From classroom to legal practice: lessons from a comparative study of university law clinics in Colombia and Mexico

Purpose This article presents the findings of a comparative study between the law clinical programmes at two universities: Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) in Mexico and Universidad de los Andes (Uniandes) in Colombia. It examines how clinics are organised and taught, to identify practices that strengthen experiential and work-based learning in legal education. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on a literature review, interviews with all clinical teachers at both universities, thematic analysis, and a comparative examination of operational and pedagogical dimensions. Findings Eight core lessons are identified. Operationally, the study highlights: (1) the value of requiring students to enrol in clinics as part of their degree, (2) the importance of offering a broad range of clinical options, (3) the benefits of diversifying forms of collaboration and (4) the need to design activities that familiarise students with the full life cycle of cases and projects. Pedagogically, the study underscores: (1) the importance of maintaining a strong ethical focus, (2) the significance of techniques that strengthen student motivation, (3) the educational potential of litigation and (4) the need to integrate substantive knowledge into clinical design. Practical implications The study provides an evaluative framework that assigns specific responsibilities to university authorities and actionable pedagogical guidance to teachers, aimed at enhancing effectiveness in clinical programmes. Originality/value This article proposes an operational-pedagogical matrix as a transferable evaluative tool, providing unique insights from two institutions with similar legal traditions but distinct socio-political contexts.