WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1979
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MR. HOBLEY SAID FOR MANY YEARS. THE LAW SOCIETY HAD PROVIDED FACILITIES IN HONG KONG SO THAT STUDENTS MAY QUALIFY FOR ADMISSION AS SOLICITORS HERE WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO ENGLAND EITHER FOR EXAMINATION OR FOR THE PURPOSE OF ARTICLES.
+THIS IS ONE OF THE THREE MAIN METHODS BY WHICH STUDENTS MAY NOW QUALIFY FOR ADMISSION IN HONG KONG.+
BUT, MR. HOBLEY SAID THAT BECAUSE OF CHANGES IN THE SYSTEM OF LEGAL EDUCATION IN ENGLAND, THAT FACILITY WILL BE WITHDRAWN WITH EFFECT FROM THE END OF 1980.+
+FORTUNATELY, THE LAW SOCIETY OF HONG KONG HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROCURE THE SERVICE OF THE ENGLISH LAW SOCIETY'S EXAMINERS UNTIL THE END OF 1982. THIS MEANS THAT STUDENTS NOW ENROLLED HAVE FOUR YEARS TO QUALIFY AS A SOLICITOR BY THIS METHOD.+
MR. HOBLEY POINTED OUT THAT THE ROLL OF STUDENTS WILL, IF THIS BILL BECOMES LAW AS IT NOW STANDS, BE CLOSED WITH EFFECT FROM ITS PUBLICATION IN THE GAZETTE ON FEBRUARY 23 EXCEPT TO STUDENTS WHO HOLD THE POST GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN LAW OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG OR A LAW DEGREE CONFERRED BY A RECOGNISED UNIVERSITY.
+NO FURTHER STUDENTS WILL BE ADMITTED WITH A VIEW TO QUALIFICATION BY THE METHOD WHICH IS TO DISAPPEAR BY 1983.+
MR. HOBLEY SAID THIS RETROSPECTIVE CLOSING OF THE ROLL +IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO AVOID A POSSIBLE RUSH OF STUDENTS SEEKING ADMISSION IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE IR POSITION IN RELATION TO THAT METHOD OF QUALIFYING.+
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID THAT THE LOSS OF THIS METHOD OF QUALIFYING AS A SOLICITOR WILL +HOPEFULLY BE OFFSET BY AN INCREASED NUMBER OF QUALIFIED STUDENTS LEAVING THE SCHOOL OF LAW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG IN 1982.+
+NEVERTHELESS, THERE WILL BE A NET LOSS AND THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON LEGAL EDUCATION IS URGENTLY CONSIDERING HOW THE FUTURE DEMAND FOR LAWYERS SHOULD BE MET IN TERMS OF TYPE OF TRAINING AND METHOD OF QUALIFYING.+
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
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