This study is on the explanation of the legislative proceedings for the introduction of the law school policy, using the complexity theory.
The present legal profession training system is composed of the undergraduate legal education and the bar exa...
This study is on the explanation of the legislative proceedings for the introduction of the law school policy, using the complexity theory.
The present legal profession training system is composed of the undergraduate legal education and the bar exam. Its substitution for law school system had been debated over three administrations from 1995 to 2007.7. Analyzing the substitution process with the complexity theory, this study explains the process as a 'self-organization' of an open system.
The complexity theory tries to explain natural phenomenon and complexity, chaos, disorder, non-equilibrium, non-linearity, and holism of social, economic reality with a perspective of a maintenance of system and an establishment of order. These phenomena are considered as 'complex systems' and are explained using their, characteristics such as self-organization, path-dependency, sensitivity on the initial condition, co-evolution and emergence.
At a glance, the complex systems seem to change abruptly through chaos and disorder. However, they are stabilized by the making of an order (self-organization), followed by an emergence, in its own way. Since the stabilization of a complex system is formed from the bottom up by external negotiation and internal interaction processes, the stability of the complex system would be high.
Although researches so far have emphasized the non-deterministicity and non-linearity of the complex system, this study paid its attention on its implicit stability.
The first chapter is an introduction. The research topics of this paper are presented in this chapter. The research topics are: First, why didn't the introduction of law school policy change although the three administrations had different ideological aims? Second, what maintained the stability of the policy during legislative proceedings, which seem to be very complex and disordered? Third, which conditions maintain or weaken the stability of the policy? Answers to these questions will propose the condition for stably pursuing a policy.
The second chapter is an explanation about the previous studies and theoretical background related with this research. The section on the previous studies presents researches on law school and previous studies using complexity theory. The section on the theoretical background presents a theory on the policy formation and main contents of the complexity theory.
The third chapter is an analysis of the time that law school policy was selected as an agenda.
The policy for the introduction of a law school was discussed in order to prepare for an open legal market and to offer better legal service to the public. To fulfill these goals, many lawyers with diverse specialties must be supplied. The supporters of the law school policy, including law professors, insist that these goals may be achieved by reformation of the current legal system, with an establishment of the law school. On the other hand, of the current lawyers, who have passed the bar exams in the current system, opposed this policy because the production of a large number of lawyers with diverse specialties from law schools may infringe their vested rights.
During the administration of President Kim Young-Sam, the 'Globalization strategy committee' had proposed the introduction of the law school to the President in order to make it an agenda, but it failed due to oppositions of the legal circles, including the Supreme Court. Instead, they have proposed a gradual increase in the number of successful applicants of the current bar exam.
During the administration of President Kim Dae-Jung, the 'New education community committee' tried to select the introduction of the law school as an agenda, with a perspective of the improvement of the higher education system. However, the advisory committee for judicial reform opposed this idea by suggesting a graduateeducation of the successful applicants of the current bar exam.
These were the periods of debate between the executive branch and the judicial branch on the selection of the introduction of the law school as an agenda.
The fourth chapter analyzes the process of selecting the introduction of the lawas an agenda during administration of President Roh Moo-hyun. It became an agenda because the Supreme Court changed position and supported it. The change of Supreme Court's attitude on the introduction of the law school reflects that it was in favor of the public opinion. The administration of President Roh Moo-hyun pushed ahead with the legalization of the law school policy and the policy formation entered its second stage.
The fifth chapter is an analysis of the policy formation by the legislative process in the National Assembly. After the legislative bill on introduction of the law school has been submitted to the National Assembly, there has been one year and nine months of unstable period due to political conditions, being connected to amendment of the laws on private schools.
The sixth chapter is an analysis on the complexity which makes the formation of law school policy difficult. The order of priority among the policies and especially, President's will to decide a policy differed among the administrations. The opposition of the establishment, including the Supreme Court and the groups of lawyers who have been recognized as an expert by passing the current bar exam, has been the main cause of the complexity. On the other hand, the justification for producing lots of lawyers with specialty and diversity, in order to offer better legal service to the public and prepare for opening and globalization of the legal market, has been the main cause of the stability. In addition, active development of reasoning by the law professors and experts, and the friendly coverage by the media have been another causes for the stability.
It has taken twelve years to persuade the establishments by accepting present legal profession training system in the law school concept. After legalization has succeeded, the policies, such as those related to the law school education system and the number of successful applicants of the bar exam, have been continuously evolving. This shows that an incrementalism is valid forsolving complexity and uncertainty and securing stability of the policy.