What Law Schools Don’t Teach You, (unfortunately)

Some claim that law school didn’t teach them anything. This is an overstatement. It is, however, true that law schools don’t produce lawyers. Nowadays, being a lawyer requires much more than mere knowledge of the law. And that’s where law schools should start making a change.

Key words: Law School, Curriculum, Business, Technology, Social Skills

Image: Lawrence Suzara / Pexels

‘Law School didn’t Teach my Nothing!’ – Really?

Not long ago I stumbled over a LinkedIn post in which a lawyer was writing about how she hasn’t learned anything about the law in law school and that everything she knows about the law came from colleagues, practice, trainings etc. up to friends and family. It was a LinkedIn post and therefore obviously supposed to be controversial and spike a conversation (which seems to have worked as I’m writing and you are reading an entire article about it right now).

While it’s quite clear that no student leaves law school knowing everything he or she needs to know to be a successful lawyer, claiming law school didn’t teach you anything about the law seems like a severe overstatement. Sure there is room for improvement, but we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s first take a look at what law schools do teach us.

Law Schools don’t produce Lawyers

The way to become a lawyer is very different around the globe. In some countries a law program is a 3-years program, while in others it’s four, five or even more. In some jurisdictions law school includes clinical programs to prepare students for their future lives as lawyers, while in other jurisdictions law school provide only a theoretical basis leaving it to internships and (mostly compulsory) training periods after conclusion of law school. And while the majority of law schools provide a broad-based legal education for all its students, others allow for some sort of specialization even before one enters the market. But what the vast majority of law schools provide is an overview over the legal system, an introduction into the principal areas of the law incl. procedural law as well as basic legal methodology. Therefore claiming that law school didn’t teach you anything about the law is a big overstatement.

What the person in the previously mentioned post probably meant was: “Law school didn’t teach me how to be a lawyer!” She would be correct.

Hollywood makes us believe that graduates can take on the most complex cases right after law school, and while they might stumble at one point or another or even lose a battle, they always end up winning the war. This is not how real life works. In order to become a real lawyer you need a lot of practice, working on cases, getting into the weeds. But that’s not all. Making mistakes, watching experienced professionals, taking criticism seriously, googling your way through stuff you’ve never heard before, making more mistakes, talking to clients, approaching other lawyers, arguing with government agencies, mentoring, making even more mistakes, setting up and going through a bill, get your time management in order and much much more are all part of becoming a lawyer – and it’s impossible to learn all of that while in law school. Law schools don’t produce lawyers. They produce legal minds. They teach you how to tie your shoes, but you still need to learn to walk (and then run, jump etc.).

But the system is working, right? Law schools provide the basics, law firms and other institutions take over the rest. Well, it seems like it’s still working. This, however, doesn’t mean that it cannot be improved or at least adapted to the 21st century.

So what’s missing?

Most law schools miss three subject areas: Business, Technology and Social Skills. And while a law school cannot add an unlimited number of classes to its curriculum, teaching the bases of the afore-mentioned might be more important than another deep-dive in torts. Being a successful lawyer in the 21st century doesn’t just mean you need to know the law. Knowing the law is the mere basis of your chosen profession.

Business: First, attending business classes help law students develop a strong understanding of business principles, which can be useful in a number of areas of law, including business law, contract law, and tax law and therefore provide them with valuable knowledge and skills that they can use in their practice. Also, law itself is a business. The sooner one realizes this, the faster he or she will be running a successful practice.

Technology: Additionally, learning about technology can help law students stay up-to-date with the latest developments and have a basic understanding of these developments, which is important for those who specialize in areas of law that involve technology, such as IP law, IT law, privacy law or cyber law. Nobody expects a lawyer to be a programmer or engineer, but a basic understanding will help you understand your clients and their issues. Also, it will make you more welcoming when it comes to technology that might assist you and your practice and make your work not only more efficient but also better (LegalTech).

Social Skills: Furthermore, good social skills are essential for lawyers. You interact with clients, colleagues, and other legal professionals on a daily basis. And strong communication and interpersonal skills help lawyers build relationships with both clients and colleagues and therefore strengthen your networks, which will be important for your career development. And that’s apart from the fact that strong interpersonal and communications skills will help lawyers to represent their clients and negotiate on their behalf more effectively.

So, yes, law school didn’t teach you everything. That would be impossible. But there is room for improvement. However, until law schools change you will have to make an effort to acquire the above-mentioned skills on your own. Try it, it’s going to be worth the while.