Legal education’s oversupply is unethical – The Lawyer

“Too many people are looking to become solicitors in England and Wales. This is not an opinion, it is a fact based on the most recent annual report from the Law Society.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 25th April 2011

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Prisoners sign up for law degrees – The Guardian

“Legal degrees are proving popular with prisoners and ex-convicts – but can they ever become solicitors?”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawcast 182: Emily Allbon, Law Librarian at City Law School on research skills, law resources and social media – Charon QC

“Today I am talking to Emily Allbon, law Librarian at City University and the editor of the excellent Lawbore resource website. Research skills lie at the root of all legal work, whether in academe or practice, so we are going to look at the skills needed and resources available to law students and lawyers in the modern era. We may even have time to look at the value of legal blogging and social media for younger lawyers and not so young lawyers.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 14th April 2011

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Profession helps law schools to step up pro bono advice – Law Society’s Gazette

“The number of law schools offering pro bono legal advice has risen significantly thanks to a boost in support from solicitors, a report published this week has found.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 8th April 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lawcast 181: Baroness Deech, Chair of The Bar Standards Board on legal education and the regulation of the profession – Charon QC

“Today I am talking to Baroness Deech, an academic lawyer, former Principal of St Anne’s College Oxford, and a bioethicist. Most noted for chairing the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), from 1994 to 2002, Lady Deech sits as a Crossbench peer in the House of Lords (since 2005) and, since 2009, Chair of The Bar Standards Board ”

Podcast

Charon QC, 8th April 2011

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Possible changes to the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS) regulations – Bar Standards Board

“The SRA Board has approved changes to the QLTS Regulations which, if approved by the Legal Services Board, will put part-time students who began their BVC in 2009 in the same position as full-time 2009 BVC students, with regard to qualifying via the QLTR.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 24th March 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Become a Barrister: Bar Council and Inns of Court Launch New Careers Website – The Bar Council

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, along with the four Inns of Court, has today launched a new careers website to provide a range of accessible information to school and university students. ‘Become a barrister’ (www.become-a-barrister.com) is a new portal for anyone interested in a career at the Bar and includes a series of films and case studies aimed at demystifying entry to the profession.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 22nd March 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Oxford exam-fail law student loses compensation bid – BBC News

“An Oxford graduate who sued a law college after failing her exams has lost a bid for damages and was told her own lack of aptitude was to blame.”

Full story

BBC News, 18th March 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar Standards Board pushes back introduction of BPTC aptitude test – Legal Week

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has confirmed a new timetable for the introduction of an aptitude test for the Bar Vocational Training Course (BPTC).”

Full story

Legal Week, 18th March 2011

Source: www.legalweek.com

From pen to wig: the 40-plus brigade who make a late switch to law – The Guardian

“The College of Law is putting on additional ‘Switch to Law’ open days to deal with the demand.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gearing up for 20th Annual Bar National Mock Trial Final: “A Triumph of Opportunity, Excellence and Achievement” – The Bar Council

“The Citizenship Foundation, in partnership with the Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland and the Bar Council of Northern Ireland, is gearing up for the 20th annual final of the Bar National Mock Trial Competition.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 10th March 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

College of Law launches part-time BPTC programme – Law Society’s Gazette

“The College of Law in Birmingham is to offer a part-time Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) beginning September 2011.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th March 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

From Law Undergraduate to Professional Practitioner – Bar Standards Board

From Law Undergraduate to Professional Practitioner (presentation)

Baroness Deech, Derek Wood QC, Dr John Carrier, Dr Valerie Shrimplin.

Bar Standards Board, 28th January 2011

Source: www.slideshare.net

Study to examine oversupply of LPC graduates – Law Society’s Gazette

“An in-depth study into education and training within the profession will address the current ‘mismatch’ between the number of Legal Practice Course graduates and training contracts, and will assess the role of paralegals, the Legal Services Board has said.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 24th February 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Making the would-be barristers of tomorrow face harsh realities of today – The Guardian

“A conference on the future of legal education debates curbing the ambitions of law schools as only one in eight graduates becomes a lawyer.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

College of Law launches two-year law degree – Law Society’s Gazette

“The College of Law has developed a two-year law degree that will focus on improving students’ employment prospects and practical legal skills while covering the curriculum in the same depth as a traditional three-year course, it said this week.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 26th January 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

What to do with your law intern – The Guardian

“Employers are under pressure to up their game when it comes to temporary placements.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th January 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BPP caves in to pressure with fast-track LPC for all – The Lawyer

“BPP Law School has bowed to student demands by becoming the first LPC provider to launch a fast-track LPC to all students, beginning in August 2011.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 10th January 2011

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Solicitor-advocate training ‘not fit for purpose’ – Law Society’s Gazette

“The training given to solicitor-advocates is ‘not fit for purpose’ and must be improved to conquer the perception that they are inferior to barristers, according to an independent review.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 16th December 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Time for legal profession to lay down the law on training – The Guardian

“A forthcoming review of the way lawyers are trained provides an ideal opportunity to overhaul a dysfunctional system.”

