Postgraduate Certificate in Laws
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The Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) is an intensive one-year full-time (or two-year part-time) professional legal education programme which allows graduates to proceed to legal training before qualifying to practice as either a barrister or a solicitor in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China.
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[edit] Qualification as a lawyer in Hong Kong SAR
The legal profession in Hong Kong consists of two branches: solicitors and barristers.
A prospective solicitor who has completed the PCLL will be required to complete satisfactorily a period of employment as a trainee solicitor (two years) in order to be eligible for practice in Hong Kong as a solicitor.
A prospective barrister who has completed the PCLL will be called to the Bar (admitted as a barrister) of Hong Kong after having undertaken 6 months of pupillage under a pupil-master, and will have limited rights of audience (limited practice). After another 6 months of pupillage (totalling 12 months), he or she will be eligible to commence full practice.
[edit] PCLL admission requirements
To be eligible for admission to the courses leading to the PCLL, an applicant must have completed their Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or equivalent legal studies either in Hong Kong or other common law jurisdictions, or have passed the Common Professional Examination (CPE) of England and Wales or the Common Professional Examination Certificate (CPEC) of Hong Kong.
The degree or qualification must be in common law, and should include passes in six law subjects, including the following (or subjects recognised as their equivalents):
- Constitutional Law
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law
- Property Law
- Tort Law
- Law of Trusts (or Equity or Remedies).
Passes in Business Associations (or Company Law) and Evidence law are also required.
In addition to all admission requirements, all students applying for PCLL must take the IELTS English proficiency test, and the result must not be more than two years old before the date of application. A minimum score of 7 is required for admission, set by The Law Society of Hong Kong.
To attain the entry eligibility of the new PCLL from 2008 onwards, candidates who hold non-local law qualifications must demonstrate competence in the following areas :-
- Hong Kong Constitutional Law
- Hong Kong Land Law
- Hong Kong Legal System
[edit] Course fees
*HKU:
Full-time (government-funded): HK$42,100 (HK$100,000 for non-local students)
Full-time (self-funded): HK$95,000
Part-time: HK$110,000 (payable in two annual installments of HK$55,000 each)
CityU (2005-6 academic year):
Full-time (government-funded): HK$42,100/US$5,400
Full-time (self-funded): HK$108,000/US$13,850 (HK$60,000/US$7,700 for non-local students)
CUHK (full-time only):
Government-funded: HK$42,100
Self-funded: HK$132,000
[edit] The HKU PCLL admission details
The HKU (full-time) intake is currently slightly under 300 students per year (and decreasing), with approximately 70-80 of those from its own LLB programme. Others come from universities in other common law jurisdictions, particularly the United Kingdom and Australia.
The minimum academic level required for acceptance into this programme is being raised with each intake. Previously, all HKU LLB graduates would be admitted into its PCLL programme; now, just over two-thirds are admitted (that means a decent 2:2 honours in the LLB). Non-HKU-LLB students usually require a 2:1 honours.
In 2007-08, 170 places were government-funded and 117 were self-funded.
[edit] The CityU PCLL admission details
The CityU PCLL intake is currently around 100 students per year, with approximately 30-40 of those from its own LL.B. programme. Others come from universities in other common law jurisdictions, particularly the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Non-CityU-LLB students usually require a 2:1 honours or high 2:2 honours.
[edit] The CUHK PCLL details
"The School of Law will commence its PCLL Programme in 2008. The PCLL Programme will be offered at the School of Law’s new Graduate Law Centre in Bank of America Tower, in the Central district of Hong Kong." (CUHK School of Law)
There are two points of entry each year, in September and January. The course is only offered as a one-year full-time course.
See also: CUHK PCLL webpage
[edit] The HKU PCLL course content
For HKU PCLL, there are five compulsory courses which all students must take, they are Advocacy, Civil and Criminal Procedure, Conveyancing and Probate Practice, Commercial Law and Practice, and Professional Practice. Students must choose one of two streams: the CPC stream (commercial, probate and corporate practice; for intending solicitors) or the litigation stream (for intending barristers and litigation solicitors).
During the first semester, course content is identical for both streams, with differing class schedules only in the second semester.
As all barristers must have taken the Litigation stream, to avoid retaking the course in future students wishing to leave their options open may opt for Litigation even if they plan to be a solicitor in the short term.
