Summary

This year marks ten years from the signing of the Bologna Declaration, yet debate surrounding the future of higher education continues. Some of the most animated debate centres on possible developments in legal education. This is not merely a matter of pedagogy. Law itself has become more complicated, and the process of integration in Europe has lead to a marked increase in supranational law. Jurists are professionals that operate close to public authority. At times, they even exercise such authority, and at times, they control it. Moreover, it would seem that a more adequate understanding and legitimization of this situation (what must we do to achieve this?) is a key question for legal education.

The Bologna process has once again set these questions on the forefront of the agenda. They involve both legal policy and legal theory. What kind of jurists does Estonia and Europe wish to see? What kind of jurists does Estonia and Europe need? What must we do to ensure that legal education and training meet the needs of both Estonia and Europe? The author addresses these questions citing the examples of Germany, Austria, France and Japan.