Full story

The Guardian, 10th December 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Creating a legal training framework that will breed diversity – The Guardian

“As the legal professions – dominated by ex-private school pupils – seek to open up, getting it right is more important than doing it quickly.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th November 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Calls for major reform to law training – Law Society’s Gazette

“Pressure mounted for sweeping reform of the education and training of lawyers this week, as regulators announced a root-and-branch review of the current framework.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th November 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Regulators consult on tougher rules for law degrees – Law Society Gazette

“A joint committee of the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board has released two consultations on the future of the undergraduate law degree.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 26th October 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

College of Law backs proposals to open up tuition fees market – Legal Week

“The College of Law has thrown its support behind Lord Browne’s review of student funding, which could see the removal of the cap on UK university fees.”

Full story

Legal Week, 12th October 2010

Source:www.legalweek.com

Bar Council Kicks Off Week of Events to Promote Entry to the Bar – Bar Council

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, is launching a week-long programme of events aimed at promoting and enhancing better access to the profession. This will include a day-long conference in Birmingham, for sixth-formers interested in a career at the Bar and the fourth annual Bar Placement Scheme, in conjunction with the Social Mobility Foundation.”

Full story

Bar Council, 8th August 2010

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Fury as ‘superb’ training scheme for legal aid lawyers faces axe – The Guardian

“Government plans to scrap a scheme for supporting the training of future legal aid lawyers has provoked a furious response, as critics say the move will hit the prospects of the poorest in society joining the profession.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th July 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BSB seeks to extend IELTS requirements for students – Bar Standards Board

“The BSB is in the process of requesting permission from the Legal Services Board to amend the Bar Training Regulations to require all students on the BPTC to take IELTS (or equivalent) and score a minimum of 7.5 in each section.”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 23rd June 2010

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Bar Council shares experience on easing financial barriers to the professions – The Bar Council

“David Pittaway QC, Chair of the Bar Council’s Training for the Bar Committee and the Neuberger Monitoring and Implementation Group, addressed the Gateways to the Professions Collaborative Forum, chaired by RIBA President Ruth Reed, on the subject of the Bar Loans Scheme, yesterday.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 17th June 2010

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

BSB chair: ‘merge solicitors’ and barristers’ training courses’ – Law Society’s Gazette

“The chair of the bar’s regulator has called for a radical overhaul of legal professional education by merging the solicitors’ and barristers’ courses, to give young people longer to decide which branch of the profession they want to join.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 17th June 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Making the law accessible for all – The Guardian

“One of the most thankless jobs in the legal world must be championing public legal education (PLE). The embodiment of motherhood and apple pie, nobody can argue with the notion that people should have the know-how to manage the law in their everyday lives, but it is one of the most marginal of issues.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th May 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Standards Board endorses Wood review of pupillage – Bar Standards Board

“The Bar Standards Board has published the report of a major review of pupillage training for the Bar.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 19th May 2010

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Educating future mediators – Speech by Lord Neuberger, Master of the Rolls

“Educating future mediators – speech by Lord Neuberger at the Fourth Civil Mediation Council National Conference on 11th May 2010.”

Full speech

Judiciary of England and Wales, 11th May 2010

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Space law course to tackle final frontier – The Guardian

“For the first time in a UK syllabus, a module on law and the legal system beyond Earth’s atmosphere will be included as an option for students starting at Sunderland University in September.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Standards Board raps BPP Law School for taking on too many students – The Lawyer

“BPP Law School has been put under scrutiny after the Bar Standards Board (BSB) published a report on its ’triggered visit’ to the ­institution, which was prompted by the fact BPP’s BVC was oversubscribed.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 8th March 2010

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Cost and class raise barriers to legal aid lawyer careers – The Guardian

“The lack of social mobility in the legal sector has reached critical levels, according to a report published today, with aspiring lawyers from less privileged backgrounds struggling to work in key areas of law.”

Full story

The Guardian, 1st March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Vocational Course monitoring visits – academic year 2009-10 – Bar Standards Board

“It was agreed by the BSB’s Education & Training Committee (10 February 2009) that reports of BSB monitoring visits to Bar Vocational Course providers should be published on the BSB website from the Academic Year 2009-10.”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 23rd February 2010

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

The BPP Bar Vocational Course Saga continues … – Charon QC

“Legal Week reports: It has also been confirmed that BPP Law School, which last month asked for volunteers among its BVC students to defer for a year, exceeded its allocated numbers of 456 by 80. This figure includes both the full-time and part-time BVC courses run by BPP in London and Leeds. It has since been reduced to 63 as a result of deferrals and withdrawals.”

