LEGAL EDUCATION: PRODUCING "PRACTICE-READY" CANDIDATES IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

Despite the existing exam requirements in a bachelor of law degree, it is claimed that local law graduates are ill-prepared for legal practice, lack of fluency in English, particularly in writing and speaking skills. This paper explores efforts made by the law schools in Malaysia within their existing curriculum to prepare students for future legal practice careers and to cater to the needs of the legal industry. The requirement of a recognized law degree has been fulfilled by most law schools, and students studying in law schools without recognition by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB) would have to sit for Certificate of Legal Practice (CLP) to qualify as a practitioner. Nevertheless, the Bar Council has been proposing for additional curriculum of Common Bar Course and Common Bar Exam. It is claimed that these additional stage of common bar course and exam would be beneficial for candidates alongside their somewhat “inefficient” bachelor of law degree. Sitting for this bar exam would allow candidates to qualify as “qualified person” under the law. Nevertheless, this paper holds on to the view that training in chambers or the pupillage period, would be the best place platform for law graduates to equip themselves with hands-on experience in legal practice, and that the “higher-standard” of paper-based exams proposed by the Bar would be futile in keeping up with the expectations of the legal industry for “practice-ready” candidates. (Key words: legal education; academia; common bar exam)