Editorial

Van Rossum opens this issue considering how legal education might handle ‘late modernity’. This is described as ‘a complex society ruled by uncertainty that faces the challenge of allocating responsibility’ owing to technical changes and the demystification of science together with globalisation. Van Rossum ends with some initial suggestions for possible adjustments to legal education to deal with the uncertainties and changes. These include the development of cultural awareness, critical reflection and the ‘art of doubt’. Hendley throws light on the career preferences of law Graduates in Russia. The proportion of law students has increased fivefold since 1991 largely as a result of the introduction of the market. By concentrating on all law students before they make decisions to move into more specific areas of the different branches and jobs of the legal profession, Hendley provides for the first time an overview of legal career aspirations in Russia. A division appears between part time (usually post experience) and full time (younger, and perhaps brighter) students and their aspirations. The former seem to aim to end up in official type roles with lower prestige; whereas the full time students are aiming for more commercial options. The large number of possible forms of lawyer provide an interesting set of choices, but the levels of uncertainty about where they will end up seem familiar to outsiders in ‘the West’. Bartie considers the methodological challenges of studying women legal scholars through life history. Bartie argues for treating legal scholars differently from pure educators, scholars or lawyers, suggesting that their unique role should inform the work’s central inquiries. There should be a range of views expressed and these should include the subject’s attitude towards feminism and feminist legal scholarship. Choroszewicz and Tremblay study parental-leave policy for male lawyers in Helsinki and Montreal. They ask if there are cultural and professional barriers to male lawyers’ use of paternity and parental leaves in both jurisdictions. In traditionally male-dominated professions, it may not be enough to provide a statutory right. Organisational solutions and peer encouragement in the work environment will be needed to allow men to feel comfortable taking leave. In the Legal Education and Skills section, Thomas and Craduck show how advocates’ anxiety might be reduced in training. Good reading!