Integrating theory and practice in the LLB curriculum: some reflections

Abstract

English: The debate regarding the ideal outcomes for tertiary legal education has been a topic of national and international discourse for a long time. One of the aspects of this debate is whether legal theory and practical legal skills education should be integrated, and if so, how this should be achieved. It is common knowledge that since the inclusion of skills courses in the LLB curriculum, notably the clinical law courses, there has been progress in South Africa towards moving to a curriculum that integrates theory and practical legal skills. This article argues that there are compelling reasons in the South African context that integration of theory and skills should indeed occur in tertiary legal education, but that such an occurrence should not place the sole burden on skills courses alone.

Afrikaans: Die vraag random die ideale uitkomstes vir tersiere regsonderrig is reeds vir ·n geruime tyd 'n punt van nasionale en internasionale debat. Een aspek van hierdie debat is of regsteorie en regsvaardighede integreer moet word. en indien so. hoe dit moet geskied. Dit is gemene saak dat sedert die insluiting van sekere regsvaardighede-kursusse in die LLB kurrikulum, veral dan die kliniese regsonderrigkursusse, daar wel ontwikkeling was by Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite in die rigting van 'n ge·lntegreerde kurrikulum. Hierdie artikel betoog dat daar dwingende redes in Suid-Afrika konteks bestaan om teorie en praktiese regsvaardighede in voorgraadse regsonderrig te integreer, maar dat dit nie uitsluitlik die verantwoordelikheid kan of moet wees van regsvaardigheidskursusse alleen nie.