Ten things I wish I’d known before becoming a law student – The Guardian

Posted July 31st, 2013 in legal education, legal profession, news, universities by sally

“When choosing my degree, I was young, naive and full of false expectations. Here’s what I’ve learnt.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Teenager becomes youngest person to be called to the Bar – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 31st, 2013 in barristers, legal education, news, young persons by sally

“A teenager has become the youngest person to qualify as a barrister in the 600 year history of the profession – so she can work in the Bahamas.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 30th July 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

A work in progress – New Law Journal

“Jon Robins turns the spotlight on the conclusions & recommendations of the long awaited LETR.”

Full story

New Law Journal, 19th July 2013

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Legal Education Foundation launches with grants to promote pro bono, education and social mobility – Legal Futures

Posted July 11th, 2013 in charities, equality, legal education, news, pro bono work by sally

“The charity created following the sale of the College of Law last year has today announced its first grants, with access to justice, the profession and education the focus.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 10th July 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Criminal solicitors “losing moral compass” – and not just because of falling legal aid pay – Legal Futures

“Defence lawyers bear partial responsibility for miscarriages of justice, and better ethics training and spending time with ordinary people are as likely to reverse ‘moral decline’ as boosting pay, according to new research.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 10th July 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Pupillage ‐ the way ahead  – The Bar Council

Posted July 8th, 2013 in barristers, legal aid, legal education, news, pupillage by sally

“The autumn of 2013 will see Government proposals which may bring about the greatest changes to the provision of legally aided representation in criminal cases since the introduction of public funding for those accused of crime. The last two years have seen the most fundamental reduction of legal aid provision in family and general civil work since the introduction of legal aid in 1948.”

Full story (PDF)

The Bar Council, June 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Judges call for urgent overhaul to cope with surge of LIPs – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 8th, 2013 in judiciary, legal aid, legal education, litigants in person, news by sally

“The government and judicial office must overhaul training, advice to litigants and the nature of the court process itself to deal with thousands more litigants in person (LIPs), a judicial working group has concluded.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 5th July 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Why UK legal education is falling short in a globalised world – The Guardian

Posted July 4th, 2013 in human rights, legal education, news, universities by sally

“Students need to learn both the positive and negative impacts of law on human rights and global development, says Robert Tam.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Does the Legal Education and Training Review live up to its billing? – Law Society’s Gazette

“There is one quote in the long-delayed Legal Education and Training Review report that gives the game away – perhaps accidentally. ‘It became clear,’ say the authors, ‘that removing some significant parts of the system, such as training contracts and pupillages, would not be acceptable.’ One must assume, then, that the reviewers accepted their remit would be strictly circumscribed at the outset. Was it not their job to decide what ought to be ‘acceptable’ – or at least actively considered? Seemingly not.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 1st July 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Immigration Rule changes – UK Border Agency

“As previously announced a number of minor changes to the Immigration Rules come into effect today, Monday 1 July 2013.”

Full press release

Uk Border Agency, 30th June 2013

Soruce: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

The legal education training review is finally here. And not much has changed – The Guardian

Posted June 27th, 2013 in barristers, legal education, legal profession, news, reports, solicitors by sally

“The highly anticipated report rightly focuses on alternative, cheaper ways to train but the test will be making non-traditional paths into law seem sexy.”

Full story

The Guardian, 26th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Setting Standards: The future of legal services education and training regulation in England and Wales – Legal Education and Training Review

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

Setting Standards: The future of legal services education and training regulation in England and Wales (PDF)

Legal Education and Training Review, 25th June 2013

Source: www.letr.org.uk

Legal Education and Training Review report: a good basis but many areas to improve – Legal Futures

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

“There is a good standard of legal education and training in England and Wales – ‘for the most part’ – but quality, accessibility and flexibility need to be enhanced ‘to ensure the system remains fit for the future’, the Legal Education and Training Review research report has concluded.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 25th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

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.”

Full story

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.”

Full story

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.”

Full story

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.”

Full story

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.”

Full story

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.”

Full story

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.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 3rd April 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk