Law Student Professional Development and Formation: Bridging Law School, Student, and Employer Goals

Law schools should focus on developing a wider range of competencies in students to prepare them for the legal profession. This book provides practical ways to build these competencies into a law school curriculum, based on recommendations from the American Bar Association, American Association of Law Schools, and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The four goals of a lawyer's professional identity are internalized, and this book empowers legal educators to foster each student's development of a professional identity that leads to a gratifying career.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 05 May 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Law schools play a crucial role in equipping students with the skills and mindset necessary to excel in the legal profession. While they do an excellent job in teaching students to think like lawyers, empirical evidence suggests that clients, legal employers, and the legal system require a broader range of competencies from law graduates. To address this gap, this book offers valuable insights and practical strategies for legal educators to incorporate these competencies into their law school curriculum.

The book is based on recommendations from prestigious organizations such as the American Bar Association, the American Association of Law Schools, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. It aims to equip students with the skills they need not only to think critically but also to act and feel like lawyers. These skills include a strong sense of professional development, a commitment to serving others, a client-centered approach to problem-solving, and the adoption of robust well-being practices.

The four goals outlined in this book constitute the professional identity of a lawyer, and legal educators are empowered to foster each student's development of a professional identity that leads to a fulfilling career that serves society well. By incorporating these competencies into the law school curriculum, legal educators can help students become well-rounded professionals who are ready to make a positive impact in the legal field.

This book is available in Open Access, ensuring that it reaches a wide audience and promotes the dissemination of knowledge and ideas in the legal education community. It is a valuable resource for legal educators, students, and professionals alike, as it contributes to the ongoing development of legal education and the profession.

Weight: 280g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108745659