LookAtVietnam – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has ratified a scheme to develop a team of lawyers to serve the country’s international integration between 2010 and 2020.

Following recent discussions with lawyers, PM Nguyen Tan Dung said that since 2001, the number of lawyers has risen by 250 percent.

The scheme aims to train 150 lawyers up to international standard. These lawyers must be very strong in specialized areas including international laws, trade practices and foreign languages.

By 2015, Vietnam will have 400 lawyers fully trained in international trade and investment. This figure will rise to 1,500 by 2020, including 150 up to international standards.

To realize the abve goals, the PM asked to Ministry of Justice to develop the plan to build associate training centres to train lawyers. Bar associations and lawyer practice institutions are also being encouraged to set up such training centres.

Vietnam will choose qualified lawyers for overseas training under a project approved by the government two years ago. Lawyers who study abroad in a self-financing manner will be partly subsidized.

The scheme is also working out solutions to develop a contingent of lawyers in Vietnam, including training talented students in legal areas at universities, organizing English courses for trainee lawyers, attracting good overseas Vietnamese lawyers to work at home and establishing a club of lawyers for international integration.

Following recent discussions with lawyers, PM Nguyen Tan Dung said that since 2001, the number of lawyers has risen by 250 percent. Vietnam currently has nearly 5,800 lawyers, reaching a ratio of 1 lawyer per 15,000 residents. However, the country still lacks lawyers who are capable of attending international courts.

Le Nhung