Tide Turns In Law School
Newcastle Herald
Friday July 11, 2008
LAWYERS are in demand in a wide range of occupations and women are studying law in increasing numbers.
It is expected that, as we follow the US example and become more litigious as a nation, demand will continue to increase. The range of fields in which lawyers are employed includes accountancy, government departments, insurance, banking, finance, media and sport. To become qualified in NSW it's necessary to satisfy the requirements of the Legal Profession Admission Board. The study path for entry to the legal profession starts with tackling either the board's examinations or pursuing a law degree from an accredited law school.It's necessary to complete an accredited program of practical legal training to be eligible for admission to practice.The Diploma in Law is awarded by the Legal Profession Admission Board of NSW, which is the authority that admits lawyers to practice in the state. The board's students have been taught by the Law Extension Committee of the University of Sydney since 1964.The diploma is the academic equivalent of a law school degree for purposes of admission to the legal profession, but it can be significantly less costly to obtain.Based on the fees for tuition and examination proposed for the summer 2008/09 semester, it would be possible to complete the diploma for less than $11,000.The board's aim in offering the diploma is to provide a readily accessible legal education and a flexible means of entry to the legal profession. It is designed to be especially suitable for part-time students and country residents who need to undertake the course as external students. The course is academically rigorous, but emphasis is placed on performance in the course itself, rather than high entry requirements. Statistics show that females account for more than half the law graduates at some universities. About 60 per cent of this year's graduate intake was women. Observers claim that the legal profession is being "feminised". With women dominant in the numbers at most law schools, they also feature prominently at the other end, where firms are looking for employees. Despite that, women are under-represented at the bar. Comparative figures show that a little under 17 per cent of the barristers in NSW and less than 50 per cent of the lawyers are women. Inequitable working arrangements are being blamed. The push is now on to encourage both governments and legal firms to introduce more flexible working conditions to level the playing field. Given the numbers involved, change is considered to be inevitable.
© 2008 Newcastle Herald