The Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (GDLP) was introduced in 2012 and had been approved by the Fiji Board of Legal Education. It will prepare law graduates for admission to the practice of Law in Fiji High Court. The course satisfies the practical training requirements for admission under the Legal Practitioners Decree 2009. To become a lawyer in Fiji, all Law students are required to:
- Complete a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB) approved by the Fiji Board of Legal Education
- Complete the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice Programme (GDLP)
- Obtain a Certificate of Completion from the Board of Legal Education, and
- Be admitted to the roll of Barristers and Solicitors of the High Court of Fiji and hold a current practicing certificate issued by the Chief Registrar’s office
Both the LLB degree and the GDLP have been approved by the Fiji Board of Legal Education and satisfy the requirements in (a) and (b) above for registration as a lawyer.
The GDLP is a competency skills based course, developed and is taught by experienced staff. The course has practical activities, research tasks and assessments based on “real life” legal practice scenarios to help law graduates acquire the skills necessary (advocacy, mooting and debating) to work effectively as an entry level lawyer.
The GDLP is an intensive 15 weeks programme designed to develop effective junior practitioners ready to meet the standards expected of them when they enter the profession. Based on sound educational principles, this competency-based programme equips trainees with the skills and knowledge required for practice in Fiji irrespective of the area of Law in which they will be engaged.
Structure:
Module 1: Legal Practice
LAWD01 Ethical Responsibility
LAWD02 Graduate Skills
LAWD03 Trust Accounting
LAWD04 Conveyancing Skills
LAWD05 Family Law
LAWD06 Probate and Administration of Estate
LAWD07 Commercial Law
Module 2: Litigation
LAWD08 Criminal Litigation
LAWD09 Civil Litigation
Module 3: Placement
LAWD10 Practical placement in a recognised organisation
