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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I am the OP, and I am not a lawyer.  I was just wondering.  It's interesting that law schools are not training lawyers. I wonder what their value added is.  Perhaps law schools need to refocus their training on actually training lawyers through cooperative programs or apprenticeships with actual law firms.  What stops that idea?  It would certainly save firms money and train up lawyers who can do the job out of the gate.  You are actually learning a trade, after all.  [/quote]

I'm a lawyer and think that we could shave off a year and a half of law school or, preferably, make that last year into a year and a half apprenticeship time.  I think the first year and a half is valuable because it trains you to "think like a lawyer," which basically means upping your critical thinking skills and training you to see the different sides of arguments, etc.  But the practical training is very small - some people work in clinics or do some third year practice work, but I think it would be much better to be immersed in working in the law, more like they do in the UK.

But, yeah, I wouldn't hire someone who just passed the bar with no training to take on a case of mine solo.  It would be only slightly better than the blind leading the blind.[/quote]

Yeah, the first two years of law school are valuable.  You learn basic legal terminology and concepts, how to read a case, how to structure a legal argument, etc.  But the third year should be much more practical--a graduate should have had some practical experience.  Some students do clinics or other practical classes, but they aren't required, and most lawyers get a lot of on-the-job training.  Some of that is to be expected--there are 50 states, each with their own legal rules, plus federal practice, and you have to learn the ropes of your jurisdiction.  But more practical work would help.  I still wouldn't hire a solo attorney fresh out of law school, though.  [/quote]

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