Schwerin (dpa/mv) – Aspiring lawyers can now complete their legal clerkship part-time in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The state parliament decided on Wednesday to make the necessary changes to the law. Justice Minister Jacqueline Bernhardt (left) was confident in the final debate that this would increase the attractiveness of the training.
According to her, the country has a great need for young lawyers. On average, around 30 judges and prosecutors retired in the coming years. The peak will be reached in 2023 with 43 retirements. Your ministry is therefore trying to fill as many departmental positions as possible. According to Bernhardt, a total of 134 young lawyers were hired this year to prepare for their second state exam. That is a new record number.
A motion submitted jointly by the CDU, Greens and FDP to set up a full law degree in Rostock again in addition to Greifswald did not find a majority. With a study period of at least eight years, the high demand in the coming years cannot be met, said Bernhardt.
According to the minister, the part-time traineeship will be possible due to a change in federal law that will take effect on January 1, 2023. The new regulation should primarily benefit young mothers and fathers as well as people who care for relatives.
“The granting of an entitlement to part-time legal clerkship was overdue,” said Constanze Oehlrich of the Greens. But state law falls short of federal law. “In our opinion, the right to part-time work must also be granted after the 15th month of training. After all, the need for care or childbirth are realities of life that are not governed by law,” she said.
