RIS ID

90493

Publication Details

K. Murray, 'A book-end approach to ethics: the increasing importance of incorporating ethics into the first-year curriculum' in L. Wolff and M. Nicolae(ed), The First-year Law Experience: A New Beginning (2014) 71-82. 2014

Additional Publication Information

ISBN: 9781925043105

Abstract

Recently, the law degree has become a more generalist degree. Yet the Council of Australian Law Deans advises that almost two-thirds oflaw graduates ultimately seek admission to practice. This means that the majority of students commencing a law degree intend to become a solicitor or barrister. Few first-year students, however, are aware of the processes surrounding admission to the profession. They are unaware that merely completing an LLB degree does not a solicitor make. Prospective law students often do not realise that the degree needs to be supplemented by practical legal training (PLT). Beyond that, having satisfied these two academic requirements (the LLB/]D and PLT) students find themselves merely "eligible" for admission. There still remains the question of being "suitable for admission" . Legal profession legislation around the country restricts admission to the profession to individuals who are considered "fit and proper". In deciding whether an applicant is "fit and proper", the admission boards have the power to admit only applicants who are defined as "suitable" . Suitability matters relate generally to the ethical suitability of the applicants: an applicant must be deemed of "good fame and character' to be suitable for admission as a legal practitioner.

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