OxILP wins court battle against former student
Share
An aspiring lawyer has been dealt a bitter blow after a judge ruled in favour of the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice (OxILP) following her claim that the law school had failed to prepare her adequately for exams.
Maria Abramova, 28, who was represented by Oliver Hyams of Devereux Chambers, launched her case last month (February) claiming £100,000 from the law school after alleging that she now finds it psychologically difficult to take legal exams.
Director of the OxILP Julie Brannan, said: “We’re extremely pleased with this judgment, which finds in favour of the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice on every point,”
“I have always had total confidence in the quality of the course. The continuing success of the vast majority of our students is testimony to the exceptional calibre of the teaching.”
Abramova graduated from the University of Oxford in 2004 with a 2:1 in law, and then began her Legal Practice Course (LPC) at OXILP with the aim to become a solicitor. She narrowly failed the LPC in 2005, and subsequently unsuccessfully attempted the New York Bar Exam.
The judgment was handed down by Mr Justice Burnett at the Royal Court of Justice today (18 March).
In his judgment he said: “The claimant was a witness who, in my judgment, was ready to blame anyone but herself for her misfortunes. She was inappropriately, and in my view without foundation, willing to make criticisms of those who taught her. It is abundantly clear that the teaching staff at OXILP were, without exception, well qualified and experienced.”
Readers' comments (7)
Max Robinson | 18-Mar-2011 1:24 pm
Poor girl.
Feel so sorry for her.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Martin | 18-Mar-2011 11:18 pm
I did not win the lotto this week . can i sue camalot .???:
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 21-Mar-2011 4:19 am
Fact that she took and failed the NY bar exam doomed her case.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 21-Mar-2011 4:07 pm
I feel really sorry for her- clearly she is not dumb- a 2.1 from oxford uni to boot. but i dont think she did herself any good by suing OXLIP- no employers like litigious employees. what she should have done is keep her head down, re do the exams and pass. I wish her best of luck in turning the situation around.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 25-Mar-2011 9:34 am
I very much doubt she will every practice law. She has gone about this totally the wrong way, and wants to blame everyone else for her failings.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 28-Mar-2011 5:55 pm
Maybe she will sue her barrister next..
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Ezhi Opfu | 3-Feb-2012 1:00 pm
The real scandal here is that a person who made a 2:1 in Oxford University could not pass even an LPC which virtually anyone passes.
Abramova's 2:1 firmly confirms what most people already know that the UK educational system is probably more corrupt than Nigeria's.
If she was smart enough to make a 2:1 in her LLB in any UK university and we still believe that a UK 2:1 is better than a 2:2 from a good University in Nigeria, then, informed people who really care about justice and fairness must look beyond her legal defeat and probe what exactly is happening. Is she being victimised for refusing to give someone something?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment