Institute of Legal Practice and Development (Rwanda) Online Application Form | Institute of Legal Practice and Development (Rwanda) admission procedure
DIPLOMA IN LEGAL PRACTICE (DLP)
Why this program?
It is trite now in many legal systems, that for one to have court audience as an Advocate or state attorney he/she must have had a DLP qualificationand so Rwanda like most of its counter parts in East African region, is not an exception to this. In rwanda specifically, this DLP qualification is also made a preliquisite for career judges. In fact, the Rwanda Bar Association Law(ART.6(3)) and other legislations governing Judges and Prosecutors, accordingly make the DLP compulsory for practitioners.
The diploma in Legal Practice is a postgraduate vocational course, that is meant to equipe the trainee with all necessary skills needed to practice law before civil and common law courts, and other legal transactions.
ILPD is a unique institution in the East African Community (EAC), for its operations within a combination of civil and common law systems. This elevates graduates to a higher level of understanding of these two legal traditions, and thus being all around on the their EAC market.
Program structure
DLP programe is delivered in module divisions. Trainees under go a vigorous 6 months class room instruction,where they are to attend, attempt and pass 9 both core and specialised modules,and a three months clinical law instruction(field placement) followed by a written clerkship/internship report .
Core Modules
Module 1: General Legal Culture.
This module aims at enabling the trainees to cope with advanced legal research, general principles of common law and civil law, and the statutory interpretation and use of precedents.
Module 2: Interviewing and Negotiation.
This module aims at enabling students to conduct interviews with clients, witnesses and suspects effectively and efficiently. It will therefore also serve as a foundation for other, later modules which deal with specific areas of practice for which these skills are particularly important.
Module 3: civil and commercial transactions.
This module aims at giving a hands-on experience in the everyday practice of the work as a lawyer. It will enable students to understand different transactions relating to land registration, land tenure, transfer of land and other household properties. This module will equip the trainees with practical skills of deal negotiation, sale and commercial lease agreement, negotiable instruments and other related documents, company incorporation, mergers and acquisitions, insolvency practice, Public Private Partnerships, procedural aspects of intellectual property and the capital market
Module 4: Alternative Dispute Resolution.
This module aims to ensure that students are aware, and understand the potential advantages and disadvantages, of the processes of negotiation, mediation and arbitration which are available, as an alternative to litigation, to settle a dispute. It will, therefore, equip them with the ability to decide on which process to adopt in any particular case; and with the skills which they will require, in order to use these processes on behalf of their clients.
Module 5:Contract Drafting and Principles of Legislative Drafting
This module aims to enable students to understand the principles and purposes which govern the drafting of any legal document, with a specific emphasis on contracts and legislation; and to equip them with the skills to draft for themselves, such documents, and to a standard that they will be expected to achieve in practice.
Module 6: The course of civil suit.
This module aims at enabling the trainees to establish a thorough understanding of the professional conduct and ethics for judges, to gain a comprehensive understanding of legal procedures in civil; to demonstrate an understanding of court management administration and the use of IECMS; to ensure that students can conduct a hearing and can draft good judgments; demonstrate the ability to apply the law and use of precedent in judgment writing as well as dealing with post trial procedures.
Module 7: Criminal Process.
This module aims at enabling the trainees to understand the pre-trial process, criminal dossier preparation, to select the criminal charges, to evaluate the evidence and to prepare a criminal defense case. It introduces trainees to the investigative work of prosecutors and the relationship between prosecution and judicial police as well as the role to be played by each one. It also introduces trainees to a practical knowledge of evidence law and the ability to understand how it operates in practice and efficient method of retrieving information from witnesses. Briefly, this module seeks to develop trainees’ knowledge on the entire process of a criminal case; from the arrest of a person to the execution of the judgment.
Module 8: Practice Management
This module will focus upon the following areas of professional practice: Admission and Ethics for Advocates, advocates collaborations and forms of associations, setting up a cabinet, management of the cabinet, dealing with client money, marketing, client care and EAC freedom of establishment.
DLP MODES
DLP is delivered through different modes to different groups within the legal market which have differing needs. However all modes have the same learning outcomes, though they are delivered in different ways.
FULL TIME MODE: It is a Nyanza based mode which allows our trainees to complete the course in just 9 months (6 months of formal instruction and 3 months of clinical application). Students can choose between two convenient dates to commence their studies (January and July each Year).
PART TIME MODE: It allows ILPD trainees to complete the program within 9 months during evenings, or at weekends.
1. Evening Program: The evening program is offered in Kigali (ILPD Kigali office) and Saint Paul premises.
2. Weekend Program: Currently the weekend program is offered in Kigali (ILPD Kigali office), Musanze (CID School premises) and Nyanza main campus.
3. Executive Mode: The range of experience amongst those who are obliged by law to take the DLP is great. ILPD does not think it appropriate to teach fresh graduates and highly experienced legal professionals together in one group and that is why it has differentiated various categories distinctively. This gives each category liberty to freely interract with colleagues.
The criteria for eligibility are based on seniority of lawyers, state attorney or judges who can demonstrate that, by their virtue of experience.
ILPD LIBRARY
The library of the Institute is very well stocked; it is constituted of over a 1000 copies of materials on various areas of law.
Our library has a wide range of textbooks, law reports, legislation, and serials. It also has duplicate sets of key law report series, houses extensive collections in government publications and other related areas.
Students have access to a wide range of electronic information sources too, including all the major legal databases such as Lexis Nexis.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Please find out about the entry requirements and selection criteria for your chosen DLP Mode at ILPD, by accessing our admission policy.
FEES STRUCTURE FOR DIPLOMA IN LEGAL PRACTICE
I. Residential (Full Time)
School fees: 1, 000,000 Rwandan Francs
Accommodation: 390,000 Rwandan Francs
Catering services: To be negotiated with the service provider
III. Executive Mode
School fees: 1, 500,000 Rwandan Francs
IV. Evening program
School fees: 1, 000,000 Rwandan Francs
V. Weekend Program
School fees: 1, 100,000 Rwandan Francs
How to Apply at Institute of Legal Practice and Development (Rwanda)