OUTLAC AND ITS ESTABLISHMENT

The Open University of Tanzania Legal Aid Clinic commonly to be referred as OUTLAC is a creature of the Open University of Tanzania Charter of Incorporation having established by the Open University Council during its 56th sitting.

The OUTLAC was established with a clear mandate of putting in practice the law that we teach, offer pro bono legal services to the needy and the most disadvantaged group in the society as well as act as a community service scheme for the Open University of Tanzania which has network of regional centre all over the United Republic of Tanzania.

Why Legal Aid Clinic

The Open University of Tanzania as one of the implementing agencies of the legal sector reform programme thought timely justice for all will not be achievable in the absence of more opportunities for legal aid providers. OUTLAC aims to breathe life into United Republic of Tanzania's Constitutional guarantee of equality before the law through probono services to low income and vulnerable groups in the society who would otherwise have no access to justice.

It is upon those bases that the Faculty of Law of The Open University of Tanzania came up with this idea of establishing the legal aid clinic which in most cases will be mobile to our regional centres throughout Tanzania. OUTLAC will work very closely with the already established legal aid schemes. It will also forge link with other individuals and organizations with interest in legal aid provision.

Mission

OUTLAC Mission is to make Probono part and parcel of the academic life.

Vision

OUTLAC Vision is to see access and timely justice for all in realizing the constitutional principle of equality before the law.

Goal

OUTLAC goal is to increase access to justice and awareness to low income and vulnerable groups in the society, to Forster independence and dignity of clients.

ORGANISATION STRUCTURE

OUTLAC has two organs:

• The General meeting comprising of all members of the OUTLAC and is the highest organ of the OUTLAC.
• The Legal Aid Committee comprising of the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and the Head of Research and Consultancy. This committee is responsible in ensuring the smooth running of OUTLAC Programmes.

MEMBERSHIP

All members of the Faculty of Law of The Open University of Tanzania are automatically members of OUTLAC. OUTLAC membership is also open to all lawyers upon fulfillment of the membership conditions, which includes filling of the application form and submitting it to OUTLAC with the necessary entrance fee and annual subscription fees.

OUR SERVICES

• Legal representation
• OUTLAC undertake court representation for people who cannot afford lawyers as well as drafting court documents/processes to clients.
• Legal training, advocacy & advice
• OUTLAC is a centre for legal training, thus conducts mobile legal outreach to educate the community on human rights affecting them as well as educating employers on rights of people living with HIV/AIDS in the working places. Also provides legal counseling and legal advice to the poor and vulnerable groups in the society.
• Legal research
• OUTLAC conducts legal research on laws and lobby for changes on discriminatory laws to harmonize relations between existing classes in the society.

The Faculty of Law offers the following Programme:

Undergraduate Studies

• Bachelor of Law (LL.B)

Postgraduate Studies

• Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) 
• Master of Laws (LL.M)
• Master Of Laws In Information Technology And Telecommunications (Ll.M-It&T)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)