The Israel Bar Association performs many important functions; the association determines which lawyers will obtain licenses to practice, it enforces punishments against lawyers who violate legal standards, and it is intricately involved in the Israeli legislative process. According to the Israeli Bar Association, a prospective member must prove she attended law school, completed a legal internship, and passed the Bar's written and oral examinations. Once admitted, an attorney is required to perform professional legal services and to refrain from violating the Bar's rules and regulations. A lawyer found in violation of a standard of professional conduct will be punished by the association's Disciplinary Tribunal.
Israeli law students can choose to attend one of the following four law schools in Israel: Tel Aviv University, Bar-Ilan, University of Haifa, and Hebrew University of Jerusalem. According to the Tel Aviv Faculty of Law, a student must provide that she either graduated from high school with a minimum grade average of 85, graduated college with a minimum grade average of 80, prove that she holds a doctorate degree from an accredited university, or show that she completed an approved year-long preparatory course.
Additionally, all students must complete the "Psychometric Entrance Examination" and receive a score of 600 or higher. Tel Aviv's admission requirements are comparable to the other three law schools' mandatory prerequisites.
Israeli law students must complete a rigorous curriculum before graduating from law school. According to Tel Aviv University School of Law, students can obtain a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB), a Master's of Law degree (LLM), or a Doctorate of Philosophy with a concentration in legal studies. Most students at Tel Aviv are enrolled in the LLB program. Students must complete 120 hours of required study, 24 hours of elective courses, and write two research papers.
After students obtain a LLB degree they have the option of applying for the Bar examination or they can apply for the Master's of Law program (LLM). Students are required to hold a minimum grade point average of 80 percent to be considered for admission to the LLM program. Most students take two years to complete the LLM program.
Students with a Master's of Law degree can apply for the Doctorate of Philosophy program. Students in the doctoral program work on a thesis or dissertation. Students usually take an additional 3 to 4 years beyond their Master's degree to receive a Doctorate of Philosophy.