The Malaysian government announced plans to replace the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) examination with a New Bar Course (NBC) designed to emphasize practical legal skills and training [1, 2, 3, 4].
The NBC will have two main parts: a three-month online Conversion Course for overseas law graduates covering Malaysian law, followed by a six-month Legal Practice Postgraduate Certificate (LPPC) focusing on vocational and practical training [1, 2, 3, 5, 4]. The Conversion Course will be delivered through a Learning Management System developed by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB), using computer-based assessments [1, 5, 4].
The LPPC will move away from exam-centric assessments to practice-based evaluations designed to reduce pressure on candidates from a single exam, improving readiness for practice [1, 6, 4]. Former Malaysian Bar president Salim Bashir said the new assessments "help candidates think critically, connect the dots and prepare for the evolving demands of legal practice” and “reduce the anxiety of being judged solely on a single written examination" [6].
The NBC will apply to all individuals not qualified under the Legal Profession Act 1976, including both local and overseas law graduates [1, 2, 5, 4]. Senior legal figures support the change, with Datuk Geethan Ram Vincent noting a well-designed system can "meaningfully bridge the gap between academic training and the realities of practice, making the early months at a firm easier for candidates who passed the NBC" [6].
A task force was established on April 27, 2026, by the LPQB to develop the operational framework for the NBC. This task force will conduct a 12-month study from May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027, to plan for the course’s smooth implementation [1, 2, 3, 4].
Separately, a task force formed on February 23, 2026, is studying the possible revival of the articled clerkship qualification route, conducting research from March through November 2026 including international comparisons [3, 4].
Minister M. Kulasegaran said, "The LPPC is conceived as a new approach that emphasises practical skill development, unlike the CLP, with more relevant methods of assessment." He added the goal of the NBC implementation study is to "develop an operational framework for the New Bar Course and ensure smooth implementation planning" [2, 4].
