Trinity College Hosts Legal Education Symposium

Posted on: 02 October 2006

Trinity College’s School of Law in association with Dillon Eustace, Solicitors,  hosted a one-day legal education symposium, entitled “Education, Teaching, Learning and Research in the Irish Legal Academy” on September 29th last.  Over a hundred participants attended the event, including lecturers and professors from every Irish law school and a range of other disciplines, researchers, students, policy-makers and interested members of the public.  They heard a range of speakers, and also had the opportunity to explore new teaching and learning methods in a unique ‘e-cluster’ that brought together publishers, online service providers, software designers and librarians.

Opening the event, Trinity College’s  Provost Dr John Hegarty, highlighted the challenges facing the university sector and the importance of a robust response to upcoming changes in professional and academic legal education.  This challenge was taken up by keynote speaker, President of Dublin City University, Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski who in his address suggested that “too many lawyers” were being trained, and that legal education could possibly be more appropriate to postgraduate rather than undergraduate studies.  Throughout the day, speakers returned to the role of the legal profession in the design and delivery of courses, the entry requirements and competition law position of the professional bodies, and the theoretical and practical features that characterise law as an academic discipline.

Participants were also offered a choice of workshops, dealing with
everything from interdisciplinary degrees to postgraduate research.
In addition, Professor Steve Hedley of University College Cork, acted as rapporteur for the day, and presented a detailed summary, which will act as a catalyst for further debate among legal academics and in the wider community.  A number of institutions have already expressed an interest in hosting a follow-up event in the near future.