Michele Estrin Gilman (Baltimore), Ten Empowering Strategies for Nondirective Clinical Supervision, 31 Clinical L. Rev. 211 (2024):

Nondirective clinical supervision is the signature pedagogy of clinical teaching. It encourages students to take ownership over their cases and assume their role as attorneys through a supported process of decision-making. While the goals of non-directive supervision are well developed, there is less discussion of how to achieve those goals. The scant literature on non-directive methodology focuses on Socratic dialogue. Socratic questions can help students unpack their assumptions, but they can also reinforce an educational hierarchy and create anxiety for students. 

Accordingly, this article sets forth a varied menu of ten techniques to deploy during supervision meetings: (1) moots and role plays; (2) brainstorming roundtables; (3) writing workshops; (4) decision-making frameworks; (5) quick writes; (6) rule review; (7) online fact investigation; (8) video review; (9) critical theory application; and (10) guided reflection. These non-directive methods empower students by building their confidence and developing their critical skills to assess and challenge the social context facing their clients. In addition, they leave students feeling energized at the end of a supervision meeting and eager to move their cases forward, while also gaining transferable lessons that can be applied to other lawyering tasks and cases.

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