using recipes, students came to a deeper appreciation of the experience of one important aspect of legal practice.