Definition and Role of an Articled Clerk
– Articled clerk is a title used in Commonwealth countries for individuals studying to be accountants or lawyers.
– They are supervised by professionals in the field for a fixed period of employment, typically two years.
– The contract, known as articles of clerkship, outlines the obligations and commitments of the articled clerk.
– The contract is signed with a specific partner in the firm, not the firm as a whole.
– Some countries and professions may use alternative terms such as students or trainees.
Articled Clerk in Canada
– Canadian lawyers must undergo a period of experiential training after law school.
– This training can be completed through 10 months of articles or an alternative program.
– Depending on the province, students may also need to pass a bar exam during their articling year.
– The bar exam is known as Professional Legal Training and Certification.
– The requirements and programs vary by province.
Articled Clerk in India
– In India, students of chartered accountancy must register with a partner of a registered firm.
– They are required to serve articles for 18 months, followed by industrial training for 2.5-3 years.
– The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India oversees this process.
– The articles of clerkship provide practical training in the principles and practice of the profession.
– The length and structure of the training period are regulated by the institute.
Articled Clerk in Sri Lanka
– In Sri Lanka, student members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants serve as articled clerks.
– They must work under a member of the institute in practice or a salaried employee in a firm of accountants.
– The minimum practical training period is three years.
– The training period is known as articles and provides hands-on experience in the field.
– The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka sets the regulations for this training.
References and Further Reading
– Burrill’s Law Lexicon defines an articled clerk as a pupil of a solicitor who undertakes continuing covenants to learn the profession.
– Experiential Education is a process used in some countries to provide practical training through articles of clerkship.
– The Law Society of Ontario provides information about experiential training for lawyers in Canada.
– The Act of Incorporation and Regulations of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka outlines the requirements for articled clerks.
– Further reading includes articles such as ‘Training Accountants in Great Britain’ and ‘A Comparative Study of Certain Accounting Institutions and Practice in England and the United States.’ Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articled_clerk
Articled clerk is a title used in Commonwealth countries for one who is studying to be an accountant or a lawyer. In doing so, they are put under the supervision of someone already in the profession, now usually for two years, but previously three to five years was common. This can be compared as being an intern for a company. Trainees are obligated to sign a contract agreeing to the terms of being an articled clerk. The articled clerk signs a contract, known as "articles of clerkship", committing to a fixed period of employment. Wharton's Law Lexicon defines an articled clerk as "a pupil of a solicitor, who undertakes, by articles of clerkship, continuing covenants, mutually binding, to instruct him in the principles and practice of the profession". The contract is with a specific partner in the firm and not with the firm as a whole.
Now, some professions in some countries prefer to use the term "students" or "trainees" (e.g. a trainee solicitor) and the articles of clerkship "training contracts" through process of Experiential Education.
Apprentice architects can also be articled. Henry Percy Adams articled to Britwen Binyon (1846–1909), architect.