Full story

Charon QC, 12th October 2009

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

MoJ launches schools legal education project – The Lawyer

“School pupils are to be taught how the justice ­system works as part of a national curriculum change unveiled by justice minister Bridget Prentice and ­Attorney General Baroness Scotland QC.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 20th July 2009

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Charon Reports: Cheating or taking professional advice? – Charon QC

“Today I talked to John Foster, spokesman for Oxbridge Training Contracts about the legality of his service, his view of the ethics and exactly what Oxbridge Training Contracts is actually offering to students who wish to use their services. We also talk about the provision of model answers, tailored to specific questions put by the student client, and the problems that could arise if a student submits these model answers as their own work for coursework assessment.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 24th March 2009

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Deaf student launches discrimination action against law school – Law Society’s Gazette

“A deaf would-be law student has begun proceedings against a London law school, alleging disability discrimination on the grounds of ‘unfavourable treatment’ and failure to make ‘reasonable adjustments’.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette. 5th March 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Law schools to increase fees despite downturn – Legal Week

“Three of London’s law schools have considerably increased their Legal Practice Course (LPC), despite the widespread cost-cutting measures currently being implemented across the profession.”

Full story

Legal Week, 26th February 2009

Source: www.legalweek.com

I put it to you that this university law course is not fit for practice – The Times

“Law students — perhaps unsurprisingly, given the subject they are studying — are among those most likely to complain about their course at university.”

Full story

The Times, 15th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

The Bar’s recent initiatives to promote social mobility in the profession will assist former Minister Alan Milburn’s review being launched this week alongside a Government White Paper – The Bar Council

“An in-depth inquiry into the background of entrants to the Bar by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury in 2007 produced 57 recommendations amounting to a detailed road-map for the promotion of social mobility. The Bar Council is hard at work implementing those proposals with the whole-hearted cooperation of the Inns of Court, which all student barristers join.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 12th January 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Future lawyers get ‘life coaches’ to remove barriers to law – Ministry of Justice

“Budding lawyers seeking advice and support in their efforts to join the legal profession will be helped by a government initiative launched today by Justice Minister Lord Bach.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 23rd October 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Training just got harder for would-be barristers (but easier for solicitors) – The Times

“If it’s already tough getting into the Bar, it’s about to become a great deal tougher. All aspiring barristers will soon have to take a special aptitude test before they can sit the one-year vocational training course, a move that could weed out hundreds of applicants a year.”

Full story

The Times, 15th October 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

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New Criminal Bar Chairman calls for fresh focus on training – The Bar Council

“Peter Lodder QC, who starts work as Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association today (1st September), has called for improvements to the way in which potential barristers are trained.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 1st September 2008

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

College of Law hits out at SRA proposals – Legal Week

“The College of Law has hit out at the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) after the regulatory body proposed scrapping compulsory higher rights qualifications for solicitor advocates in favour of a voluntary accreditation process.”

Full story

Legal Week, 29th August 2008

Source: www.legalweek.com

Podcast 76: Wood Report on BVC – City Law School response – Charon QC

“Today I am talking to Stuart Sime, Barrister and Director of the BVC at The City Law School (Inns of Court School of Law) about his view of The Wood Report.

We discuss the content of the proposed Bar Professional Training Course and the way The City Law School approaches the training of bar students.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 23rd July 2008

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Podcast 72: The Wood Report on the changes to the BVC – College of Law response – Charon QC

“Today I am talking to Richard de Friend, director of the Bloomsbury centre of The College of Law. Richard has had a long and distinguished career in legal education as pro Vice Chancellor of Kent University and, in recent years, with the College of Law.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 23rd July 2008

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Podcast 71: Wood Report – The proposed changes to the BVC – Charon QC

“Today I am talking to Jon McLeod, Chairman, Public Affairs – Weber Shandwick who acted for the Bar Standards Board in the recent report of the Working Group in relation to Review of The Bar Vocational Course. Jon McLeod went into public affairs in 1994, having spent six years in financial and legal journalism. His specialisms include: Parliamentary and lobbying campaigns, coalition building, national media relations, litigation and legal communications, and strategic counsel.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 23rd July 2008

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

Related link: Wood Report on the BVC (PDF)

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Bar Council Welcomes Report On The Bar Vocational Course – The Bar Council

“The Bar Council has today welcomed the publication of the Wood Report on the Bar Vocational Course (BVC), which was produced by a Working Group chaired by Derek Wood QC.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 18th July 2008

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Former member of Islamist group barred from becoming solicitor – The Guardian

“A former member of a radical Islamist group who was an Amnesty prisoner of conscience and who now works for an anti-extremist Muslim thinktank has been refused permission to train as a lawyer. The decision was attacked yesterday as ‘McCarthyite’ by a senior lawyer and human rights campaigner.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th July 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Podcast 59: LLB Degree inflation with Norman Baird, QEDLaw – Charon QC

“Today I am talking with Norman Baird about his extensive research into LLB degree inflation in recent years. His findings are published on his QEDlaw blog and are well worth reading if you have an interest in legal education.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 18th June 2008

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

Related link: LLB Degree Inflation – QED Law

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

TfBC Final Report: The Bar Vocational Course – The Bar Council

“The Training for the Bar Committee ( TfBC) of the Bar Council has produced a report setting out its view on how the Bar Vocational Course should be revised. This report will be fed into the BSB’s Wood Working Group which is currently looking at all aspects of the BVC on behalf of the BSB.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 17th June 2008

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Related link: Final Report: The Bar Vocational Course (PDF)