The purposes of this Part are as follows:

(a) in the interests of the administration of justice and for the protection of consumers of legal services, to provide a system under which only applicants who have appropriate academic qualifications and practical legal training and who are otherwise fit and proper persons to be admitted are qualified for admission to the legal profession in this jurisdiction;

(b) to provide for the recognition of equivalent qualifications and training that make applicants eligible for admission to the legal profession in other jurisdictions.