LDC offers law practice program that seeks to train law graduates and practicing lawyers who want to upgrade their professional skills on critical aspects of legal practice as a profession. Graduates are awarded with a diploma in legal practice at the end of the required course work or an LLM if a candidate opts to write a thesis after completing the required course work. The program opened its doors to new students for the first time in 2023.  

Programs

• Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice
• LLM Legal Practice

The Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice Curriculum 2016 sets out the framework for educational progression that will support the first two years of professional legal development following graduation. The curriculum is based on common law tradition and follows international standards established in common law jurisdictions. The purpose of the Postgraduate Diploma is to equip Law graduates with the practical skills and the procedural and evidential knowledge that they will need to start their legal professional careers. The first year of the Postgraduate Diploma is a taught legal skills programme which is largely classroom based. Students must gain competences in 10 core skills subjects carrying 3 credits each which are mandatory plus two elective subjects, or one elective and one specialist skills subject carrying 6 credits each. The six months of the Postgraduate Diploma is referred to as Preparation for Professional Practice ’(PFPP). This entails a placement at an accredited Law firm where trainee advocates complete three two T month rotations in an area of Law related to their chosen elective subjects taken in the first year.  

Outcome  of  the  Programme

Upon  successful  completion  of  Year  1,  students  will  be  eligible  to  apply  for  registration  as  a   trainee advocate and enrol in the work based practical skills training programme (PfPP) in Year 2.    Students will be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice upon successful completion of the six months PfPP  period. In  addition,  students may be awarded  the LLM in Legal Practice upon satisfactory completion of a dissertation within six months after the end of the PfPP period.  

Entry Requirements

Students wishing to embark on the Postgraduate Diploma in Profession and Legal Skills and  the LLM Legal Practice are required to fulfil the following criteria: 1. Have an LLB from the University of Juba or a qualifying law degree from a  recognised institution of higher education. 2. Have a degree in a field of studies other than Law obtaining a minimum of Second  Class Lower Division.  In addition students must have completed a Law conversion  course, covering core legal subjects, in an approved institution of higher education An LLB from the University of Juba or a qualifying law degree or a law conversion course  must have a minimum of seven core legal subjects at undergraduate level as follows:

• Law of Contract
• Tort Law
• Criminal Law
• Constitutional and Administrative Law
• Land Law and Tenants
• Civil Procedure
• International Law