LETR: business as usual for the bar as report rejects common training – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 25th, 2013 in barristers, legal education, legal profession, news, reports, solicitors by sally

“Training for barristers and solicitors is almost certain to remain separate following the Legal Education and Training Review’s rejection of the idea of a common professional course.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 25th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Education review comes out for ‘incremental’ reform – Law Society’s Gazette

“Legal education and training is not ‘fundamentally broken’ but is failing to ensure consistent levels of quality across the profession, a long-awaited pan-profession report says today.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 25th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Roundtable: future of the bar – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 24th, 2013 in barristers, debts, diversity, legal aid, legal education, news, pupillage by sally

“The fortunes of commercial and publicly funded barristers could hardly be more divergent at present. But it is not simply a ‘tale of two bars’. The bar’s monied and impecunious sections are co-dependent, according to those present at the Gazette’s roundtable discussion on the future of the bar. That division in fortunes is not new. But it has increased, and if further legal aid cuts follow, will become even more dramatic. As the discussion starts, it is noted that of 1,700 students emerging from bar school each year, perhaps fewer than 400 will secure pupillages – a modern low.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 24th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Updated statute book won’t make anyone a legal expert; but it’s a start – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted June 21st, 2013 in legal education, legislation, legislative drafting, news by tracey

“I’ve been following the Parliamentary Counsel’s laudable ‘good law’ initiative with interest (details on the Cabinet Office site here). The aim of the initiative is to have law that is #necessary, clear, coherent, effective and accessible’. The focus, perhaps naturally for the OPC, is on the complexity and drafting of legislation. Their document ‘When laws become too complex’ is well worth a read for anyone who regularly deals with legislation.The first thing that strikes me is that this initiative is really about good legislation rather than good law since case law doesn’t get much of a mention. But, for the sake of argument, let’s agree that good legislation gets us half way to good law and is worth our consideration.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 20th June 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Practice makes perfect for young lawyers studying international law – The Guardian

Posted June 5th, 2013 in international law, legal education, news by sally

“A recent roundtable discussion on the state of legal education in the UK revealed that our fledgling lawyers are better prepared for the workplace than their US counterparts.”

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The Guardian, 4th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

National College of Legal Training terminates LPC and GDL – The Lawyer

Posted May 28th, 2013 in legal education, news, universities by sally

“National College of Legal Training (NCLT) is to stop teaching the legal practice course (LPC) and graduate diploma in law (GDL), blaming market conditions and a drop in the number of students for its decision.”

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The Lawyer, 24th May 2013

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Practice Bar Course Aptitude Test now available – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 4th, 2013 in barristers, legal education, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board has created a practice Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) to help students familiarise themselves with the test structure and question style used in the actual BCAT exam.”

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Bar Standards Board, 3rd April 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Legal education: bespoke courses – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 26th, 2013 in legal education, news, solicitors, universities by sally

“News that Oxford Brookes University is discontinuing its legal practice course (LPC) because a drop in applications means it is no longer viable has sent a shock wave through the legal education market, as we await publication of the much-anticipated Legal Education and Training Review (LETR).”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 25th March 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Government backs Level 4 apprenticeships to offer new route into law – Legal Futures

Posted March 11th, 2013 in legal education, legal profession, news, universities by sally

“A new route into the legal profession is launched today in a bid to improve access and diversity in the law.”

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Legal Futures, 11th March 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Clinical Legal Education conference report – LegalVoice

Posted March 7th, 2013 in law centres, legal education, news, universities by sally

“It is well-accepted that clinical projects are an excellent forum for helping law students learn practical skills and formulate real-world solutions to legal problems rather than merely an abstract determination of liability. In the 1970s and 1980s, London South Bank University (LSBU) was at the forefront of clinic but upon the massification of higher education we lost our clinical projects because they were not financially sustainable. Revitalised by the employability agenda, clinic has returned to LSBU as an innovative South London drop-in service where students give face-to face legal advice in an open-door clinic.”

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LegalVoice, 7th March 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

The never-ending story: publication of Legal Education and Training Review delayed again – Legal Futures

Posted February 20th, 2013 in legal education, news by sally

“Completion of the much-anticipated Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) has been delayed once again.”

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Legal Futures, 20th February 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Pro bono and access to justice: mind the gap – The Guardian

Posted February 4th, 2013 in legal aid, legal education, news, pro bono work by tracey

“Should the UK follow New York’s lead and create a compulsory pro bono scheme to fill the legal aid gap?”

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The Guardian, 4th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Final Legal Education and Training Review report delayed – Legal Futures

Posted January 14th, 2013 in consultations, legal education, news, reports by tracey

“Completion of the much-anticipated Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) has been delayed, it has emerged. The academic team compiling the report after 18 months of research and consultation was meant to have delivered it by the end of 2012.”

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Legal Futures, 14th January 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

2013: the year for legal apprenticeships – The Guardian

Posted January 10th, 2013 in employment, legal education, news by sally

“Enthusiasm for legal apprenticeships grew notably last year with several firms launching formal schemes. Not only are new Higher Apprenticeships in Legal Services due to launch in March, which are equivalent to the first year of a degree, but the government’s minister for skills, Matthew Hancock, announced in late December that it may be possible to enroll on apprenticeships equivalent to bachelors and masters degree level as early as this year.”

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The Guardian, 9th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fair access to the legal profession – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2013 in diversity, law firms, legal education, legal profession, news by sally

“City law firms are exploring ways to remove barriers that prevent students from lower-income backgrounds pursuing a career in law.”

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The Guardian, 5th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Points of review – The Lawyer

Posted November 28th, 2012 in consumer protection, legal education, legal profession, news, reports by sally

“The widely criticised Legal Education and Training Review is in its final stages. Opinion is divided on whether it will achieve its objectives.”

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The Lawyer, 26th November 2012

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Mossbourne students and the law: ‘Young people don’t know their rights’ – The Guardian

Posted November 28th, 2012 in human rights, legal education, news, young persons by sally

“Can a better understanding of the law help students in their everyday lives and encourage the idea that anyone can have a successful legal career?”

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The Guardian, 27th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

College of Law to become the UK’s first for-profit university – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 27th, 2012 in education, legal education, news, universities by sally

“The privately-owned College of Law has been granted university status and will be renamed ‘The University of Law’, it has announced.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 26th November 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Britain’s first profit-making university opened – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 23rd, 2012 in legal education, news, universities by tracey

“In a groundbreaking move, it was revealed that the College of Law, the country’s largest provider of legal education and training, had been granted full university status. It is the first private university to be established since Buckingham – officially a charity – was awarded the full title almost 30 years ago. But it the first time a profit-making organisation has been turned into a university.”

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd November 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Barristers: profession is growing but what will it look like? – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2012 in barristers, diversity, equality, legal education, news, pupillage, statistics by sally

“Report shows fewer BME pupils, majority are from professional backgrounds and 22.5% have no debt.”

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The Guardian, 21st November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk