Document Type

Article

Publication Title

The Review of Litigation

Volume

33

Publication Date

2014

Keywords

Legal profession; in-house clinics; experiential education; employer demands; clinical education

Abstract

The legal world has undergone rapid change over the past few years and law schools and law students are in the midst of adjusting to this new legal landscape. Employers increasingly want to hire students who are ready to practice. As a law student, I participated in an externship, simulation classes, and an in-house, live-client litigation clinic; as a professor, I have taught all three types of classes. 1 My experience, first as a law student, then as a litigator, and now as a professor, has taught me the importance and educational value of experiential learning in helping law students develop their litigation skills. It is more important than ever for students who are interested in litigating to take in-house, live-client litigation clinics, simulation courses, and externships while in law school so that they learn how to make strategic decisions and gain the skills that will enable them to practice upon graduation. This Article argues that while all of these forms of practical legal education are valuable, live-client, in-house litigation clinics are especially important because they contain certain features that are very difficult to replicate in externships or simulations.

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