Blueprint for Global Legal Education

Developing a blueprint for the future of global legal education

IE Law School has been designated as the coordinator of the research project by the International Bar Association (IBA) and the Law Schools Global League (LSGL) to develop a blueprint for global legal education to understand how globalization and technology impact legal education globally. This ambitious research project outlines a range of key challenges, ranked by importance and categorized by region, facing law schools globally together with existing and suggested responses that selected schools are already taking or could adopt.

Key goals of the project

Understanding how globalization, technology and the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, among other drivers, impact legal education globally.
Identifying the challenges that are common to legal education around the world, while recognizing the significance of local contexts that frame these challenges.
Identifying the main challenges still present as well as the negative consequences of lack of adaptation.
Developing common solutions to the challenges while recognizing the necessity of locally-sensitive solutions.
Generating a compendium of best practices per jurisdiction.
Disseminating and implementing the model with key stakeholders.

A GLOBAL RESEARCH PROJECT

This joint initiative forms part of the ongoing research by the IBA’s Commission on the Future of Legal Services into the trends that are shaping the legal profession.

More than 400 bar associations, law schools and other legal institutions participated in this project, which culminated culminate in the publication of a report presented at the IBA’s Annual Conference in Miami on November 2020.

BLUEPRINT PROJECT DESCRIPTION : The Three Phases

This global report aims to contribute to legal education around the world by identifying the key drivers that are shaping legal education at a global level, the responses that are emerging, and the extent to which those responses are or can address sufficiently the challenges and opportunities confronting legal professions all over the world.

The research activities were distributed in three different phases:

Literature & Law School websites

Each region representative studied and analyzed the outstanding literature regarding legal education and 420 law school websites.

Survey & Interviews

The survey was completed by 60 law schools, Bar associations and other legal organizations per region, making a total of 420 surveys. Fifteen law school´s senior members/Deans per region answered the interview.

Elaboration and development of the report

IE Law School drafted the report and blueprint based on all the information gathered in phase one and two by regional coordinators. The Advisory Board revised both the report and the blueprint before it's publication.

New Skills for New Challenges in the Legal Profession

MEET THE RESEARCH TEAM

The team is composed of eight researchers and four supporters from seven regions around the world: United Kingdom, Canada, European Union, South East Asia & Australia & Hong Kong, Latin America, Asia (Russia & China & India), and Africa.

DR. SOLEDAD ATIENZA

Dean and Co-Chair of the Project
IE Law School

DR. SONSOLES ARIAS

Project Coordinator & Researcher: Europe
IE Law School

DR. VERONICA RUIZ

Researcher: United Kingdom
University of Edinburgh

Ana María Zorrilla

Researcher: United States & Canada
ITAM

Michael Legg

Researcher: East Asia, Australia & Hong Kong
University of New South Wales Law

Dr. Eleonora Lozano

Researcher: Latin America
Universidad de los Andes

Dr. Marina Feferbaum

Supporter: Latin America
Fundação Getulio Vargas

Dr. S. G. Sreejith

Researcher: Asia & Russia - China & India
Jindal Law School

Maria Filatova

Supporter: Asia & Russia - China & India
Higher School of Economics University

Liu Kunlun

Supporter: Asia & Russia - China & India
China University of Political Science and Law

Dr. Kathy Idensohn

Researcher: Africa
University of Cape Town

"The ways in which people learn and work within all industries and professions across the globe are changing. With the insight gained from this research, we can develop universal standards for international legal education to ensure all lawyers receive the right training throughout their careers."

Fernando Peláez-Pier

Co-Chair of the project and President of the IBA from 2009-2010

"Through this project we aim to contribute to improve legal education for the legal practice globally. Based on a thorough research, the blueprint will gather the trends and challenges on global legal education for the benefit of law schools, bar associations, law firms and legal institutions that share an interest in legal education."

Soledad Atienza

Co-Chair of the project and Dean of IE Law School

"This project has the potential to make an important contribution to legal educational, globally. Through our research, we will gain a deeper understanding of the key trends, challenges and opportunities legal educators face. The final blueprint will be hugely beneficial for employers, law schools, regulators and other professional organizations involved in the legal sector."

Javier de Cendra

Member of the Steering Committee of the Project

"We are working to create a global blueprint of legal education for law schools to follow. The key to achieving this is to find a common thread and implement this model across the board. We need to gather law schools from around the world and compare practices, develop benchmarks, and raise awareness of standards"

Almudena Arpón Mendívil

Secretary General of the IBA

Partner Institutions

INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION

The International Bar Association (IBA), the global voice of the legal profession, is the foremost organization for international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Established in 1947, shortly after the creation of the United Nations, it was born out of the conviction that an organisation made up of the world's bar associations could contribute to global stability and peace through the administration of justice.
LAW SCHOOL´S GLOBAL LEAGUE

The Law Schools Global League (LSGL) brings together more than 25 law schools that share a strong vision about the need to promote a global approach to legal education, research and impact upon society at large.