The information that follows was provided in a telephone interview by a lawyer responsible for consular affairs at the Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador in Ottawa (5 July 1995).

A licenciado is a title roughly equivalent to a bachelor's degree in Canada. Depending on the university, a student may be granted this title upon graduation or the completion of four years of studies at a faculty of law, jurisprudence, or social and political science. The actual title could be licenciado en leyes, licenciado en derecho or licenciado en ciencias políticas y sociales. In all cases, the licenciado can proceed to obtain the title of abogado.

Abogado is roughly equivalent to lawyer in Canada. It is a title conferred to a person who has obtained a licenciado degree and successfully defends a thesis on a subject of law. The person who obtains the title of abogado is legally entitled to exercise his or her profession at courts of law in Ecuador. The actual title conferred is abogado de los tribunales de la república.

The next and highest degree in law in Ecuador is that of doctor en jurisprudencia. This title is usually conferred after the successful defence of a thesis and the passing of various examinations. However, some faculties confer both titles (abogado and doctor) simultaneously after the successful defence of a thesis.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador, Ottawa. 5 July 1995. Telephone interview with lawyer responsible for consular affairs.