Move afoot to smarten up graduating lawyers

Anyone who has suffered at the hands of incompetent lawyers in Panama, will applaud the move underway to introduce a bar exam before new graduates are allowed to practice.

Newly apointed Supreme Court Judge Judge Harry Diaz says  there is an effort being made to implement the change because of  the large number of lawyers who graduate each year.

"It is one thing to graduate in law, and another thing to practice it” he said.

He got immediate support from Ruben Elias Rodriguez, chairman of the National Association of Lawyers,

"Those who are not capable of passing the examination should not be practicing, and instead should continue with their preparations to be able to prove their knowledge," Rodriguez said.

He suggested that the proposal should be presented to the National Assembly as a draft bill for discussion.

Lawyer Rogelio Cruz said that this initiative was presented a few years ago, but it was not adopted because of opposition from law students.

Anyone who has suffered at the hands of incompetent lawyers in Panama, will applaud the move underway to introduce a bar exam before new graduates are allowed to practice.

Newly anointed Supreme Court Judge Judge Harry Diaz says  there is an effort being made to implement the change because of  the large number of lawyers who graduate each year.

"It is one thing to graduate in law, and another thing” he said.

He got immediate support from Ruben Elias Rodriguez, chairman of the National Association of Lawyers,

 "Those who are not capable of passing the examination should not be practicing, and instead should continue with their preparations to be able to prove their knowledge," Rodriguez said.

He suggested that the proposal should be presented to the National Assembly as a draft bill for discussion.

Lawyer Rogelio Cruz said that this initiative was presented a few years ago, but was not adopted because of opposition from law students.