Many have opined about the impracticality of a law school education, especially the third year. Two articles on New York Lawyer have offered thoughtful suggestions to improve this situation. As The Legal Intelligencer notes, “Given the increased competition in the job market, there can be no question that experience and practical training speak louder than a respectable grade point average and a semester as an academic research assistant.”
The article highlights the third year of law school as the prime time to focus on practical education, such as a course on becoming a solo practitioner or learning about electronic discovery. Students should be able to gain experience in the workplace and outside of the classroom, working in a governmental agency, public interest organization, judicial office, corporation, or law firm. Some schools have even “established pro bono legal service requirements and provide corresponding clinical opportunities.”
Another interesting idea is to offer bar exam prep in the last semester, saving students the cost of a private course and allowing law schools to present higher bar passage rates. It is up to the students, as well, to take initiative in the third year. Whether or not they have a job lined up, gaining more practical experience can help prepare them for what lies ahead and set them apart from their peers.
On a more snarky note, the Daily Report also calls for more practical courses, proposing a few subjects geared at those pursuing careers in BigLaw. For instance, a boot camp in which students must be ready and willing to work whenever is necessary, as “the schedule will immediately thin the herd of weaklings who aren’t serious about pursuing BigLaw careers.”
Other classes include “Advanced E-mail for BigLaw Cogs” and “Legal Assistant’s Toolbox,” teaching essential skills such as “scheduling meetings and booking conference rooms,” and “finding misplaced original client documents that were handed to the partner directly and never shared with anyone else, but that you are expected to know the whereabouts of.” For more ‘useful’ course information, check out the article.
Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best
Read the full article: Practical Suggestions to Make Law School More Practical
