Pre–law course pioneered at St. Ignatius

By Carol Winker, carol@cfp,ky

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Nine students are pioneers in a pre–law course made possible through the collaboration of Walkers law firm, the Cayman Islands Law School and St. Ignatius High School.

The Advanced Subsidiary level law course has been added to the school’s curriculum primarily in response to an increasing number of students in Cayman who want to pursue a career in law, a press release from Walkers explained.

The course is open to students who have graduated from any school with a minimum of four or five higher grade passes at IGCSE or CXC. At present, all participants are enrolled in the St. Ignatius Sixth Form programme.

The course allows students to sample the study of law before committing themselves to the subject at undergraduate level.

It is taught by a lecturer from the Cayman Islands Law School, Mr. Alan Sprince, and meets twice per week. Each session is two and a half hours.

Mr. Peter Embleton, principal of St. Ignatius, said the course was giving students a sense of the academic rigour involved in the study of law in terms of required reading, the standard of written work and the need accurately and concisely articulate arguments and points of view.

Whether or not students go on to pursue a career in law, they can benefit immensely from the course, Mr. Embleton said.

Further, the course is recognised internationally, with the syllabus set and examined by Cambridge International Examinations. This is the same examining board used for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education, commonly referred to as IGCSEs.

Mr. Embleton explained that the one–year course can be the stand–alone Advanced Subsidiary qualification or it can be used as the first part of the two year full A–level course.

“Walkers’ sponsorship helps us to meet the cost of providing tuition and textbooks,” the principal said. “Furthermore, a partner from Walkers will conduct a lecture on the legal profession and the firm will assist as required with the delivery of certain subject matter relating to the course. In addition, Walkers will provide a prize for the best law student.”

Both Mr. Embleton and Mr. Sprince were happy with the way the students were adapting to the course. “We have already learned some things that we will put in pace for next year,” Mr. Embleton said. The course is also a useful pilot programme for the school as it looks to further development.

Attorney General Samuel Bulgin QC granted permission for the Cayman Islands Law School to deliver the course. Solicitor General Cheryll Richards, head of the Legal Department, was also involved in the approval process and supports the programme, as does Mr. Alden McLaughlin, Minister for Education, Training, Employment, Youth, Sports and Culture.

Both St. Ignatius Catholic School and the Cayman Islands Law School agree that the programme is an excellent head start for those who do go on to study law. Mitchell Davies, Director of Legal Studies at the Cayman Islands Law School, believes that the course gives students who enroll an advantage in some areas over those do not.

Mr. Davies said he hoped the Cayman Islands Law School would see applications from many of the course participants in the not too distant future.

Attorney Mark Lewis, Walkers partner, said the firm was delighted to sponsor the AS level law course. “The collaboration between Walkers, St. Ignatius and the Cayman Islands Law School provides a fine example of what can be achieved when the public and private sectors work together,” he said.

“This programme benefits our community in many ways. It provides more opportunities for Caymanian students, it enhances the standard of education for school leavers and it effectively supplies employers in Cayman with students who have a wider and more diverse range of skills and qualifications.

“Walkers is particularly pleased to be able to make this contribution to an area of study in which the firm has a specific interest,” Mr. Lewis said.