Earning the Right to Practice Law

The educational prerequisites to becoming a lawyer vary greatly from country to country. In some countries, law is taught by a faculty of law, which is a department of a university's general college. Law students in those countries pursue a Bachelor or Master of Laws degree. The Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) is a first professional degree in law in England and most common law countries (with the exception of the United States, and Canada) as the primary law degree. The Master of Laws (LL.M) is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree. These are often followed by a series of advanced examinations and apprenticeships.

In the United States and countries following the American model, such as Canada, law is primarily taught at law schools. Most law schools are part of universities but a few are independent institutions. The United States is the only common law country that no longer offers the LL.B. Law schools in the United States award graduating students a Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D). Many schools also offer post-doctoral law degrees such as the Master of Laws (LL.M), or the Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D) for students interested in advancing their research knowledge in a specific area of law.

The methods and quality of legal education vary widely. Some countries require a formal apprenticeship with an experienced practitioner in place of any kind of formal legal education (though the number of persons who actually become lawyers that way is increasingly rare). A few countries prefer to teach through readings of judicial opinions (the casebook method) followed by intense in-class cross-examination by the professor (the Socratic method). Many others have only lectures on highly abstract legal doctrines, which forces young lawyers to figure out how to actually think and write like a lawyer at their first job.

Depending upon the country, a typical class size could range from five students in a seminar to five hundred in a giant lecture room. In the United States, law schools maintain small class sizes, and as such, grant admissions on a more limited and competitive basis.

Some countries, particularly industrialized ones, have a traditional preference for full-time law programs, while in developing countries, students often work full- or part-time to pay the tuition and fees of their part-time law programs.

Some jurisdictions grant a "diploma privilege" to certain institutions, so that merely earning a degree from those institutions is the primary qualification for practicing law. However, in a large number of countries, a law student must pass a bar examination before receiving a license to practice. The bar examination can be very challenging; only about 50% of applicants pass the examination.

2. Look at the following sentences from the text and match the words in bold to their definitions (a-h) below.

1) The educational prerequisites to becoming a lawyer vary greatly from country to country.

2) Law students in those countries pursue a Master or Bachelor of Laws degree.

3) The Bachelor of Laws is a first professional degree in law in England and most common law countries.

4) Some countries require a formal apprenticeship with an experienced practitioner.

5) A few countries prefer to teach through readings of judicial opinions.

6) A few countries prefer to teach through readings of judicial opinions followed by intense in-class cross-examination by the professor.

7) Students often work full- or part-time to pay the tuition and fees of their part-time law programs.

8) However, in a large number of countries, a law student must pass a bar examination before receiving a license to practice.

a) law developed by judges through decisions of courts rather than through legislative acts or executive branch action

b) examination conducted to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction

c) questioning (a person) closely, especially with regard to information given previously

d) entrance money for an examination

e) requirements as a condition for smth else

f) learning a job by working for a number of years in return for being taught

g) have as an aim or purpose

h) judge's written explanations of a court decision

3. Read the text again and choose the best variant to complete the following sentences.

1. The Master of Laws degree is generally pursued by …

a) secondary school graduates

b) those who are already holders of one or more law degrees

2. In the United States law is primarily taught at … schools.

a) law

b) business

3. The primary law degree awarded graduating students by American law schools is the …

a) Bachelor of Laws

b) Doctor of Jurisprudence

4. The most common approach to learning law is through …

a) a formal apprenticeship with an experienced practitioner

b) formal legal education

5. The casebook method of teaching is based on readings of …

a) judicial precedents

b) legislative acts

6. In the United States, admissions to law schools are more limited and competitive than in other countries because of … class sizes.

a) large

b) small

7. Some countries, particularly industrialized ones, have a traditional preference for … -time law programs.

a) full

b) part

8. A "diploma privilege" is granted to … whose primary degree in law is already a license to practicing law.

a) alpha (best) students

b) educational institutions

9. It is … to pass a bar examination.

a) next to impossible (hard)

b) a mere formality (easy)

4. Change the following sentences from the text to active/ passive. Add ‘by’ where necessary.

1) In some countries, law is taught by a faculty of law.

2) Law students in those countries pursue a Bachelor or Master of Laws degree.

3) These (the degrees) are often followed by a series of advanced examinations and apprenticeships.

4) Law schools in the United States award graduating students a Doctor of Jurisprudence

5) In the United States, law schools maintain small class sizes.

6) Some jurisdictions grant a "diploma privilege" to certain institutions.

7) A law student must pass a bar examination before receiving a license to practice.

8) Only about 50% of applicants pass the examination.

5. Translate the marked passage of the text into Russian in writing.

TEST 4

(Variant 2)

To complete this Test refer to GRAMMAR REFERENCE for revision.

‘PREPOSITIONAL’ VERBS

1. Complete the following sentences with the correct prepositions.

1) I’m thinking … the children. How can we help them?

2) I don’t think much … this show.

3) She listened … my story sympathetically.

4) I’ve been waiting … an opportunity like this all my life.

5) When I looked … my watch I couldn’t believe it was so late.

6) He asked me to look … the document and then sign it.

7) I haven’t heard … Sarah yet. I hope she will write soon.

8) I can’t imagine your mother approving … what you are doing.

9) You can’t accuse her … negligence like that.

10) Some parts of the city remind me … my home town.

11) I insist … knowing what happened.

12) It didn’t occur to me to ask him … the proof of his identity.

PHRASAL VERBS

1. Complete the following sentences with across/ on/ up/ off/ out. Some prepositions can be used more than once.

1) The housing development was put … because of the increased expenses.

2) He doesn’t get … with his family. That’s why he doesn’t live at home.

3) Without my glasses I can hardly make … the words on the page.

4) After his fourth attempt he gave … trying to pass the driving test.

5) He wanted to talk to me but I kept … working and refused to listen.

6) I can’t hear you very well. Can you speak … a bit?

7) The weather is terrible. I hope it’ll clear … later.

8) If you come … new words look them … in the dictionary.

9) You must carry … the instructions on the packet.

10) I tried … the jacket to see if it fitted me.

2. Choose the proper variant to complete the sentences below.

1) I don't know how you … him! He's terrible!

put up with

put up

put on

put off

2) Could you … our dog while we're on holiday?

back off

back up

look after

turn on

3) Don't forget to … the lights when you leave.

blow up

turn off

call off

cheer up

4) I smoke around 40 a day – but I am trying to ….

speed up

take back

give over

cut down

5) What's that weird man over there …?

up to

up for

out to

off to

6) I'm … to seeing you.

look forward

watching up

tired of

looking forward

7) We can't … this weekend unfortunately. How about next week?

make off

do it in

make it

put it

8) Who does Harry …? Charles or Diana?

take back

take after

take to

take away

9) Our plane … at 9.20 and landed at Heathrow at 11.

took up

took off

picked up

got up

10) I … an old school friend at the weekend.

bumped into

ran to

ran through

knocked off