The academic course in Gibraltar law is delivered by the University of Gibraltar. It will involve 24 lectures over the academic year with an exam at the end. The practical training requirement will require barristers and solicitors to undertake a one year’s training contract at an approved establishment. The training would cover at least three of the following four areas of legal practice: commercial law, property law, litigation and private client. The minimum criteria for approval as a training establishment will be a Gibraltar law firm that is able to provide training in at least three of the areas of legal practice and contains at least three practitioners, one with at least 10 years standing and two with at least 7 years standing. The Chief Justice will have a discretion to amend the minimum criteria for approval as a training establishment if he feels that this is justified for any particular firm. The professional skills course is expected to be undertaken towards the end of the years training and will include advocacy and communication skills, client care and professional standards and financial and business skills.
The new requirements apply to any barrister or solicitor wishing to enrol as a barrister or solicitor of the Supreme Court at any time after 1st July 2015 except where a solicitor has already been undergoing training in Gibraltar for at least a year on that date.
The new requirements as with current practice may be waived by the Chief Justice for outside counsel wishing to be admitted to the Gibraltar Bar for a particular case. In addition the Chief Justice would have a discretion to waive the requirements of the practical training and professional skills course but not the academic qualifications in Gibraltar law for any barrister or solicitor wishing to practice in Gibraltar if he is satisfied that such barrister or solicitor already has the necessary training or expertise.
