In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed significant reforms in the country’s legal education system. The apex court has suspended the Special Equivalence Examination (SEE-LAW) for foreign law graduates and approved the reduction of the LLB degree duration from five years to four years.
SEE-LAW Requirement Suspended for Foreign Graduates
A constitutional bench of the Supreme Court issued the verdict while hearing a petition concerning reforms in legal education. The court observed that foreign law graduates already face the requirement of passing the LAW-GAT (Law Graduate Assessment Test) to register with the Bar Council. Imposing an additional SEE-LAW exam created an unnecessary burden.
As a result, the court suspended the SEE-LAW requirement for those applicants whose enrollment cases are currently pending before the Pakistan Bar Council.
LLB Program Duration Reduced to Four Years
In a separate but related decision, the Supreme Court also approved a proposal to reduce the LLB program duration from five years to four years. This move aligns legal education with the standard length of other undergraduate degrees offered in Pakistan, such as BS and BBA programs.
Reform Backed by PBC, DLE, and HEC
The decision was made following recommendations from the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the Directorate of Legal Education (DLE), and the Higher Education Commission (HEC). These institutions emphasized the need for a more streamlined and standardized legal education system in Pakistan.
A Welcomed Step Toward Legal Education Reform
Ch. Tahir Nasrullah Warraich, Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Bar Council, welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict. He stated that removing unnecessary hurdles for law graduates and standardizing legal education will benefit both students and the legal profession as a whole.
This decision marks a major shift in Pakistan’s legal education landscape and is expected to make the path to legal practice more accessible and consistent.