Legal Training Institute

This is the 50^th year of admitting lawyers to the bar and the highest admission compared to the last 50 years. This group of lawyers are also the first group to undergo the strict, fit and proper test as per the new law following amendments in parliament to improve the quality of lawyers.

The journey to the admission bar of the National and Supreme Court has not been an easy one for these young men and women. They have had to put a lot of time and effort to reach this milestone.

Monika Anio, who recently graduated with a law degree from UPNG, will receive the much-needed support to pursue her Legal Training Institute (LTI) studies so that she can be admitted to the bar as a lawyer.

During the announcement, the 23-year-old from Bukawa, in Morobe Province, thanked the committee for considering her a worthy recipient of the Ruby Anne Laufa Memorial Scholarship.

Part of the 23 subjects at the LTI, the Legal Aid program aims to offer legal assistance to people whilst providing a practical application of what trainees learn at the institute.

LTI Director, Pauline Mogish, encouraged the trainees to put into practice what they learn and be mindful of the ethics of their profession.

Present to officially launch the program was the Acting Public Solicitor, Leslie Mamu, who spoke about how his organisation is funded by the government to offer legal aid service to the people.

The 64 trainee lawyers who graduated from the Legal Training Institute on Wednesday appeared before the bench in five different court rooms, where applications were moved for their admittance to the bar.

The group comprises of 26 female and 38 males.

Seven from that group are Solomon Islanders, three of which are females.

The biggest group of applicants appeared before the Chief Justice, Justice Terrence Higgins and Justice William Neil.

Among the 64 graduates were 7 Solomon Islands students as well.

LTI Director, Mrs Pauline Mogish, says initially there were to be 73 graduands but the remaining 9 are yet to complete their training.

The graduates will be admitted to the bar this Friday.

The Legal Training Institute Director, Mrs Pauline Mogish, told graduates this morning at the 12th graduation ceremony to be positive and focus on the basics.

She outlined for graduates to remember the 5 Ps: "Proper preparation prevents poor performance.”

Mogish highlighted the need for graduates to note that as long as they are mindful of the simple basics of their training and keep to the simple proper aspects of their professional life, they will go far.

The theme for this 12th graduation ceremony is ‘Knowledge and skills but with correct attitudes’.

In her welcoming remarks, LTI director, Mrs Pauline Mogish, challenged the graduates to take the theme to heart and help them establish a good life.

She said coming from a rich hospitable culture, they need to be mindful of the type of attitude they have.

She added they the legal profession demands a positive attitude.

“How long you set the course of your profession will depend on your correct attitude to life and enable you to prosper in life," she challenged.

Delivered by a volunteer training team from the Queensland Bar Association, the workshop was aimed at developing the student's legal skills.

The ultimate aim of the workshop is to equip the law students to serve the needs of Papua New Guinea's developing economy.

"There is still a need to groom better legal practitioners who will contribute positively to the administration of the legal system and the rule of law in PNG," said renowned lawyer Mal Varitimos during the ceremony yesterday.

The workshop is designed to introduce the student’s aspects of modern commercial litigation practice with the final day devoted to aspects of modern criminal law practice and ethics.

The 2017 LTI students now join over 400 other students who have successfully completed the workshop since 2013.

The workshop is also to meet a need identified by the Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia for persons entering the legal profession to be better equipped to serve the needs of Papua New Guinea’s developing economy.

The students worked with 11 members of the Victorian Bar to enhance their criminal litigation and advocacy skills, practising in mock court exercises to make submissions on behalf of clients, lead evidence and cross-examine witnesses.

Clarissa Laimo, a legal trainee from Buin in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, wants to be a criminal lawyer and said her newly strengthened litigation skills will equip her well to follow her dream. The course also made Clarissa appreciate that advocating for a client requires strong persuasive skills.