For those who don’t fancy wading through the traditional legal press’s long-winded deconstructions of the freshly-released Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) — or indeed reading the 335 page report itself — here are ten tweets that help you understand what the biggest review of legal education in a generation means.
The much-criticised BPTC stays.
HULK SAY #LETR FAILURE TO ABOLISH THE STUPID BAR COURSE IS A SMASHING FAILURE. NO ONE WILL MISS CPD THOUGH
— BARRISTER HULK (@BARRISTERHULK) June 25, 2013
As does the LPC, but the distinction between vocational education, training contracts and apprenticeships will blur.
#LETR “strongly supports work on merged LPC/training contract approach & development of higher apprenticeships.” http://t.co/ykMyL30Iti
— ChambersStudentGuide (@chambersstudent) June 25, 2013
The fusion of solicitors and barristers some had predicted isn’t going to happen.
#LETR No shared vocational training for solicitors and barristers so no Australian-style educational fusion
— Peter Crisp (@PeterCrispBPP) June 25, 2013
There has been a formal acknowledgement that the patience of increasingly broke students is wearing thin as job opportunities fall…
#LETR: ‘considerable dissatisfaction’ from students paying in pursuit of career ‘they’re never likely to achieve’ http://t.co/yPnlfySSK8
— John Hyde (@JohnHyde1982) June 25, 2013
…which will lead to more emphasis on part-time courses…
#LETR “We need to think of every conceivable way people can get on courses and continue to make a living”
— Holly Archibald (@hollyarchibald1) June 25, 2013
…rather than an aptitude test.
SRA chairman: ‘We do not wish to see an aptitude test as there are issues over equality and diversity.’ http://t.co/8SD9Qv1Nx9 #LETR
— John Hyde (@JohnHyde1982) June 25, 2013
The legal aid cuts will have an impact on how future lawyers are taught.
#LETR acknowledges will be more litigants in person as result of legal aid reforms: practitioners need better training to prepare for this
— Peter Crisp (@PeterCrispBPP) June 25, 2013
But most of all, the LETR — which took over two years to produce and has been subject to various delays — was greeted with a sense of anti-climax.
The interesting (and predictable) question is whether (and in what respect) the #LETR was de-fanged compared to the earlier draft.
— Chris Ashford (@lawandsexuality) June 25, 2013
Can’t help feeling head of LSB Consumer Panel has right verdict on #LETR. Great shame that so much research for so little product.
— John Flood (@JohnAFlood) June 25, 2013
The LETR doesn’t really seem to say anything new, does it? (I have only read the recommendations.) More ‘practice’, less law — as usual.
— Brian Cheung (@brianckl) June 25, 2013
The top LETR tweeters (click to enlarge) — via Ann Priestley