International Law School Deans Adopt Global Principles for a Legal Education

SINGAPORE, Sept. 26, 2013 /CNW/ - In the largest assemblage of its kind in recent memory, more than 80 law school deans and chairs of law faculties from around the world met in Singapore on September 25th – 27th, 2013 at the Global Law Deans' Forum to adopt a set of principles of standards and outcomes for a legal education. These global principles grew from two years of regional law deans' workshops sponsored by the International Association of Law Schools (IALS) which gathered together law school leaders to explore the commonalities and standards to be applied worldwide to legal education.

The need to define these global principles was driven by the rapidly changing face of legal education in the midst of evolving domestic and international norms.

The principles developed will be the foundation upon which the association will continue its engagement with law scholars, judges, the professional community, and other stakeholders in establishing guidelines and suggested practices for a global legal education.

The president of the association, Prof. Francis SL Wang stated, "The principles will serve as the fundamental building blocks for further defining a globalized legal educational initiative which will honor our diversity while connecting all teachers of the law in a shared vision of nurturing the next generation of law graduates."

In agreement to the above quote, Prof. Barbara Holden-Smith, Vice Dean of Cornell Law School and General-Secretary of the IALS adds, "This addresses the needs and requests of our members to further define the parameters of global legal education."

The Global Law Deans' Forum was co-hosted by the National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law led by their Dean, Prof. Simon Chesterman. The principles are available for viewing online at the IALS website, http://www.ialsnet.org.

The International Association of Law Schools is a volunteer, non-profit learned society of more than 170 law schools and faculties representing more than 45 countries. Formed in 2005, it is the primary international representative of the world's law faculties. For more information, please contact either Martha Delgado at [email protected], Anna Williams at [email protected] or by phone at 1-707-259-2811.

SOURCE: International Association of Law Schools (IALS)

http://www.ialsnet.org