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LEGAL EDUCATION IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Admission to the legal profession in England is controlled by organizations representing the solicitors and barristers, the two great divisions into which the profession is divided. This control by private organizations is peculiar to England, and a proper appreciation of the present condition and tendencies in English legal education therefore requires a somewhat detailed account of these societies and their activities.

The division of the profession into two classes, the solicitors and barristers, does not exist in the United States. The activities of the solicitor correspond, roughly, to those of the so-called office lawyer in America, while the barrister corresponds to the trial lawyer. The solicitor may appear as an advocate in the inferior courts and in noncontroversial matters in chambers before judges of the High Court. By the conveyancing act passed in 1881 the solicitor is permitted to do all kinds of conveyancing, a field formerly belonging exclusively to the barrister. The barrister's chief function is to conduct trials before the High Court; he is employed by the solicitor and does not come in contact with the client in the first instance.

THE LAW SOCIETY.

The incorporated Law Society was established in 1827 and incorporated in 1831, succeeding an earlier society dating back to 1739. In 1833 courses of lectures were established for law clerks, and the present system of instruction dates from 1903. The society's control over admission to the roll of solicitors is derived from parliamentary sanction. The society now has a membership of over 9,000 scattered throughout the United Kingdom and the Crown colonies.

THE LAW SCHOOL OF THE LAW SOCIETY.

The law society is not only an examining body, but since 1903 has maintained a system of instruction in London and at various provincial centers and also a correspondence course. The principal law school is maintained in the society's building in London. It is presided over by a principal and director of legal studies corresponding to the dean in American schools; there are, in addition, a

1 Secs. 6 and 7, Vict., ch. 73; 7 and 8, Vict., ch. 86; 23 and 24, Vict., ch. 127; 33 and 34, Vict., ch. 28; 36 and 37, Vict., 81; 37 and 38, Vict., ch. 66; 38 and 39, Vict., ch. 77; 40 and 41, Vict., ch. 25.

reader, ranked as assistant professor; six tutors ranking as instructors; one lecturer on commercial law; a tutor in criminal law; and a tutor in accounting and bookkeeping. The supervision of the school is in the hands of the legal education committee of the society, which is composed of 10 members of the council of the society, 5 members representing provincial law societies, and 2 members of the London law students' society. The teaching year is divided into four terms of about eight weeks each. Classes are held at such hours as will best accommodate the clerks who are in solicitors' offices. The courses covered embrace the topies covered in the intermediate and final examinations.

Attendance is not required. In 1913 the attendance was 209. This number seems small when compared with the total taking the examinations, but it was greater than in preceding years.

Examinations are held at the end of each course, but attendance is voluntary and does not exempt from the finals or intermediate examinations.

The fees in the law school are relatively low-£10 for complete course and revision class; correspondence, £7; extra order, £15.

The report of the society shows a falling off in the number of articles registered since 1902. In 1902, 785 articles were registered as against 534 in 1912, a decrease of 251. Solicitors admitted in 1902 numbered 557; in 1912, 494, a decrease of 63.

In addition to the law school maintained in London instruction is given in various provincial centers, the society making grants to local societies for this purpose. In many instances these local schools are maintained by local universities, under the supervision of boards of legal studies made up of representatives of the university local law societies and the law society. The latter has been largely instrumental in the formation and administration of these schools.

In 1914 the society granted £2,275, or $11,375, to provincial law societies. The law society is represented on the boards of the following centers of legal education:

Aberystwyth. University College of Wales, degrees.

Birmingham. Board of legal studies, prizes.

Brighton. Classes, Sussex Law Society.

Bristol. Board of legal studies (Bristol and district), prizes.

Cardiff. University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, joint board of legal studies and local societies.

Hull. University of Leeds, Yorkshire, board of legal studies.

Leeds. University of Leeds, Yorkshire, board of legal studies (railway fare paid for students in district), degrees.

Liverpool. University of Liverpool and board of legal studies (prizes and scholarships), degrees.

London. School of the law society (also qualifies for University of London); LL. B. examinations, degrees, prizes, and scholarships.

Manchester. University of Manchester and Manchester Law Society, degrees.