CLE Prescriptive Curriculum? The
case of Mexico
Alejandro Posadas
Legal Education Regulation
• Same as higher education:
– Official certification to provide professional license
• Not required for public institutions (10% Law Schools)
• Issued by the federal and state governments and
autonomous universities. At least 65…
• Minimum requirements:
– Facilities
– Study plans and course curriculums
– Professors
» Law = practical profession (no full time requirement)
• Flexible to allow growth of higher education offer public
policy (18% of youth population compared to 40% OECD)
Flexibility and Innovation?
• Does flexibility encourages curricular
innovation?
– No – in practice a small office of approximately 5
officials must review 1000 applications a year
– Review according to pre-designed format (80%
rule of thumb)
– No association helps in Law area
Proposals
• In view of proposals to regulate law profession in
Mexico
• Given its designation as a practical profession
– Amend or issue regulations to tie professional
standard / ethics problem based course
– One clinical legal education course and simulation
courses
– Mandatory social service in law practice
– Tie renewal of certificate to accreditation (currently
voluntary)