Book Review: The Internationalization of Legal Education: The Future Practise of Law. Edited by William van Caenegem & Mary Hiscock
| Date | 01 July 2017 |
| Published date | 01 July 2017 |
| DOI | 10.1177/2322005817696604 |
| Author | Prakash Sharma |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
188 Book Reviews
The Internationalization of Legal Education: The Future Practise of Law. Edited by William van Caenegem
& Mary Hiscock, Edward Elgar Publishing, Massachusetts, USA, 2014, xvii + 316 Pp., Paperback, £85.
ISBN: 978-1-78347-453-0
DOI: 10.1177/2322005817696604
This astute book1 explores the acute remonstrance presented by the internationalization of law (IoL), a
trend that has been accelerated by the growing requirement for academics and practitioners to work and
research across countries and regions with differing legal traditions.* Rejecting the modern legal discourse,
which prefers much of an outdated perspective, the present set of academics shows a trend of integrated
theoretical and practical perspectives that wrestles with fundamental issues of law and legal education
(LE).2 We have seen how at this moment litigation in domestic courts involves people, on both the bench
and bar, who are trained in the same schools, have practised in the same legal regime for years and are,
therefore, more familiar with the same legal culture, its specific practices and norms. At the domestic
level, the parties are familiar with each other, whereas the same cannot be said for the players in
international arbitration. There, the lawyers often deal with the ones from a totally different legal system,
practice culture and working language, and whose values and understanding of legal principles are quite
alien from theirs. The challenges raised by IoL can no longer be left to a small group of comparative and
international lawyers, but rather require fundamental engagement from everyone in the law.
This book is a collection of 15 essays and a conclusion, divided into five parts, depicting a useful mix
of intellectual and practical approaches to the topic. The parts are arranged in a narrative arc from the
philosophical to the practical, thus drawing a well-defined attention in the world of LE responding to
the globalization challenge. The book starts with a placed essay at the top,3 paving a correct and a well-
tuned approach for dwelling into the topic. It outlines the evidence for IoL, while discussing the objectives
to be pursued by LE in response to globalization.
Part I of the book concentrates on the fundamental issues of IoL with peculiar national philosophies
of values and culture with respect to LE. In the second essay of the book,4 the author argues that the hard
yards for IoL needs a detailed work on curricula. He opined that a focused programme which goes
beyond mere book study of foreign legal systems with an objective of cultivating the growth and
development of a new mindset about the study of law in a global environment is the key.5 The next essay6
highlights how internal pressure introduced through constitutional democracy and external influence of
economic globalization induced changes of both endogenous and exogenous varieties in LE. Another
essay7 highlights how the debate of internationalization of the curriculum is far from over, especially
* With all due regards and sincere apology to editors of the book, restrictive space does not permit the reviewer to review every
essay thoroughly; however an earnest effort is made to justify space. For any query, comments, suggestions, please reach author
at: prrakash89@gmail.com.
1 the internationalisation of leGal edUcation: the fUtUre practise of law (William Van Caenegem & Mary Hiscock eds.,
2014).
2 See, e.g., clinical leGal edUcation in asia: accessinG JUstice for the UnderprivileGed (Shuvro Prasun Sarker ed., 2015).
3 Jurgen Basedow, Breeding Lawyers for the Global Village: The Internationalization of Law and Legal Education, in THE
INTERNATIONALIZATION OF LEGAL EDUCATION, supra note 1.
4 Michael Coper, Internationalization and Different Nation Philosophies of Legal Education: Convergence, Divergence and
Contestability, in the internationalization of leGal edUcation, supra note 1.
5 Id. at 45.
6 Laurence Boulle, Isolationism, Democratization and Globalization: Legal Education in a Developing Country, in the
internationalization of leGal edUcation, supra note 1.
7 Bobette Wolski, Continuing the Internalization Debate: Philosophies of Legal Education, Issues in Curriculum Design and
Lessons from Skills Integration, in the internationalization of leGal edUcation, supra note 1.
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