Legal education Brazil / Panama

1. Latin American Law Legal educationBrazil / Panama Last updated 21 Nov 11

2. Value of knowing other legal systems • Model for borrowing • Gain perspective • Discover truths • Impose / power

3. MontoyaLegal Education Reform in LatAm

4. Legal education in LatAm • Structure • Mostly public institutions / undergraduate program • Fixed curriculum / old texts / often night classes • Part-time professors (90%) / limited research (20%) • Methods • Deductive (like Europe) / not inductive (like US) • Scholastic / authoritarian teacher / emphasis on memorization • Outcomes • Little problem-solving, social awareness • Few practical skills / interdisciplinary awareness • Lawyers not prepared to participate in legal reforms

5. Reforms to legal education in LatAm • Brazil: Fundación Getulio Vargas • Founded 2000 / Rio and Sao Paolo campuses • Reforms: Concept of law / teaching-research / methods • Professors promoted for scholarship (reform agenda) • Students learn problem-solving / upper-level electives • Colombia: Los Andes • Founded 1968 / major reforms 1995-97 • US-style campus / problem-solving / full-time faculty • Curriculum: context, law basics, specialization • Results at “reform” schools • More courses: 39-64 / still mostly theory • Still few electives (<20%), practical skills (<25%), interdisciplinary (<15%) Univ Torcuato Di Tella … acceptance in Argentina Jim Rodden

6. Week in the life … Weekends - studying School schedule Monday thru Friday (one 3-credit class / day) Mornings – 7:30 to 10:30 Afternoons – 1:00 to 3:00 Evening – 6:30 to 9:15 Exams week Two exams per semester + oral presentation or seminar paper (according to the professor) Weekdays • 6:15am – Wake Up (get ready and breakfast) • 7:00am – catch the public transportation (takes hours to get in downtown when you don’t live around there) • 8:00am – start working (internship at law firm) • 11:30am – lunch time • 1:30pm – Back to work (law firm) • 6:00pm – stop working • 6:30pm – class starts • 9:15pm - end of class • 10:30pm – arrive home / free time (shower, eat, read, get ready for next day) • 11:00pm to 2:30am (exams week) – Studying

7. Panamanian law schools Latina University of Panama School of Law University of Panama School of Law 270-340 students 55% M / 45% F Autonomous University of Chiriquí ISAE University School of Law Public/private – oversight authority Joel De Leon Quintero

8. Law Basics Public Law Private Law Social Law Inter-disciplinary Panama law curriculum Admission/tuition/courses/grading Joel De Leon Quintero

9. US Legal Education Law firm In-house Prosecutor Judge • Law school (JD) • Three years • Fixed 1L curriculum • UL requirements • UL electives • Profs: FT / adjuncts • 45,000 graduates Law Prof • Bar exam • ABA-approved LS • MPRE / MSE / essay • Reciprocity • Undergraduate (BA / BS) • Four years • Multiple disciplines • Law school (LLM) • One-two years • Specialization • University (MA / PhD) • One-four years • Inter-disciplinary Government Defender Litigator Advisor Transaction … attorney could tell the client what the problem is, how he was going to solve it, and what it would cost, without any client input or pushback … Jim Rodden Mediator Regulator

10. Brazil Legal Education Law firm In-house Prosecutor Judge • Law school (LL.B.) • FIve years after HS • Fixed curriculum • Some non-law courses • Legal practicum • Profs: FT / adjuncts • 64,000 graduates Law Prof • Int’l practice / studies • Non-Brazil consultants • Offices in NY, London • Bar exam • OAB exam • 15-20% LLBs pass • 455,000 admitted • Law school (LLM) • 65% of LLBs • Specialization Government Defender Litigator Advisor Transaction Mediator Regulator Juliana Barbosa

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