Get real-world experience before taking CLP, aspiring lawyers told

 Examiners say many candidates who took the examination last year would have performed better with the aid of practical knowledge.

Only 189 of the 870 candidates who sat for all five papers in last year’s Certificate in Legal Practice managed a full pass.

PETALING JAYA:

 Aspiring lawyers sitting for their Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) have been advised to attend court proceedings or seek internships before attempting the examination.

In a performance report on last year’s candidates, examiners said candidates would have a better grasp of how the law operates by observing court proceedings or securing internships at law firms.

They noted that many candidates struggled to understand the questions, failed to organise their thoughts logically, or displayed a weak command of English.

“Practical knowledge can significantly enhance a candidate’s ability to answer questions,” read the report released by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board last month, and sighted by FMT.

The report also cited illegible handwriting and poor time management.

“Many candidates either failed to complete all questions or provided very brief, superficial answers to later questions,” it read.

A total of 1,027 candidates registered for the annual examination, which comprised five subjects, last year.

However, only about 870 sat for all five papers — General Paper, Civil Procedure, Criminal Procedure, Evidence and Professional Practice.

Only 189 candidates, or about 20%, obtained a full pass, with the passing mark for each paper set at 40%. Another 157 obtained partial passes after failing only one subject. Candidates are allowed a maximum of three re-sits of a failed paper.

According to the report, candidates performed the worst in Criminal Procedure, followed by Civil Procedure, Professional Practice, Evidence and General Paper.

One examiner told private teaching institutes offering the CLP course to “buck up”, saying they should ensure candidates are taught to apply the law to the facts.

“It may be that candidates only have the answers memorised, or that the lecturers lack practical experience. Law colleges must buck up. Otherwise, the quality of the candidates will continue to deteriorate,” the report said.

The examiners said examination questions are based on the reality that candidates are preparing themselves to enter their formative years of legal practice.

“Hence, a good foundation is of foremost importance. It would be irresponsible on the examiners’ part to let candidates go forward with feeble answers,” read the report. - FMT