This is HUGE! Abolishment of articling eyed

‘Freight train’ of law grads on horizon
Abolishment of articling eyed
By Robert Todd Publication Date: Monday, 04 February 2008

An amended version of a Jan. 24 motion from LSUC’s licensing and accreditation task force was approved following a lively discussion from benchers, after the release of a report expressing concern that the province’s firms will soon be unable to accommodate hundreds of lawyers seeking articling placements.

The combined pressure of increased intake at Ontario law schools, an influx of foreign-trained lawyers, and the prospect of up to three new law schools in the province could leave many students with nowhere to go following their third year of law school.

“This is a freight train coming down the track and we have to be thoughtful, creative, and mindful of the size of this train,” task force member and Bencher Laurie Pawlitza told Convocation. Pawlitza noted the task force’s findings that the current demand for approximately 1,300 articling spots is estimated to rise to 1,730 by 2009 — a 30 per cent increase.

“I urge Convocation to think about the difference between being unable now to place about 50 students, and being unable to place about 300 students, 400 students,” she said.

This article (read the whole article here) has all kinds of really cool information that I had no idea about...such as an Australian law school that accepts up to 70 Canadian law students each year...had I only known!!

Please, provide your comments on this very interesting issue. Imagine...abolishing the articling year for Canadian law school graduates.