Law Schools Get Practical

With only about 25% of last year’s graduating class gaining positions with big law firms, law schools are rethinking their curricula and how they are preparing their students to be employment ready in this tough legal job market.

A recent WSJ article discussed law schools' move to restructure their curriculum to teach practical skills. New York Law School went as far as hiring 15 new faculty members over the past two years. The new additions are working lawyers who will teach law students vital skills such as negotiation, counseling, and fact investigation. This represents a startling change for New York Law, which usually hires only two new faculty members a year.

Even top law schools, whose graduates statistically have much better luck finding jobs at big law firms, are responding to this wave of change. For example, Harvard launched a problem-solving class for first-year students while Stanford is considering making a full-time clinical course, which would entail several 40 plus hours a week of case work.

It is unclear whether the new approaches to teaching law, combining a legal education and practical skills, will impact the ability of lawyers to land jobs. "It could enhance the reputation of the law school...as places that will produce new lawyers who have practical skills," says Timothy Lloyd, a partner at Hogan Lovells and chair of its recruiting committee. "As to the particular student when I'm interviewing them? It doesn't make much of a difference."

Do you believe teaching more practical skills and courses at law schools is enough to help students find employment post law school or should law schools be doing more for their students? Please share your thoughts below.