I heard about the ones in Hong Kong and Japan
Japan wants to reduce the amount of people who give the test, and Hong Kong wants to globalize its training so that everyone can take the US bar exam, like what Philippines is doing. In short, we American lawyers will have to fight for jobs with those from Asia in the future... get ready all the TTTs!
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national...12TDY02011.htm
Japanese bar exam
28 law schools believe bar exam system needs revising
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Twenty-eight out of 74 of the country's law schools believe it is necessary to revise the current system under which graduate school professors can also sit on a body that sets questions for the new bar examination, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey.
Following the revelation that a Keio University professor gave hints to his students before the new bar exam, many law schools are concerned that faith in the impartiality of the new bar exam's fairness will break down. The professor resigned in August.
The Justice Ministry's committee on the National Bar Examination is meeting Wednesday to discuss revision of the system, where these concerns are expected to be raised.
The survey was conducted in early September on 74 law schools, with 57 of them providing responses. Keio University was not included in the survey.
Of those responding, including graduate school presidents, 43 recommended concrete measures be introduced to improve the system, while 28 law schools said the system should be revised when asked whether law professors should also be responsible for formulating questions for the new bar exam.
Of the 28, 18 law schools stated categorically that graduate school professors should not double as question setters.
One Hakuoh University official said that with so much attention focusing on rankings of the number of successful examinees, it is inevitable professors serving as exam body members would try to help their students, while an official from Surugadai University said the current system would lead to professors offering exam tips to students again.
A Kanagawa University official said lawyers and legal scholars not teaching at law schools should be appointed to the exam body in the event the system is revised.
One Hokkaido University official stopped short of suggesting the current system be abolished, but suggested exam body members refrain from teaching students close to graduation.
Fifteen law schools said they did not see a need for the current system to be revised. Of these, professors at nine were appointed to the body this year.
A Gakushuin University official said he supported the current system as he is concerned that if graduate school professors are not allowed to serve as bar exam body members, questions compiled for exams might not adequately reflect what is taught at graduate level.
The ministry has compiled plans to revise the system, including a measure to significantly reduce the number of bar exam body members tasked with devising questions.
On Wednesday, the ministry will present the plan to the committee, which is then expected to decide what action needs to be taken.
Between February and March, after questions had been formulated, the former Keio University professor held seven sessions for his students to practice writing answers and briefed them on the issue of suspension of administrative punishment.
The professor also e-mailed participants information on six legal precedents, including one on the deportation of foreign nationals, to those who attended the meeting, and added a message saying he hoped the samples would give them an insight into the exam.
(Sep. 12, 2007)
Source:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national...12TDY02011.htm