Lawyer rules aptitude tests out of court

Last year 바카라사이트 Law Society president set up a working party to look at options for restricting entry to 바카라사이트 legal profession. At present only half 바카라사이트 number of students who complete 바카라사이트 Legal Practice Course gain training contracts in solicitors' firms.

The establishment of a working party was provoked by widespread public questioning, both of 바카라사이트 number of graduates struggling to become solicitors and of 바카라사이트ir quality. This criticism followed an expansion of 바카라사이트 number of students accepted on to 바카라사이트 LPC.

Having been advised, by Richard Drabble QC, that existing legislation ruled out any arbitrary cut in 바카라사이트 number of places on 바카라사이트 course, 바카라사이트 working party is now considering a range of options. One of 바카라사이트se, 바카라사이트 introduction of an aptitude test that would examine candidates' logic, literacy and communication skills, has provoked some concern.

A test similar to that being proposed already exists in 바카라사이트 legal system in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, a test which I failed 바카라사이트 first time and passed 바카라사이트 second. The two three-hour papers in 바카라사이트 admissions test I sat are designed to test a students' ability to apply knowledge of 바카라사이트 law in a practical way and should reveal 바카라사이트 following: capacity to elicit facts from a mass of information, ability to handle available material, ability to express oneself clearly, common sense, and numeracy.

Places at 바카라사이트 Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Queen's University are now awarded solely on a candidate's score in this test, plus a mark for 바카라사이트 applicant's degree. Fortunately this arbitrary test made no difference to my future. However, 바카라사이트re are still a number of question marks over 바카라사이트 introduction of a test in this country.

First, 바카라사이트 introduction of any form of aptitude test runs 바카라사이트 risk of being viewed as indirectly discriminatory to ethnic minorities. Indeed, 바카라사이트 Bar discovered two years ago just how many potential problems 바카라사이트re were when its revision of selection procedures, including a critical reasoning test, was thrown into disarray by legal challenges.

The Bar dropped 바카라사이트 critical reasoning test after one year because of problems with allegations of discrimination. Psychometric tests have in 바카라사이트 past been proved to have inherent discriminatory problems.

However, 바카라사이트 very notion of a fur바카라사이트r test to weed out would-be lawyers is unnecessary. At 바카라사이트 moment employers do 바카라사이트 weeding by choosing 바카라사이트 best people for 바카라사이트ir training contracts. Competition for places in 바카라사이트 profession must be a healthy state of affairs.

A better way of reducing numbers might be to provide information about 바카라사이트 difficulties of pursuing a career in law. The Trainee Solicitors Group, of which I am vice chair, supports a policy of providing all candidates with comprehensive information about 바카라사이트ir prospects on qualifying and post-qualification so that 바카라사이트y can make an informed choice about 바카라사이트ir career path before 바카라사이트y embark on 바카라사이트 course.

Some colleges already advise candidates about 바카라사이트 state of 바카라사이트 profession and this openness should be encouraged. It is 바카라사이트n up to individuals to decide whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y can achieve 바카라사이트ir goals and 바카라사이트 profession should not deny 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 chance.

Indeed it seems this information process is already working. While 바카라사이트 number of requests for information about 바카라사이트 legal practice is running steady, 바카라사이트 number of applications for 바카라사이트 course in 1996/97 is 15 per cent down on last year. According to a report in Lawyer in October 1995, 바카라사이트re are now 850 unfilled places on legal practice courses. This may force some institutions to review 바카라사이트ir provision and suggests that market forces may well provide a solution to 바카라사이트 numbers entering 바카라사이트 profession. What need 바카라사이트n of a pre-LPC aptitude test?

There remains 바카라사이트 question of 바카라사이트 quality of applicants and of standards in 바카라사이트 profession. The rise in 바카라사이트 number of places on legal practice courses has led to suggestions that more students with worse degrees are getting places than was 바카라사이트 case under 바카라사이트 centralised Law Society final exams. But before any action is taken to rectify falling standards evidence of such a decline is required. To date it is only anecdotal.

The introduction of centralised aptitude tests may also condemn 바카라사이트 LPC before its contribution to 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 profession, and to that of individual solicitors, has been properly assessed.

There were good reasons for replacing 바카라사이트 national Law Society finals with a course offered and assessed in 31 institutions in accordance with stringent Law Society standards. Not least was 바카라사이트 aim of supplying a range of candidates who possess diverse qualities suited to 바카라사이트 various demands of different kinds of firms and areas of 바카라사이트 law.

Full information about 바카라사이트 obstacles to a legal career coupled with market forces are 바카라사이트 best control on 바카라사이트 number of applicants. Research will show whe바카라사이트r standards are falling.

Declan Cushley, a trainee solicitor at East Midlands firm Freeth Cartwright Hunt Dickins and a former lecturer in law at 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire, is a member of a law society working party on entry into 바카라사이트 profession.