Bar Council Updates Standards for Qualifying Law Degrees

The Bar Council of the Maldives has issued a consolidated version of its Minimum Standards on Entry Criteria, Prescribed Learning Outcomes and Statement of Prescribed Knowledge for Qualifying Law Degrees, setting out the academic requirements that law programmes must meet to be recognised as qualifying law degrees in the Maldives.

The updated standards outline the minimum entry requirements for students, the learning outcomes expected from graduates and the prescribed areas of legal knowledge that must be covered by qualifying law degree programmes.

According to the Bar Council, the standards specify both major and minor prescribed knowledge areas to ensure graduates acquire the legal knowledge and skills necessary for admission to the legal profession in the Maldives. Qualifying law degrees are a key requirement for those seeking to become licensed lawyers in the country.

The consolidated document also provides guidance for higher education institutions offering law programmes, helping align legal education with the requirements of the Legal Profession Act and the Bar Council’s regulatory framework.

Established under the Legal Profession Act of 2019, the Bar Council is responsible for regulating the legal profession in the Maldives, including setting standards for legal education, administering the Bar Examination and overseeing the licensing process for lawyers.