Canadian Lawyer 4Students

Fall 2008

Life skills and career tips for Canada's lawyers in training

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BY J EFFREY H. WAUGH THE WESTERN CANADIAN BAR ADMISSION PROGRAM STILL HAS ITS WEAKNESSES, BUT ADMINISTRATORS ARE ON A MISSION TO FIX THAT. I 16 S EPTEMBER 2008 C ANADIAN Lawy er 4STUDENTS n the Prairies, it takes eight months to do the bar course and it has no exams. Sound odd? For articling students in Al- berta, Manitoba, and Saskatch- ewan, it's the norm. The theory behind the creation of this unique licensing program is solid, but it's certainly seen its fair share of struggles. The CPLED program (Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education) is entering its fifth year. While student feedback has been mixed, the curriculum appears to be making headway. As with anything new, there were (and still are) plenty of kinks to work out, but the program's administration seems certain it can be done, with all three provinces showing a clear commitment to improvement. CPLED's evolving nature is reflected in changes and adaptations to the feedback and criticism it receives. If you're from another part of the country, a brief overview may be helpful. The program operates over a period of eight months, overlapping with the articling term. Students are sectioned into small groups of 10 to 15, headed up by a learning-group facilitator who is there to respond to questions and provide guidance. There are eight modules, one per month. Five are completed online and the other three are in face- to-face settings like classrooms. Over the course of the modules, students are given 15 assignments and eight competency evaluations. Rather than being exam-based, competency evaluations are used to determine

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