DEVELOPING LEGAL EDUCATION IN THE COMMONWEALTH: THE CASE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS

In modern democratic societies, lawyers are recognised as important, almost indispensable, professionals: they play important roles in different aspects of the life of society. Hence, most countries of the world, including most Commonwealth countries, take especial interest in the training of lawyers and the regulation of the legal profession. Importantly, most Commonwealth countries have local institutions for the academic and professional training of lawyers. However, in the Republic of Cyprus, the local training of lawyers, especially with regard to the academic stage, is only just beginning. Similarly, the professional stage, although existing for a fairly long time, is arguably at its early stages of development. This article seeks to show how legal education is just beginning to develop in the Republic of Cyprus, as well as the challenges ahead. Among other things, this article will consider the processes of development thus far concluded, as well as the continuing processes (including the Europeani...