Vulnerability, the future of the criminal defence profession, and the implications for teaching and learning

Legally aided criminal defence work is under significant strain at present following fee stagnations and funding cuts over the last 20 years. This has obvious implications for those working in criminal defence practice, which have been examined in the literature on access to criminal justice. However, the implications for teaching and learning within criminal law and practice have been not been subject to much attention. Within we reflect on the teaching and learning challenges. Further, we use a Fineman vulnerability analysis to illustrate how the challenges faced by criminal defence practice – in the face of a crumbling criminal justice system – affect criminal law and process teaching and learning. Finally, we explore how the resilience of criminal defence can be provided (or bolstered) by and within the academe.