Date of Award

6-2009

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD)

Abstract

This dissertation analyzes the liberalization of legal education and training in East Africa. It explores avenues for developing a legal education policy that addresses various problems with regard to the quality of law graduates and of legal services in the market place currently available given the large number of law graduates entering the professional field each year.

The legal systems in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to a large extent follow the Common Law theories and practices of English Law. The three countries also share a history in the establishment of law schools and they face similar problems and challenges with regard to the effect of liberalization on the quality of law graduates produced today. For the purposes of this research, Uganda serves as a case study to draw comparative lessons for the systems of legal education in the other two countries. This is especially important as the three countries move closer together with the ultimate goal of political federation.

This dissertation compares the legal education and training system in Uganda with that of the United States in the area of accreditation in order to draw some useful insights that may be applied to the Ugandan situation. The United States follows the Common Law system and has itself grappled with the issue of accreditation of rising numbers of law schools in an open market. The United States legal education and training accreditation process is assisted by comprehensive guidelines that have developed over a long period of time. This process could inform the development of Uganda's legal education policies.

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