Council of Legal Education
Encyclopedia
The Council of Legal Education (CLE) was an English supervisory body established by the four Inns of Court
to regulate and improve the legal education of barrister
s within England and Wales.
, with two members coming from each Inn. The Council supervised the education of students at the Inns of Court, and initially established five professorships. Professors would lecture students at the Inns, who were required to attend a certain number of lectures to be called to the Bar. In 1872 membership of the Council was expanded to twenty and mandatory examinations for the call to the Bar were introduced. The creation of the Senate of the Inns of Court and the Bar in 1967 pushed the Council into being a subdivision of that Senate rather than an independent organisation, and representatives of the Bar Council were added to the CLE. In 1997 the Council ceased to exist, transferring its assets to the Inns of Court School of Law
, its educational and training functions to the Inns of Court and Bar Educational Trust and its regulatory functions to the General Council of the Bar
.
Inns of Court
The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. All such barristers must belong to one such association. They have supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members. The Inns also provide libraries, dining facilities and professional...
to regulate and improve the legal education of barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
s within England and Wales.
History
The Council was established in 1852 by the Inns of Court and originally consisted of eight members led by Richard BethellRichard Bethell, 1st Baron Westbury
Richard Bethell, 1st Baron Westbury PC, QC , was a British lawyer, judge and Liberal politician. He served as Lord Chancellor of Great Britain between 1861 and 1865.-Background and education:...
, with two members coming from each Inn. The Council supervised the education of students at the Inns of Court, and initially established five professorships. Professors would lecture students at the Inns, who were required to attend a certain number of lectures to be called to the Bar. In 1872 membership of the Council was expanded to twenty and mandatory examinations for the call to the Bar were introduced. The creation of the Senate of the Inns of Court and the Bar in 1967 pushed the Council into being a subdivision of that Senate rather than an independent organisation, and representatives of the Bar Council were added to the CLE. In 1997 the Council ceased to exist, transferring its assets to the Inns of Court School of Law
Inns of Court School of Law
The Inns of Court School of Law, often abbreviated to ICSL is a professional legal training institution based in London in Gray's Inn...
, its educational and training functions to the Inns of Court and Bar Educational Trust and its regulatory functions to the General Council of the Bar
General Council of the Bar
The General Council of the Bar, commonly known as the Bar Council, is the professional association for Barristers in England and Wales. Established in 1894, it acts as a disciplinary body and a regulatory body through the Bar Standards Board...
.