LEGAL EDUCATION

Evening Star, Issue 19000, 23 July 1925, Page 2

LEGAL EDUCATION

REPRESENTATION OF STUDENTS -Ar T. A. Kinmont, president of the Otago University Law Faculty Association, gave evidence that the association was of the opinion that tho course laid down for theLL.B. and law professional examinations was insufficient in that it made no provision for practical training in a legal office. That a person completing his LL.H. degree or his solicitor’s professional examinations at the university should then bo qualified to commence the practice of his profession without undergoing any practical training was not a sufficient guarantee of efficiency from the point of view of public protection. For this reason, and in view of tho fact that in such faculties as, for example, the medical, dental, and mining faculties, practical instruction was essentially part of the university training, the association suggested that in addition to the present course at least three years’ practical experience in hhc employ of a practising barrister or solicitor or in approved Government departments whore legal experience could be obtained should be completed before a person could bo admitted as a barrister or solicitor_ of the Supreme Court! The association desired that the university should recognise those law students who attended university lectures and kept terms, but did not complete their LL.IJ. decree by granting to such students a diploma such us, ' ng., Diploma of Law (University of >my Zealand). Tho present system did not encourage a student who --ms unable, to take his degree to keep terms or oven to attend the university. At present one who did not iiitond taking his LL.B. degree was inclined to favor commercial colleges. In order, therefore, to attract law students to tho university and make the uni verity the school of law which it should be the association suggested that tho Commission should recommend the granting of such a diploma by the university to those students ivho kept terms in all professional subjects.