Brief Introduction to the Russian Legal Education System

The Russian legal education system is based on European undergraduate traditions. Students enter law schools, as a rule, after leaving secondary school. At law schools, which are often referred to as law faculties or law academies, among law courses are also taught such subjects as humanities, economics and mathematics.

Law students usually start to specialize in certain field of law in their fourth year. The standard set of specialization is civil law, public international law, criminal law, administrative and financial law. However, this combination can vary in case of each school. Most wide-used method of tuition is lectures combined with seminars. The study year is divided into two terms. In the end of each term, students pass oral examinations, which take place in January and June. They are also required to pass so-called practicum in courts, prosecutor and notary offices, state agencies and law firms.

Law graduates are qualified only to general legal practice after passing state examinations and upon receiving their Diplomas of Higher Education (Bachelor or "Specialist" Degree in Law). Until the middle of 2002, bar admissions were required only for defense attorneys who specialized in criminal law. A new Federal Law Federal Law on advocate activity and advocacy in the Russian Federation, which entered into force as from 01 July 2002, provides that only advocates and in-house lawyers can represent the interests of companies in civil and administrative trials. A new Code of Arbitrzah Procedure also requires that persons representing companies in Russian commercial (so called ⌠arbitrazh) courts to be either advocates (i.e. lawyers admitted to the Bar) or in-house lawyers of a concerned undertaking. Candidates for judge positions should have at least a five-year experience in legal field. Russian law schools are divided into two major types: (a) old recognized schools and (b) new, usually commercial schools. Practically all top Russian law schools were established before 1991. There are also a number of specialized law schools such as institutes of Interior Ministry of the Russian Federation, institutes of the General Prosecutor Office, Academy of Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, Academy of Tax Police, Academy of Tax Service, Customs Academy, All-Russian Academy of Foreign Commerce, military academies and etc. 2. Russian Degrees in Law

№	Degree in Law (English equivalent)	Degree in Law (Russian transliteration)	Duration of study	Awarded by the following law schools
1.	Bachelor in Law LL.B	⌠Bakalavr jurisprudentsyi	4 years of full-time study	MGIMO, RUDN & etc.
2.	⌠Specialist in Law (the most widespread Russian Degree in Law, can be compared with the US J.D law degree)	"Spetsialist pravovedenya"	5 years of full-time study	Practically by all law schools.
3.	Master of Laws LL.M	⌠Magistr jurisprudentsyi	2 years of full-time study	MGIMO, RUDN, RSPL, MSSES, Academic University, MGU (only for foreigners), Perm State University
4.	PhD in Law (Research degree)	⌠Kandidat yuridicheskih nauk	3 years of full-time study	Practically by all top law schools and academic institutions such as IZiSP and IGP RAN
5.	Doctor of the Science of Law US SJD or UK LLD	"Doctor yuridicheskih nauk"	-	By top law schools and academic institutions.

3. Top Russian Law Schools (of)

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