On June 22, the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), M. Kulasegaran, had stated that the government is studying a new Bar Course as a possible replacement for CLP. This new two-stage qualification route is intended to strengthen practical training for law graduates, he said at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
The Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) is a mandatory 9-month post-graduate examination in Malaysia. It is the primary qualifying license required for foreign law graduates and select local degree holders to become qualified as an Advocate and Solicitor and to practice law in Malaysia.
Kulasegaran added that the proposed new Bar Course (NBC) would consist of a three-month online conversion programme on the Malaysian legal system. This is then followed by a six-month postgraduate certificate focusing on legal practice skills.
“Under the proposed structure, the LPQB will introduce two programmes known as the Conversion Course and the Legal Practice Postgraduate Certificate (LPPC).
Through a system developed by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB), Kulasegaran affirmed that the conversion would be conducted online. While it was not yet clear if an examination component would be included, he also added that the postgraduate certificate would emphasise legal work and practical skills.
“It is conceived as a new approach that places greater emphasis on practical skills development than the CLP examination, with a more relevant assessment method,” he said.
To plan its implementation, Kulasegaran said LPQB established an NBC Task Force on April 27 after completing its study on the curriculum on March 31. He affirmed that the task force comprised experts from public universities, private higher education institutions and members of the Malaysian Bar.
“The main objective of the NBC implementation study is to develop an operational framework for the New Bar Course and ensure smooth implementation planning,” he said.
According to reports, he also confirmed that the government is reviewing the possible revival of the articled clerkship route, which previously allowed individuals to qualify as lawyers without attending full-time law school, and which was abolished in 1985.
