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- (12) Renewing our Why
(12) Renewing our Why
Train Better Lawyers returns!
Kevin Colangelo
December 06, 2023
Welcome Back!
Thank you for returning - or for checking us out for the first time!
To recap: our focus is on defining and reviewing the skills, capabilities & mindsets that many sources (including a leading legal think tank!) agree are needed but absent from current educational programs.
With this Issue #12 we’re going behind the curtain on legacy legal training and efforts to improve it, with the goal of progressing from Awareness to Action - which is the whole point of all of this!
So, settle in for some informative & inspirational content as we continue exploring how to Train Better Lawyers!
A quick refresher: Understanding the lawyer training problem using the 5 Whys technique
(click here for a quick explainer of the 5 Whys technique)
Why do we need to improve what lawyers are trained?
A: To enhance preparation for, and effectiveness of, the legal function. I.e., create better lawyers
Why do we need to enhance preparation for and effectiveness of the legal function?
A: Because most new legal professionals lack practical skills and real-world experience required in the modern operating environment.
Why do most new lawyers lack practical skills and real-world experience?
A: Because the law school curriculum focuses heavily on legal theory (aka, doctrinal teaching) over practical training.
Why does the law school curriculum place so much emphasis on legal theory?
A: Because academic study (vs. practical training) has been a top priority among law school leaders for many decades.
Why have law schools traditionally prioritized academic study?
A: Because legal education evolved from scholarly legal training rather than practical skills training - which has traditionally been left to employers. And look where that’s gotten us!
The Verdict:
The 5 Whys exercise reveals that the root cause of the problem with today’s approach to legal training is:
“because we’ve always done it this way”
(is anyone surprised by this?)
OK, but so what . . . it’s not like there’s a clear path to evolving traditional legal training?
Well, actually a path DOES exist.
It’s not easy but as far as disruption goes, for my money it’s the most evidence-backed initiative yet. And it has major momentum!
We’ll be exploring all of this in the coming issues . . . but if you’re the type who just has to read ahead, feel free to check out:
