XN000022-1979-04-25 — Page 26

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1979.

ADDITIONAL QUAL IF ICATIONS FOR LAW STUDENT ENROLMENT

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THREE MORE CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE ARE TO BE ACCEPTABLE FOR ENROLMENT AS STUDENTS WITH THE LAW SOCIETY UNDER THE LEGAL PRACTITIONERS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1979 WHICH WAS PASSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE BILL ORIGINALLY RESTRICTED ENROLMENT TO THOSE WHO HOLD EITHER RECOGNISED LAW DEGREES OR THE POST-GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN LAW (PCLL) AWARDED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.

AT THE SUGGESTION OF A LEGISLATION SCRUTINY GROUP OF UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS WHO HAVE HELD A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE DEPUTY LAW DRAFTSMAN, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LAW SOCIETY, THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR ENROLMENT:

* THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED PART I OF THE QUALIFYING EXAMINATION

SET BY THE ENGLISH LAW SOCIETY-

*

*

THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED THE NEW COMMON PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION (CPE) IN ENGLAND, AND

THOSE WHO HAVE OBTAINED EXEMPTION FROM THE ENGLISH LAW SOCIETY FROM TAKING EITHER OF THE TWO EXAMINATIONS.

THE HON. PETER C. WONG, SPEAKING AT THE BILL'S SECOND READING, SAID THE RESTRICTION WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THE THREE AMENDMENTS INTRODUCED BY THE BILL.

THE FIRST AMENDMENT, WHICH CLARIFIED THAT A SOLICITOR SEEKING AN UNCONDITIONAL PRACTISING CERTIFICATE MUST HAVE BEEN BONA FIDE EMPLOYED IN THE PRACTICE OF A SOLICITOR IN HONG KONG FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS, WAS CONSIDERED FAIR AND REASONABLE BY THE UNOFFICIALS.

THE OTHER AMENDMENT, WHICH RECONSTITUTED THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON LEGAL EDUCATION (ACLE) AND BROADENED THE SCOPE OF ITS ACTIVITIES, WAS SLIGHTLY CHANGED ON THE IR SUGGESTION TO ALTER THE COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE SO THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG WILL HAVE TWO MEMBERS AND THE LAW SOCIETY THREE.

AS TO THE AMENDMENT ON ENROLMENT RESTRICTIONS, MR. WONG SAID IT HAS BEEN ADVERSELY CRITICISED SINCE, BY IMPLICATION, IT RESTRICTED THE WAYS WHICH UP TO NOW WERE OPEN TO ENROLLED STUDENTS TO QUALIFY AS SOLICITORS.

THE UNOFFICIALS OBTAINED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AGREEMENT THAT IT WOULD ONLY BE A TEMPORARY HOLDING MEASURE AND THAT THE MORATORIUM WOULD EXPIRE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, UNLESS EXTENDED BY RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL.

THIS WILL GIVE THE RECONSTITUTED ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON LEGAL EDUCATION SUFFICIENT TIME TO EXAMINE MORE THOROUGHLY THE VERY COMPLICATED ISSUES INVOLVED AND TO REPORT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNOR, MR. MONG SAID.

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