Law clerks get new pathway to qualifications
New diploma programme will give experienced law clerks a formal pathway to upgrade their qualifications.
Wednesday 12 August 2026 | 09:30
From left: Programme Head Suresh Chandra, Oceania Institute of Technology (OIT) chief executive officer Dr Hasmuk Lal, Fiji Law Clerks’ Association president Koro Tuitubou, and OIT chairperson Dr Sereana Kubuabola.
Photo: Joana Vulavou
Hundreds of law clerks in Fiji have spent years working in the legal sector without a clear academic pathway to upgrade their skills and qualifications.
Oceania Institute of Technology (OIT) says about 200 to 300 people are currently working as paralegal officers, with some having more than 20 years of experience but no formal pathway to further their education.
That gap is now being addressed through a new training programme announced yesterday in Nasinu, with OIT and the Fiji Law Clerk Association signing a Memorandum of Understanding to provide professional development for law clerks.
Under the agreement, 130 members of the Fiji Law Clerk Association will undertake a Diploma in Legal Office Administration, with the first cohort expected to begin classes on August 31.
OIT chief executive officer Hasmuk Lal said the programme was developed in response to a clear need within Fiji’s legal sector.
He said the National Skills Gap Survey had identified 90 occupations facing skills shortages, highlighting the need for more targeted training.
Mr Lal said the institute recognised that many people already working as law clerks had years of experience but lacked an opportunity to formally upgrade their qualifications.
“The programme will also be open to other people working as paralegal officers who are not members of the association,” Mr Lal said.
OIT head of programmes Suresh Chandra said the programme was designed specifically for people already working as law clerks, including those who may not have high-level academic qualifications.
He said the programme would cover six areas, including property law, company law, criminal law, family law, legal writing and elements of law for administration.
“There is a big legal gap,” Mr Chandra said.
“This would help bring lawyers and law clerks closer through professional development, capacity building and education,” he said.
The training is aimed at giving law clerks greater knowledge, professional development and recognition within the legal sector.
Registration for the programme has opened, with classes scheduled to begin on August 31.
