Preparing Students to Practice Law: A Global Problem in Need of Global Solutions
34 Pages Posted: 9 Aug 2006
Abstract
Preparing students to practice law is the shared objective of legal education systems around the world. Collectively, legal educators everywhere aspire to produce good lawyers and judges who will perform their jobs competently and uphold the highest ideals of the legal profession. To accomplish this result, a system of legal education must impart the knowledge, skills, and values that enable lawyers and judges to participate effectively in the legal profession. Unfortunately, with limited exceptions, the average new lawyer is not adequately prepared to practice law, or at least is not prepared to undertake primary responsibility for resolving clients' problems.
The inadequate preparation of lawyers in the United States has been extensively documented. Although the effectiveness of legal education in other countries has not been examined as closely as in the United States, it is unlikely that any system of legal education in the world is adequately preparing students for the practice of law.
This article describes the current state of legal education globally. It then explains why legal education is inadequate and what needs to be done to improve it. It concludes with a call for legal educators in all countries to participate in creating a better future for legal education and the legal profession.
Keywords: students, practice law, prepare, legal education, lawyering skills,
JEL Classification: K00
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation