Law Times

LAW TIMES / JUNE 2, 2008 NEWS PAGE 5 Take 'fresh look' at common law degree: LSBC prez BY ROBERT TODD Law Times A s Ontario wrestles with the proposition of sev- eral new law schools, the Law Society of Upper Canada has received details on a group that will play a role in deciding the fate of those proposals. "There are a number of matters which seem to be coming together now that seem to indicate the need for a fresh look at the common law degree and what it is we expect of students who present themselves to our various bars," said John Hunt- er, Law Society of British Colum- bia president, who spoke to LSUC benchers about the Federation of Law Societies of Canada's task force on the common law degree. The task force has 10 members, including LSUC Bencher Vern Krishna and seven other benchers and former benchers from Ca- nadian law societies, along with a pair of staffers. The group hopes to have its recommendations ready by the end of the month, with public consultation wrapping up in the fall, said Hunter. A final report would be ready for FLSC's council the following spring, he said. Hunter says law schools have resisted suggestions that specific courses be mandated across the country, so the recommendations likely will focus on requiring "core competencies" in law degrees. He says the idea of a national examination, which is a require- ment in the U.S., has been floated. The task force's recommenda- tions also will focus on the need for standards in the teaching of pro- fessional responsibility and ethics, Hunter tells Law Times. Three issues are driving the task force's work, Hunter told law society benchers. He noted that Lakehead University's application for the creation of a new law school has been passed on to the National Committee on Accreditation, a branch of the FLSC charged with assessing and recommending new program proposals from Canadian law schools. Hunter said the NAC has no standards to measure the Lakehead proposal against. "A large factor and a large part of our process will be to try to sug- gest some standards . . . that would help both us as regulators and the universities who wish to set up new law schools in establishing schools whose degrees will be accepted by the law societies across Canada." The task force also is needed in the midst of an influx of foreign can- didates coming forth for bar ad- mission. Many of those candidates are Canadian students travelling to England or Australia for law school with the intention of returning to Canada upon graduation. "They want to be treated in the same way or similar way or fair way as compared to domestic law students," he said. Ontario's Fair Access to Regu- lated Professions Act — which be- came law in March 2007 — and similar legislation in other provinc- es also has put pressure on the ini- tiative, said Hunter. The act forces professions to be regulated in a fair and transparent manner to ensure international workers gain quicker entry to jobs they're trained for. While Canada has never settled on a national standard, Australia and the United States have, said Hunter, who added, "The only standard that I'm aware of that ever existed is a 1957 letter which was sent out at the time of change in education policy in this province," which was amended in 1969. LT THINK BIG. WIN BIG. Litigator keeps getting bigger and better In addition to tens of thousands of actual court documents in Civil Practice, Insurance, Torts, and Employment, Litigator™ now offers new document collections in Corporate/Commercial and Real Property. Litigator does the heavy lifting so you can do the heavy thinking Access tens of thousands of pleadings, motions, and facta from actual leading cases. Review quantum services that tell you instantly what a claim is worth. Analyze trends and patterns in the judge's rulings and opposing counsel's actions. Get the persuasive arguments, competitive intelligence, and big picture strategy you need to build a strong case. www.litigatoronline.ca AUTHORITATIVE.INNOVATIVE.TRUSTED. Untitled-2 1 www.lawtimesnews.com 5/30/08 9:17:46 AM 11540(T2) MM2 04/08

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