City urged to back global study

Top City law firms are to be asked to sponsor and in time put their lawyers forward for international legal qualifications being developed by the International Bar Association (IBA) in conjunction with the College of Law.The two bodies last week launched the first stage of the programme, aimed at lawyers throughout the world, by unveiling seven distance-learning modules in key practice areas.The modules - which will take 26 weeks to complete - will be rolled out of the next three years and are primarily aimed at lawyers in developing countries without access to professional development.The modules cover: international business law and practice, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, competition, international capital markets, international arbitration, international contracts, project finance, and human rights law and practice.Recognising that there are lawyers around the world who do not have easy access to Internet-based technology, the programme will initially be paper-based, but the IBA and the college plan to develop a Web-based version.The programme will be accredited by the college and candidates who successfully complete a module will be awarded an IBA/College of Law practice diploma.

A lawyer completing five modules will become an IBA fellow in international legal practice.The IBA and the College are to develop a scholarship fund to assist lawyers from developing countries who register for the programme.

Mark Ellis, the IBA's executive director, said funding would come both from within the IBA - its business law section has already provided initial funds - and from external sources.

'We'll be knocking on some doors,' Mr Ellis said.

'It should be very easy to get firms to support this.' He said City firms would be able to put their names to scholarships.The IBA is planning to follow up the initial modules with an 'academy', providing training and qualifications aimed at experienced international practitioners, including City lawyers.

'My intention is to build towards having an international qualification recognised everywhere,' Mr Ellis said.

'It won't happen overnight, but this [the module programme] is a step in the right direction.'Neil Rose