Did Law School Shortchange You?

Most of us have asked the question “Was Law School Worth It?” It usually comes up as we contemplate unmanageable student loan debt, over work, under compensation or all three at once.  We are used to this question, and there are no right or wrong answers.  It is complicated and highly personal.

However, “Did Law School Shortchange You?” is a different question.  It refers to what you learned in law school rather than your current state of affairs.  It is about what law school taught you, and it turns out that many young lawyers are asking that question.

In a recent article from Reuters, the conclusion is that law school failed to prepare almost half of the junior associates surveyed.  According to the article, 45% of those associates reported that law school did not sufficiently prepare them for the jobs they currently hold.  That is a large piece of the associate pie, and those results are very troublesome.  It’s kind of like buying an expensive sports car that is nice to look at but does not drive well.

When asked about the areas of legal education which are most deficient, common responses were practical skills and transactional skills.  This did not surprise me, and I was not convinced by the arguments of the surveyors attributing some of the perceived deficiencies in legal education to difficulties encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic.  My experience tells me that this problem of deficiency in legal education predates the pandemic by decades.

The lack of emphasis on practical skills in law school is a perennial complaint from both supervising partners and entry level associates, and it has not received much of an adequate response from law schools.  Many law schools do not require trial practice or negotiation training for graduation, and many law schools also do not put enough emphasis on legal writing, including preparation of transactional documents.

So, far too often, what you might expect to learn in law school is left to seasoned practitioners who supervise and mentor less experienced lawyers.  Some do, and some don’t, and those young lawyers left in the lurch without effective mentors have to figure it out for themselves.  That can be a very heavy lift with unsatisfactory results.

I did my fair share of mentoring throughout my years of private practice and public service.  However, the greatest difference I have been able to make on behalf of young lawyers is inside the covers of my most recent book, New Lawyer Launch: The Handbook for Young Lawyers (Full Court Press, 2023).  That book fills the void left after the shortchange of law school and concentrates on the reality of law practice.  Chock full of guidance on practical skills and strategies for success, it is unique and candid in its approach and also includes advice from an impressive group of practicing lawyers who join me as book contributors.

You can get a view inside on Amazon Books or on the publisher’s website. Take a look and decide if this book would be helpful to you.

And helpful to other associate lawyers within your sphere.  Remember that holiday gift giving is just around the corner!

 

 

 

This entry was posted in Career Counselors, Law Firm Managers, Law School Educators, Law Students, Practice Advice, Pre-law, Young Lawyer. Bookmark the permalink.

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