Since enrolling at the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education (ZIALE) to take the Legal Practitioners Qualifications Exams (LPQE) I have gotten a lot of questions about what it is all about. I thought I would start out answering a few “Frequently Asked Questions”.
What type of program is LPQE?
In Zambia, the law degree (LLB) is part of a student’s undergraduate studies. After finishing this degree, you are considered a lawyer BUT if you want to be called to the Bar and appear in the Zambia Courts, you must pass the Legal Practitioners Qualifications Exams (LPQE). To take these exams you must participate in a 9 month course of study at ZIALE, taking classes in 11 subjects. These courses are supposed to be focused on the actual practice of law, rather than legal theory. Students are also required to work at a law firm during this time. At the end of the course, if you clear the exams in all of the subjects and have performed satisfactorily at the law firm, you qualify to be called to the Bar and appear in court.
What subjects are you studying? What is the schedule like?
The 11 subjects we study are: High Court Civil Procedure, Domestic Relations, Subordinate Court Civil Procedure, Probate & Intestate Succession, Criminal Procedure, Commercial Transactions, Evidence, Conveyancing, Accounts, Ethics, and Company Law. We take all of these courses SIMULTANEOUSLY over the entire nine months. It’s definitely a challenge to keep up with everything! We have two one-hour classes every afternoon, four days a week, and three classes on Friday. In the mornings the students are all required to work at a law firm and journal each task they perform to make sure we are putting our learning into practice. IJM Zambia also functions as a law firm (Lusitu Chambers) so I have continued my work with them while fulfilling ZIALE’s work requirement. Classes started in June with a three week break in September. Mid-year exams will be in December and our final exams in late March/early April. After that, we wait until June to find out our results and the passers are called to the bar in July.
How are you adjusting to going to school in another country/culture?
In many ways I have adjusted quite well to ZIALE. Because the official language of Zambia is English, the laws are all in English, and therefore, all legal programs are also in English. There are times that a term or two stump me because of the lecturer’s accent or a case name whose spelling baffles me, but usually some classmate is ready to whisper a quick tip when they see my puzzled expression. Even though I am the only student out of 75 who is not from the region, I have felt mostly at home and have enjoyed developing relationships with several of my classmates. It’s fun to swap questions about our native countries and cultures. One thing that has been tough to get used to is the dress code - yes - ZIALE has a strict dress code! I was shocked to find out the day before classes started that I was expected to wear a Black/Grey/Navy Suit with a White/Sky Blue/Lilac shirt every day, no matter the weather. This was a challenge since I only had one black suit and a couple of white shirts with me in Zambia. I’ve managed to build up my wardrobe until I have a few more suits and a shirt for of each day of the week. At least I don’t have to spend much time deciding what to wear!
What are your plans once you finish?
That is a good question that I don’t have an answer for yet. It was a little disheartening hear the exam results for the 2008-2009 LPQE class - 12 students cleared out of 79! The statistics don’t exactly boost my confidence. If I am fortunate enough to clear all the exams on my first attempt, I could be donning my robe and wig in July. However, if not, I have the option of trying again in September 2010. Whether it’s practicing in Zambia, working with an international organization, or some other direction, I am confident that God will use this experience somehow for His glory! In the meantime, I am learning how to take things one day at a time.
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