The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Law and the Black Lawyers Association Legal Education Centre (BLA-LEC) has committed to producing market-ready lawyers through a memorandum of agreement signed on 11 November 2021.
The agreement, signed at the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus is for a period of three years.
The primary aim is to assist final-year law students at the NWU to acquire the necessary skills needed in the profession through trial advocacy training. In short trial advocacy training is the art of persuasion, using language to tell a convincing and believable story, often in a simulated courtroom environment.
Adv McCaps Motimele SC, chairperson of the board of trustees of BLA-LEC, says they recognise the need for institutions of higher learning, such as the NWU, to produce law graduates that are adequately trained and ready to enter and thrive in the legal profession.
“The BLA-LEC will provide the appropriate and necessary trial advocacy training to enhance teaching and learning at the NWU. Not only will this produce high-caliber graduates who become leaders in the profession, but it will also strengthen the reputation of the NWU’s Faculty of Law as one of the leading faculties in the country,” he adds.
Representing the NWU, Prof Sonia Swanepoel, acting deputy vice-chancellor for community engagement and Mahikeng Campus operations, confirms this.
“This programme will vastly benefit our students and contribute to the NWU’s goal to deliver well-rounded graduates.”
More about trial advocacy training
Trial advocacy training helps young lawyers to acquire and develop the skills they need to become competent and confident litigators.
It is focused on trial skills which forms the foundation of a learn-by-doing approach. All exercises are conducted in a simulated courtroom environment, and participants receive immediate feedback on their performances from faculty members. Each participant’s performance is also videotaped for further individual review, which adds the benefit of seeing other participants' performances and hearing their critiques.
Prof Sonia Swanepoel, NWU acting deputy vice-chancellor for community engagement and Mahikeng Campus operations, and Adv McCaps Motimele SC from the BLA-LEC, sign the memorandum of agreement. Prof Jeffrey Mphahlele, deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation, Dr Neo Morei, executive dean of the Faculty of Law, and Justice Serithi, a representative of the North West Judge President, witness the agreement.
