Plagiarism in university law course angers legal community

The legal community yesterday reacted strongly to reports of plagiarism in the Postgraduate Certificate of Laws (PCLL) programme at the University of Hong Kong, saying law students had to be held to a higher standard of integrity and honesty.

The news also renewed focus on the fate of the programme, which an independent study recommended scrapping three years ago.

The Law Society advocated scrapping the programme in favour of a new course run by the legal profession. But strong objections by the University of Hong Kong and suggestions by the Chief Justice and the Bar Association at the time led to an agreement that the course instead be reformed.

Denis Brock, head of litigation at law firm Clifford Chance, said he did not want 'cheaters and stupid people' in the profession and it was only right for the students to receive harsh sentences.

Sixteen cases of plagiarism were suspected, four were prosecuted by the University Disciplinary Committee, and at least two students were expelled and barred from retaking the exams or the course.

'We don't want cheats in the profession,' Mr Brock said. 'Obviously, cheating of any nature is a dishonest act and it seems to me that particularly when one is dealing with the professional exam leading to persons being qualified to practise law, any dishonesty, if established, should be dealt with most stringently.'

Mr Brock said that if the charges against the students were proved, they should be barred from entering the profession to maintain its standards.